Asticus Building

Asticus Building
Asticus Building (right) with Cypher
Interactive map of Asticus Building
General information
Location	21 Palmer Street, Westminster, United Kingdom
Coordinates	51°29′56″N0°08′06″W / 51.4988°N 0.1351°W / 51.4988; -0.1351
Current tenants	The Work Foundation
Opened	2006
Cost	£80m
Owner	Axa Investment Managers
Design and construction
Architecture firm	Lifschutz Davidson Sandilands

The Asticus Building is an architecturally notable building at 21 Palmer Street in the City of Westminster, London. ^[1]

The building was designed by architects Lifschutz Davidson Sandilands with a cylindrical shape on a concrete frame in order to maximise light due to the proximity of nearby buildings. ^[2] The nearby buildings, rising to up to seven storeys, made the site so difficult that it had remained undeveloped for 25 years despite its prime location. A "blister" structure at the rear in a sheltered corner was used to house core services in order to maximise usable space and avoid an awkward floor layout. ^[3] The building was completed in 2006. ^[4]

Tenants include The Work Foundation. ^[5] Outside the entrance is Tim Morgan's steel and glass sculpture Cypher (2004), one of three of that work. ^[6]

In 2016 it was purchased by Axa Investment Managers for £80m. ^[4]

References

1. Asticus, 21 Palmer Street, Victoria, London, SW1H 0AD. Monmouth Dean. Retrieved 7 April 2019.
2. The Asticus Building. akt II. Retrieved 7 April 2019.
3. BCO Awards - 2007 Commercial Workplace Award. BCO. Retrieved 7 April 2019.
4. AXA IM - Real Assets acquires Asticus Building in London for £80m (UK). Europe Real Estate, 1 June 2016. Retrieved 7 April 2019.
5. "The Work Foundation". Work Foundation. Retrieved 6 April 2019.
6. Cypher. Cass Sculpture Foundation. Retrieved 7 April 2019.