The Broadgate Tower, next to Liverpool Street Station in London, is home to Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM). This modern 35-storey skyscraper was designed by SOM itself, the prestigious international firm of architects, designers, engineers, and urban planners, which also took care of recently designing the interiors of its own offices on the sixth floor.

Playing a key functional and aesthetic role in the space are the Alea A65 partition walls, selected in collaboration with partner Progress Work Place Solutions. It was a well-considered and confident choice, as SOM explains: “We specified the Alea system for our new London office fitout because we were looking for something more refined and design-led than the standard partition systems on the market. Its minimal aesthetic aligned perfectly with our vision for the space, and the strong recommendation from our New York office gave us added confidence in the product”.

The installed system is the A65 double-glass version, which combines a minimalist, elegant design with a high level of customization (15 standard profile colours and countless options for glass or panel finishes), and top-tier acoustic performance - achieving sound insulation of 46 dB for the wall and 40 dB for the door, using acoustic double glazing (6+6 mm).

SOM’s mission to build a better future is a philosophy also embraced by Alea, a certified Benefit Corporation proud to contribute to this significant project together with Progress Work Place Solutions. The project, as a whole, follows a circular economy approach and applies SOM’s Whole Life Carbon Accounting methodology, resulting in a 28% reduction in embodied carbon emissions and a 12% cost saving, a clear demonstration that sustainability and costefficiency can go hand in hand. By prioritising lowimpact materials, optimising the design for efficiency, and integrating sustainability at every stage, SOM has created a workspace that not only promotes wellbeing but also helps steer the industry toward responsible, low-impact building practices.

Photo Credits: SOLK Photography Ltd - Richard Leeney | British Land