Topping out ceremony marks major milestone at 2 Finsbury Avenue

We celebrated a significant milestone in the construction of 2 Finsbury Avenue for clients, British Land, GIC and Modon, last week, with a topping out ceremony marking the completion of the building’s highest point at level 37.

Located in the heart of the Broadgate Campus, 2 Finsbury Avenue is set to become one of London’s most forward thinking, sustainable commercial developments. We are delivering the project as part of the Broadgate Framework which celebrates its tenth anniversary this year. 

Construction started with piling and early concrete works in 2023, and once complete next year, the development will offer approximately 750,000 sq ft of flexible, mixed use workspace across a 36 storey East Tower, a 21 storey West Tower, and a 13 storey connecting podium. 

Designed by 3XN GXN with Adamson Associates as executive architect, 2 Finsbury Avenue will be an all electric, smart enabled building targeting BREEAM Outstanding, WELL Platinum, EPC A and NABERS 5 star certifications, setting a new benchmark for highly sustainable workspace in London. The design features striking interlocking triangular façades, high performance cladding, and carefully curated green terraces and amenity spaces. 

Steelworks partner, William Hare, delivered the 37 storey, 10,000 tonne structural steel frame that started in August 2024. Morrisroe completed the concrete cores, floor slabs and top-down basement all concurrently, placing some 40,000 tonnes of concrete since December 2023.

The ceremony was held on the 37th floor of the building, where around 300 guests as well as senior individuals from British Land, GIC, Modon, Sir Robert McAlpine and partners across the design and delivery teams were welcomed by the Master of Ceremonies and accompanied by a traditional piper. As part of the topping out ritual, Simon Carter, British Land Chief Executive, and Neil Doherty, Works Manager at Sir Robert McAlpine, poured the final concrete before nailing the evergreen bough to the structure, a symbolic gesture of good fortune. The ceremony concluded with the exchange of engraved tankards and a celebratory toast, honouring the teams who brought 2 Finsbury Avenue to this milestone.

2 Finsbury Avenue represents a major piece of the current Broadgate regeneration—transforming the estate into a vibrant, seven day destination with world class workspace, retail, learning and cultural spaces. Its engineering ambition is evident in the 280 secant piles and 78 bearing piles extending up to 50 metres deep, supporting the development on a constrained urban plot. The cladding system, engineered in collaboration with specialist suppliers, showcases advanced sustainable materials and design precision to reduce embodied carbon. 

David Lockyer, Head of Development at British Land, commented: “2 Finsbury Avenue is a best‑in‑class building that stands alongside the world’s leading workspaces. Now just 18 months from completion, and with a significant pre‑let to Citadel, it is great to see our vision coming to life – made possible by our strong JV partnerships with GIC and Modon, the commitment of Sir Robert McAlpine and 3XN GXN, and the expertise of our wider design team.”

Audun Opdal, Senior Partner, 3XN GXN, said: “3XN and GXN are thrilled to see 2FA taking shape on the London city skyline. The project integrates research-based design into high-profile real estate and Class A office spaces, demonstrating that innovation at this scale is not only feasible but aspirational. We can’t wait to see the project completed in 2027.”

Mark Andrews, Sector Managing Director, Commercial, Sir Robert McAlpine, commented: “This milestone is a testament to the strength of our collaboration with our joint venture clients, British Land, GIC and Modon, and the entire project team. From the earliest design stages through to the complex engineering now visible on the skyline, 2 Finsbury Avenue has exemplified what can be achieved when technical excellence and a shared commitment to sustainability come together. I’m incredibly proud of the collective effort behind this landmark building and the positive legacy it will create for Broadgate and the City of London.”

Nick Day, Director at William Hare Group, commented: “It’s been fantastic to be part of the team delivering this landmark project. The process of erecting 10,000 tonnes of steel including complex feature nodes on the lower floors enabled us to combine our unique technical capability and design innovation to deliver the perfect solution for this development. Collaboration between the teams has been outstanding and we are proud to have played a role in the delivery of this flagship project.”

Brian Morrisroe, CEO of Morrisroe Group, commented: “Working on the last phase of British Land’s iconic Broadgate campus with like-minded contractors has been a pleasure. There was a noticeable spirit of collaboration which enabled (rather than hindered) our processes for the ‘top down’ delivery of the 3-storey concrete substructure, along with the construction of two very substantial slipformed cores for a uniquely designed dual tower.  We were also able to introduce an innovative logistics solution involving a ‘raptor crane’ to enable slipforming to proceed uninterrupted by and in tandem with the erection of the steel frame. All in all, a highly productive and successful operation.”