With very little fanfare, indeed no publicity at all, TfL have moved into a brand newoffice block. What's more, it's the very first office block in Stratford's new business district, the International Quarter. You'd think someone would have shouted louder.
The International Quarter follows the strip of land between the Olympic Park and the Westfield shopping centre. The two towers nearest to the station are residential, but TfL have taken the prime commercial spot, immediately opposite the exit from the shops. It may be quiet outside now, but when the hoardings are removed and the direct route into the Olympic Park reopens, everyone will be walking this way along the promenade, straight past TfL's revolving doors.
Beyond the doors is a spacious atrium with 12 branded roundels on the wall above the reception desk, ordered alphabetically from Air Line to Underground. Turn left to swipe your card through the row of gates - I'm guessing contactless doesn't work here - and then the main lifts and a staircase lie beyond. I haven't been inside the building, you understand, merely walked past the cigarette smokers out front, but glass is a wonderfully transparent medium.
TfL's new address is 5 Endeavour Square, a third administrative hub to match their existing presence down the Jubilee line at Southwark and North Greenwich. Relocated staff visited for an induction look-around in September, started moving in properly last month, and will fill ten floors of office space. The liftshafts form a red-panelled rib down the centre of the building, and a nice touch is that the big numbers on the external stairs are written in Johnston, the official TfL font.
Most of the ground floor is taken up by 50 car parking spaces(!), as well as a creche and a selection of as-yet empty retail units. Pret A Manger and ramen-mongers Tonkotsu will soon be arriving to feed off the captive audience above, and to cater to passing hordes. The top floor features a large rooftop terrace overlooking the Olympic Park, ideal for events and receptions. As for bikes, cycle parking is provided inside on the mezzanine, a cycle hire docking station has been located a few yards towards the Aquatics Centre, and a 2-way cycle lane runs past along the pavement on Westfield Avenue.
And round the back is Balcony Park, a bijou area of stepped grass provided specifically for the residents of Glasshouse Gardens, but within easy relaxation distance for TfL staff. Come slouch on the benches, or shoot some hoops, or take a bounce on the three mini-trampolines. It's also fully publicly accessible, should you ever fancy a break from Westfield shopping, even if no signmakers have gone out of their way to suggest it exists. Likewise I wonder why TfL moving into a massive new office block has gone as yet unreported, especially given the savings and efficiencies they must have realised by doing so.
