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Castlemead
Office building in Bristol, England From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Castlemead is a high-rise commercial office building in Bristol, England, located on Lower Castle Street near Castle Park. At 80 metres (260 ft) tall, it was the tallest building in Bristol from its completion in 1981 until it was surpassed by Castle Park View in 2020.[1]
Castlemead houses a variety of commercial tenants including IMDb, Beaufort Securities, IBEX Global UK, Bluefin, Equiniti, Marsh Commercial, and the Bristol IT Company. The building is also used as an examination centre by Lloyds TSB and the City of Bristol College.[1] Letting agents have included Knight Frank, JLL, and HTC.[needs update]
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History
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Construction of Castlemead began in 1973 but was suspended due to a recession in the property market. The building was eventually completed in 1981 and was designed by architect A. J. Hines.[2] It comprises 18 storeys, 17 of which are used as office space. Castlemead was approved and built before the City’s post-crash planning policies placed greater emphasis on conservation. Following the 1973–74 stock market crash, new development increasingly shifted toward derelict sites outside the historic core. Castlemead was among the last large office projects completed in the central area before these policies took effect.[3]
In the decades following its completion, Castlemead changed ownership multiple times. Prior to 2016, it was owned by property management group F&C Reit, and was then acquired by London-based Oval Real Estate. In July 2018, Floreat Real Estate purchased Castlemead as part of an off-market deal valued at £44.7 million. Following the acquisition, Knight Frank was appointed to manage the building’s rent collection, facilities, and placemaking strategy.[4]
In 2020, plans were announced for a £2.1 million refurbishment, aiming to modernise the building and improve its environmental credentials. The refurbishment introduced a 24-hour reception area, secure access with a lift, and extensive facilities for cyclists and commuters. These included 374 bike parking spaces, 18 showers, personal lockers, a drying room, and 12 electric vehicle charging points.[5] The project was completed in 2021 and achieved Grade A standard throughout. It also became the first building in Bristol to meet the Platinum level of the CyclingScore certification scheme.[6]
In July 2022, Castlemead was used as the site for a charity abseiling event organised by St Peter’s Hospice. More than 40 participants descended the 80-metre façade over the course of a weekend as part of "Bristol's Big Drop", aiming to raise over £10,000 in support of end-of-life care services.[7]
In early 2024, owners Floreat appointed CBRE to market Castlemead for offers over £27.5 million. At the time of listing, the building was 94% let to 15 tenants including DPD, Regus, Reed, OpticalExpress and Marsh, generating an average rent of £27.23 per square foot. The building holds a long leasehold from Bristol City Council expiring in 2103, with an option to extend to 2168.[8]
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Design
The building is characterised by its brutalist features, with unbroken concrete verticals and narrow glazing strips that rise up the façade and culminate in a flared top that is designed to emulate the merlons of a castle's battlements in a nod to local heritage.[9][10] Castlemead is located in a group of brutalist buildings, the adjacent Broadmead car park (1960) and Delta Hotels (formerly Marriott).[11]
Castlemead is a prominent example of brutalist architecture in Bristol.[12][9] However, the building has also attracted criticism for its location and visual impact on the urban landscape. Alongside other high-rises constructed in the post-war period, it has been considered emblematic of an era when tall buildings disrupted Bristol's historic skyline, and has been considered "intrusive".[9][13]
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Location
Castlemead is centrally located in Bristol, adjacent to Cabot Circus and Broadmead on Lower Castle Street near its junction with the A4044 (Temple Way). It is within walking distance of the Floating Harbour and River Avon, along with their associated amenities. It is situated on the edge of Castle Park, a public green space that occupies the historic centre of the city, which was extensively damaged during the Bristol Blitz and was once the site of Bristol Castle.[9]
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References
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