The Willis Building is a commercial building with an innovative and energy-conscious functionality. Inaugurated in 1975, it was designed by the acclaimed architecture team Foster + Partners and is one of the earliest completed works by Norman Foster. The Willis Building has won numerous awards and is a recent addition to the National Heritage List of England. Marvel at the glass-paneled façade and enjoy panoramic views from the rooftop garden.
An impressive 890 panels of tinted glass, each measuring 21.5 square feet (2 square meters), were used to create the exterior walls. By day the panels seem opaque and show reflections of nearby buildings. At night, when the lights are switched on, inside offices are quite visible. The low-rise, three-level structure mimics the height of the surrounding buildings. Notice the façade’s lack of right angles and how the walls flow to resemble the pattern of the area’s medieval streets.
The interior has a deep plan design, which means that the horizontal space from the outer wall is considerably larger than the height between the floors. Note that real grass covers a large portion of the roof, which is enclosed by an additional 180 glass panels. These aspects ensure superb thermal functionality and lower energy consumption. One curious feature is a disused and covered swimming pool, installed as a leisure facility for employees.
Although the building is closed to the general public, it’s possible to take a guided tour during September’s Ipswich Heritage Open Days. You’ll get to visit an office floor, see the swimming pool and walk on the rooftop. Look out from the rooftop for views in all directions over the town’s historic district.
Walk to the Willis Building from the town center. Several public bus lines also stop outside. The Cardinal Wolsey Statue and Portman Road soccer stadium are among other nearby attractions. Use the metered parking available at Buttermarket Shopping Centre.
