Merrill Lynch HQ
You can bank on Levolux!
Totalling some 565,000 sq ft (56,000m²) of office space, the Merrill Lynch regional headquarters represents the biggest newbuild project of its type in the City of London. For Levolux the contract involved supplying all window treatments, including some 2,000 roller blinds, as well as internal decorative acoustic fabric panelling.
Consisting of two new buildings, one of six floors and the other of four, the project also takes in a number of converted and refurbished buildings including the former Post Office Building, a grade one listed building.
"An integral part of the cladding"
To stop glare all external windows are fitted with Levolux roller blinds within the mullions of the fascia so they appear as an integral part of the cladding. In a grey super weave solar fabric the blinds are individually chain operated so each person has control of their working environment.
Within the executive dining and meeting rooms, and in key offices on the 5th and 6th levels, 174 roman blinds have been employed. All are in strongly patterned fabrics chosen by the architect to reflect the mood of each room. They contrast with the plain silks used on the 822 fabric wrapped acoustic panels which have also been supplied by Levolux for these areas and the associated corridors.
The main boardroom has a pair of motorised, electrically operated curtains, again in a strong design. Lined with a blackout fabric they darken the room for presentations and are operated both from the lectern and from the main lighting control panel. A second room, for audio-visual use, is fitted with room darkening roller blinds in grey fabric.
Many fixings required of marble
As a grade I listed building the former Post Office Building represented considerable challenges especially in many of the areas where fixings were required were of marble. Within the ground floor is an impressive audio-visual room with magnificent windows that have been screened by 14 pairs of motorised curtains along with sheers and elaborate pelmets.
| Architect: | Swanke Hayden Connell |
| Products used: | Internal Roller Blinds |
| Austrian, Roman and Festoon Blinds | |
| Stretched Acoustic Fabric Walling | |
| Electronic Controls |
Members of the UK Green
Achilles Building Confidence


