The Government Property Agency (GPA) services a wide range of building types, from GPA-managed state-of-the-art hubs such as 23 Stevenson Street in Birmingham to fully refurbished offices such as 3-8 Whitehall in London. We offer In typical office spaces across the country. And there are buildings on the list.
Many government buildings, particularly Whitehall, list their building status, and One Horse Guards Road in London (part of Government Great George Street (GOGGS)) is a good example. When architect John Brydon designed this building in his 1898, paving the way for the installation of a future large-scale shared Wi-Fi network was not on his mind.
protect history
Throughout GOGGS, thick walls of Portland stone envelop the interior spaces, which feature six-story high glazed brick walls, marble columns, intricate cornicing, oak paneling, sash windows, and a number of key features. Not to mention works of art. Famous for its large ‘drum’-shaped courtyard – scenes from films such as Spectre, The Darkest Hour and even Fast & Furious 6 – and the room where Churchill announced his victory in Europe, the building is Grade II* listed. Getting the status of the specified list. be of particular national and historical significance;
It is also a key part of Whitehall’s estate, the backbone of the civil service and needs to be run and managed in line with the government’s net zero ambitions.
learning curve
All of this posed a challenge for Mike Rolandeau, one of GPA’s senior project managers responsible for ensuring that the shared Wi-Fi network is distributed throughout GOGGS. Mike said:
As well as being an IT installation manager, I also have expertise in listed buildings and am able to understand how best to work with numerous stakeholders, facilities and building management teams, planning and historic preservation professionals. I’ve learned it over the years.
It’s about finding the best solution, figuring out the best way to survey a given building, getting the proper permits to install an access point, and running wires into the walls without damaging the appearance. It means being creative in your approach to finding the right location. A historically important room.
The complexity of the project became apparent only after work began, when it was discovered that new power, lighting and cooling were required for the server room and signal points, as well as the fire suppression system.
The entire GOGGS building is Grade II* listed and at the top of the protection and preservation list, severely restricting what the team can do. It’s time to call for specific expertise.
expert work
The work was carried out overnight by specialist contractors who have worked there for many years and are familiar with the building and property constraints. And by morning everything was back in place and there was no sign that the contractors were there.
Once the new shared network was tested and fully deployed, civil servants were able to easily connect and report to work and perform their duties as usual.
Previously, Wi-Fi access points were few and far between, and many were installed on the floor, creating poor connectivity for those using the space. These now sit high on the wall in a listed building approved design, with white boxes blending in discreetly. More importantly, there are approximately 1,000 access points throughout the building, providing users with a strong signal.
I’m working on it
The shared network at One Horse Guards Road is now fully operational, with the remainder of GOGGS’ work, including 100 Parliament Street, expected to be delivered during the first quarter of this year.
Paul O’Toole, Head of IT Services Management at GPA, said:
This project has been a true journey of discovery for all of us, especially Mike. Mike has stoically approached every challenge that arises and found solutions.
When we took over the building in October 2021, we already knew from our research that the existing Wi-Fi network would need to be replaced. We have since installed a single, resilient, high-performance network across our sites.
This project was not for the faint of heart. As well as working around the customers using the building every day, Mike had to deal with the Building Registration, contractors and suppliers. There’s still work to do, but I plan to turn on his Wi-Fi at 100 Parliament Street.
Cabinet Office Secretary Paul Coleman acknowledged that customers were seeing benefits:
We asked Cabinet Office staff what they thought about the new Wi-Fi at One Horse Guards Road. The majority said it was more reliable, especially when moving around buildings.
