PROJECT REPORT: COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS 27
laterally, and an entire rebuild. The engineers carried out detailed structural investigations to assist with understanding the load paths of the primary frame, and to confirm the ground conditions. Local strengthening was introduced to the steel frame and to the pad foundations. Hayden comments: “We now have rather dramatic cross bracing on the facades, which we have made a feature of.” There is also a new concrete core that helps to stabilise the structure. This also overcomes the problem of the original core blocking circulation. The new core has been added inside the bend of the plan, turning a single right angle into a pair of 45° angles. This additional triangular element, filling in the knuckle, increases the depth of the building at this point. The glazing provides as much transparency as possible. “You can see straight through to the lakeside,” Hayden explains. The core contains stairs and two lifts, and the building is fully DDA compliant.
This change increased the depth of the building at this knuckle and allowed the design team to transform the way that the ground floor is used. The central space now contains a restaurant, cafe & meeting
ADF JUNE 2024
area as well as a gym. These can be used by tenants of the building, and also by other tenants of Aztec West.
Hayden explained that this reflects the way that working practices have changed since the original business/ science park was built. In addition to any meeting rooms that tenants choose to put into their own spaces, the new social spaces on the ground floor, outside on the lakeside and on the roof terrace will facilitate the informal encounters that play such a vital role today in creative thinking and collaboration. This was identified as a vital element as post- Covid, meetings and interaction are the main reasons for going to the office – we all have the facilities to write an individual report at home. Beyond that, he says: “Part of our thinking is about the location at the southern end of the park. There are few facilities that can be used by the tenants. These spaces should foster collaboration across the park. And the architecture should create a buzz.”
There is also a dedicated space for cycle parking and a roof terrace that tenants on the top floor will be able to use. Taking the glazing beyond the original frame provided two benefits. It increased
WWW.ARCHITECTSDATAFILE.CO.UK
TRANSPARENT TRIANGULATION
The new glazed triangular core inserted into the 'knuckle' between the two fingers brings transparency
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68
