黑洞社区

Hopkins Architects has been appointed by conservation body WWF to design its new UK headquarters.

The organisation hopes to use the building to improve its own ecological footprint and create an exemplar of sustainable office design.

David Nussbaum, chief executive of WWF-UK, said that the new headquarters offered the 鈥渂est opportunity to reduce our footprint, and improve the way that we as an organisation interact with our environment鈥�.

He added: 鈥淲ith the right design and construction, we can also achieve financial savings.鈥�

A site for the new headquarters has yet to be chosen. WWF is reviewing several locations in Surrey, with sustainability criteria said to be vital in the selection process.

The building will be designed to achieve a BREEAM sustainability rating of 鈥渙utstanding鈥�, the category recently brought in above the old top rating of 鈥渆xcellent鈥�.

鈥淲e hope that through collaboration with Hopkins we can provide a practical example of how best to meet the needs of a modern workplace with the least impact on the planet,鈥� said Nussbaum.

Hopkins Architects was shortlisted by 黑洞社区 as 2008's Sustainable Architect of the Year, and was the first to design a BREEAM 鈥渆xcellent鈥� rated building in the UK, in 1996.

Practice director Bill Taylor said the firm was honoured to have been asked, describing the commission as an 鈥渁wesome responsibility鈥�.

He said: 鈥淲WF has set us a marvellous challenge: to design for them a building that exemplifies their commitment to the human and natural environment, and provide an uplifting workplace for their teams.鈥�

WWF is expected to select a site in the new year, when the budget will be decided.