The office block that replaced Swansea’s Oceana nightclub has been named the best in the UK.
71/72 Kingsway won the Best of the Best award at the British Council for Offices (BCO) National Awards, held at the JW Marriott Grosvenor House hotel in London on Tuesday night.
It also took the national Commercial Workplace award, five months after it won the regional version in Bristol.
Judges called it “a catalyst for the regeneration of Swansea city centre” and “an example of how people-centred architecture can stimulate investment and attract high-value employment”.
Who works at 71/72 Kingsway now
Swansea Council, which built the scheme, says more than 350 people are now based there. It expects that to rise to more than 500 as more tenants move in.
Tenants include TUI, Futures First and Amazon-owned Veeqo, which opened its headquarters there last December.
IWG, the firm behind Regus, is completing the fit-out of its 20,000 sq ft space. It was one of the first two tenants announced, in February 2025.
Still 80% let, with a lease agreed on more space
The council says 80% of the office space is let, and a lease has been agreed for part of what is left.
The council gave the same 80% figure in January. At the official opening in July 2025, it said it expected the building to be 100% let within months.
The council says the building can hold up to 600 workers and will be worth £32.6m a year to Swansea’s economy once full. It was part-funded by the Swansea Bay City Deal and the Welsh Government.
Rob Stewart: “Residents often ask why more shops aren’t opening”
Council leader Cllr Rob Stewart said the awards recognised “the quality of the development, the innovation behind it and the positive contribution it’s making to Swansea’s regeneration”.
He said: “What’s particularly pleasing is that the development isn’t just winning awards, it’s delivering real benefits for Swansea. Every one of those workers represents potential extra customers for our shops, cafés, restaurants and other city centre businesses.”
Cllr Stewart added: “Residents often ask why more shops aren’t opening in the city centre, but businesses need customers. Developments like 71/72 Kingsway are helping create the footfall and spending power that will encourage further investment.”
Down the road, the council is still looking for shops and cafés for the units beneath Copr Bay North car park, which opened in July.
The traders announced for them in 2022 never got the chance to move in. The original builder, Buckingham Group, went into administration in 2023, leaving a half-finished car park that needed remedial work before it could open.
From Oceana nightclub to award-winning offices
The building was designed by Architecture00 and built by Bouygues UK, on the site Swansea knew for years as Oceana.
Next door to Copr Bay North, Porth Copr is the council’s next office scheme. It is planned with Urban Splash on the old St David’s car park site.
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