Olympic Park Business Centres
In the next several years, Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park will welcome some of London's most innovative businesses. Here East and the International Quarter will serve as the main centres for business in the Park. Businesses will have a range of flexible office spaces to choose from, whether they are a start-up or an established company. Several businesses centres are planned for the Park, and many others are likely expected to emerge as the development evolves.
The Gantry, Here East
With 12,000 square feet of office space, the Gantry at the Broadcast Centre will include specialist studios for creative businesses. The unique structure resembles an open cabinet where studios will be viewed from the street. It will also be home to SPACE, a visual arts organisation that will provide workspace and support for artists and creative businesses. Founded in 1969, SPACE operates 18 artist studios in London that provide affordable creative workspace as well as support programmes. The new facility at Here East will help support entrepreneurs and innovators in digital media, product design, furniture, ceramics, textile design, print, and sculpture. The Gantry is expected to open in March 2016.
Innovation Centre, Here East
Situated in the 198-000 square foot Press Centre within the Here East development will be the new Innovation Centre. The centre will include flexible co-working spaces for start-up and developing businesses. It will also house managed incubation services to help entrepreneurs and businesses develop their ideas. These services will include mentoring, skills training, and other facilities that innovators need to create marketable products and services. When complete in July 2015, the Innovation Centre will be the UK's largest incubator for start-up businesses. The Press Centre itself will also offer flexible workspace for businesses that offer views of East London and superb connectivity in the heart of the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park.
Broadcast Centre, Here East
The Broadcast Centre is the largest building at Here East with 647,410 square feet, including 213,000 square feet of office space. The centre will include flexible workspace as well as studios and retail units. It will be supported by a state-of-the-art, 252,000-square foot Infinity Data Centre, one of the most advanced and connected in Europe. The centre will also be home to programmes offered by Loughborough University and Hackney Community College. It has also been the home of BT Sport and its television studios since 2013. Available from January 2016, the Broadcast Centre will have a range of spaces for start-up businesses as well as flexible space for growing firms.
International Quarter
The International Quarter will be a major business location and employer in East London once it is complete. Situated to the north and south of Westfield Stratford City, the development will include four million square feet of new flexible workspace within up to 11 low- and high-rise office buildings of up to 25 storeys. Office towers will include open atriums, natural light and improved thermal comfort, environmentally responsible and sustainable construction, and activated street entrances. The International Quarter will also include new homes, hotels and amenities such as bars, cafes and restaurants. Excellent transportation connections thanks to its proximity to Stratford and Stratford International stations will also connect businesses to Central London and Heathrow Airport quickly and efficiently. With construction started in 2014, occupation of the International Quarter is expected to begin in 2017 when the first office tower is completed. As tenants begin to secure agreements to occupy the site in the coming years, it is expected that business centre operators offering serviced and non-serviced offices may open facilities in the development.