Windows installed as Sunderland's new Maker & Faber offices near completion

As two of the city centre’s most-prominent new buildings near completion, the windows have been installed offering a view of the future.

More than 1,000 windows have been installed at Maker & Faber, two new sustainable office blocks at the heart of the Riverside Sunderland development.

Due to open late summer 2024, the buildings offer 150,000 sq ft of new city centre office accommodation in a development backed by Legal & General.

The buildings, which are being constructed by Sir Robert McAlpine, will now move into an internal fit out phase, as they prepare to welcome tenants later this year.

Property development manager, Landid, which is delivering the building on behalf of investor Legal & General, says it has placed a firm focus on creating a space that will foster happy and productive employees.

James Silver, managing director of Landid, said: “Maker & Faber will be two wonderful buildings, providing an inspiring workspace for the hundreds of people who work from them.

“Delivering a light, bright and airy workspace, that is not only super pleasant for the people that work there, but kind on the planet, is really important to us, and Maker & Faber will deliver on all of those commitments. We’re excited to see the buildings move into their final phase of construction, ahead of opening later this year.”

The buildings are being actively marketed by commercial property agents Knight Frank and JLL, and they say there’s been strong interest from a range of occupiers.

Maker & Faber are part of Legal & General’s £100m commitment to the Riverside Sunderland site, and a combined £160m that the institutional investor is ploughing into the city over the next few years.

Maker will stand six-storeys high, delivering 80,000 sq ft of office space and is set to be completed first. The second building, Faber – which is five-storeys high, delivering 70,000 sq ft – will follow.

The all-electric, low-energy office buildings, next to City Hall, are so called after Sunderland’s history of being a city of makers.

Faber is Latin for ‘smith’ i.e., an artisan, craftsman, creator or Maker, meaning both names tie-in with the developer’s ambition to provide buildings that ‘help make businesses grow and make Sunderland a thriving city.’

To enquire about space within the buildings, contact Tom Brammeld from JLL at [email protected] or on  07928 525 992 or contact Patrick Matheson at Knight Frank at [email protected] or on 0191 594 5001.