Development House
A beacon building for Shoreditch
Location
Hackney, London
Status
Concept
2016
Client
RIBA workstages
Concept
Awards
NLA 2017 (shortlisted)
This nine-storey timber-framed office block will be the tallest engineered timber building in London, and a beacon building for Shoreditch.
Approach
Constructed from a combination of CLT slabs, walls and cores, with a glulam beam and post structural frame, the building - commissioned to replace the 1960’s Development House complex - is designed to celebrate the workspace as a healthy and creative environment.
Design
The building plan is in the shape of a daisy: five vertical segments around a central core. The glazed perimeter openings between each segment will externally reveal the state-of-the-art structure of the building, and internally open up each segment to daylight, ventilation and views. These segments allow for discreet and separate working environments, and on many levels will lead onto outdoor garden terraces.
The building’s low profile roof will minimise the impact on neighbouring buildings, while its unified façade, made up of vertical louvres, responds to solar gain and glare from the primary east and west facades.
Result
Its versatile internal layouts, suitable for a single occupier or multiple small businesses, will ensure that the building meets the demand for flexible tenancies.
