Skanska celebrates topping out at Canary Wharf building

Main contractor Skanska and client Quadrant have celebrated the topping out of the YY London building in London’s Canary Wharf estate.

As featured in New Steel Construction (September 2021) the iconic building was one of the first steel-framed buildings to be built on the estate and has been refurbished and enlarged.

Built in 1991, YY London, named for its new Y-shaped cladding, has been stripped back to its structural frame, extended upwards with three new floors and reconfigured internally from the ground up.

Severfield has fabricated, supplied and erected 1,500t of steelwork for the project, which is aiming to achieve a BREEAM ‘Outstanding’ rating.

Julian Neave, Partner at Quadrant, said: “It’s fantastic to have reached this milestone stage of YY London and to celebrate the progress of this spectacular redesign of the former Thomson Reuters HQ.

“The last few years have changed our demands of what we require in an office and the amenities and spaces on offer have never been more important. YY London is on track to offer an extraordinary workspace to exceed post-pandemic expectations, all within the prime central location of London’s Canary Wharf.”

Tony Boorer, Project Director at Skanska, added: “A topping out ceremony is a significant milestone for any construction project, marking the beginning of the next stage of work to complete it. By renovating rather than building from scratch, the project has achieved huge carbon savings and Skanska’s extensive experience of renovations and refurbishments means we have been able to work closely with our stakeholders to find innovative solutions that will deliver a modern, sustainable building located in the heart of the vibrant Canary Wharf community.”

YY London is due to complete by the end of the year.