PROJECT REPORT: MIXED USE SCHEMES
greenery inside – drawing people into the space and offering a “sense of discovery”. At each entrance are a set of cast bronze gates designed and crafted by Robert Orchardson, and combined with the crackled finish of the ceramic glaze and segmented lighting and windows on the inside of the passageways which light the adjacent retail units, contribute to the “artisanal quality and [high] level of detail” that characterise the project. Over time, the bronze gates will patinate to complement the green of the ceramic passages.
A tranquil oasis Longman attributes Make’s successfully winning the project in a competitive tender to the inclusion of the garden above all. He asserts: “It gives something back to London,” adding: “In some respects, the buildings are a backdrop to the garden. It’s a bit like a piece of treasure because, as the building wraps around it, it kind of protects it.” Table-shaped water features adjacent to the south-west and east entrances produce a visual and aural wellness-enhancing trickle, and frame reflections of the sky and surrounding building.
The garden was designed in collaboration with landscape architects Gustafson Porter + Bowman who, Longman says, “understood the concept from day one”. Its design was inspired by bold shapes and simple geometry, exemplified in the quarter circular central lawn and planting – best experienced from the balconies above. The lawn gradually rises towards a long, curved bespoke-crafted wooden bench which separates the grass from the planting behind it. As well as sitting and meeting friends at lunchtime, Longman says the spot is good for “people-watching,” with passers-by moving from north to south and south to north through the garden. Resembling the nearby water features, dark brown cuboid granite planters of varying lengths are arranged around the western side of the garden, housing trees and other flora, and doubling up as benches. Cherry and magnolia trees were carefully selected and positioned so views across the garden of retail shop fronts could be maintained.
On the east side of the garden, a paved terrace strip has been designed to accommodate outdoor seating for the adjacent bistro unit. A band of perpendicular ground-level rooflights, well-concealed by plants, allows light to penetrate into the development’s first
ADF AUGUST 2018
basement level which contains an event space leased by Facebook, among other functions.
A fish-shaped drinking fountain sculpted
by artist Alison Wilding allows city-dwellers to fill their water bottles, bolstering the hand- crafted feel of the overall scheme as well as subtly working against plastic consumption.
Sustainability & sensitivity Thanks in part to roof-mounted photovoltaics, a CHP (combined heat and power) system and heat exchangers located in the basement plant rooms, Rathbone Square achieves BREEAM Excellent rating. Care was also taken to balance the facade’s composition of 60 per cent solid and 40 per cent glass. This aids “the control of thermal gain and heat loss,” curbing the need for air conditioning, and “the need to regulate the amount of light coming into the building”. Public realm specialist Publica aided Make in deciphering the layout and configuration of shops and their windows by taking note from other London retailers. This precipitated “more solidity to the shopfronts,” providing extra space for utilities like shelving and storage. Embracing the outdoors, each apartment has its own balcony (some have two) as the focal point of their design. Interiors are designed to borrow from the exterior colour scheme using white paint and dark timber veneer illuminated by mixed lighting solutions. Plus, arched taps in the kitchens and bathrooms connect the interiors with the scheme’s garden passages. Helen Hare of GPE commented on the successful approach taken by the architects to delivering a robust, meticulously crafted result: “Architects set the scene and drive the scheme and take the vision to reality. I think that’s certainly what Make has done at Rathbone Square.” In February 2018, GPE sold the development for £435m, generating around £110m for their shareholders – testament to Make’s contribution. Plus, the project also finished on schedule, despite the challenges of building in an inner-city location. Beyond these important achievements, what makes Rathbone Square especially notable in the commercial sector is its generosity. Despite housing high-flying occupants and top-grossing multinational corporations, it gives something precious back to the wider public and community. It offers passageways to a tranquil refuge away from the clamour of one of the world’s busiest capital cities for both occupants and the public.
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PROJECT FACTFILE
Architects: Make Architects Landscape architects: Gustafson Porter + Bowman Structural engineer: AKT II Public realm specialist: Publica, Space Syntax Service engineer: Hilson Moran Project manager: Buro Four Contractor: Lend Lease Cost: £340m Ceramic: Boston Valley Terra Cotta
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