commercial offices special report
33
BUILDING PROJECTS
down to meet the low-profile aspect of the brief, while main- taining generous floor-to-ceiling heights in the office areas.” However there is a substantial amount of plant equipment
on the roof of each building. Collyer adds: “Being low buildings, we really didn’t want the plant visible, so the metal cladding flows up as a natural continuation of the facades forming a pitched parapet that, from ground level, hides unsightly equipment and softens up the roofline of the buildings.”
Showcase features
Phase 1 primarily consists of two floors of office space sitting over the single-storey, highly transparent, lower ground floor with the cafeteria and amenities, which has strong a sense of openness. EPR also utilised the one-storey level drop across the site to
advantage by creating a floor below the entrance level of phase 1 for the cafeteria, amenities and services. A large atrium floods light down over an impressive feature staircase linking the mid-floor reception area with the offices above and the catering facilities and amenities on the lower level. “We wanted the prominent light and airy atmosphere to
encourage people to use the vertical circulation space and create a buzz, rather than take the perhaps more traditional approach of tucking all the stairways out of site,” says Collyer. “We used high quality materials, including glass treads and
balustrades to maximise light penetration and elegantly detailed stainless steel handrails. We worked hard with the sub-contractor, AW Jeffries, to get that right.” A similar atrium and feature stairwell will also be present in
Phase 3, where the significant drop in ground level was exploited once again to create a discrete, car park below ground level, primarily for staff. Phase 2 placed different demands on the team. In addition
to office space for more than 200 people it includes spaces used for testing Pure products including an anechoic chamber – which effectively prevents reflection of sounds – and laboratories. There is no atrium. Collyer says: “Many functions carried out in this building
simply don’t exist in Phases 1 or 3, so it was a technical challenge which meant working very closely with the mechanical and electrical engineer, Scotch Partners, to make sure we got these aspects right.
Bridging the gap
With the campus divided in two by water, a bridge linking all the three phases together is a practical necessity, but also provides an opportunity to make a statement. EPR’s idea was to build a bridge with a glass and steel Continued overleaf...
Architects: EPR Architects Main contractor: Miller Construction (phases 1 and 2) Bowmer and Kirkland (phase 3) Structural engineer: Evolve Mechanical and electrical engineer: Aecom (phase 1) and Scotch Partners (phases 2 and 3) Planning consultants: Indigo Planning Landscape architect: Neil Tully Associates Project management: Pat Gill Consultants Cladding sub-contractor: Alumet Cladding manufacturer: Alucobond Secondary framing: Metsec Glazing: Saint-Gobain Feature stair: A W Jeffreys
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