Waugh Thistleton Architects

This environmentally exemplary new office space replaces a disused and derelict 1962 office block with a modern and flexible workspace for up to 25 charities to work under the same roof, sharing generous communal facilities and community spaces.

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Approach 

Recycling and refurbishing the existing concrete structure, and taking advantage of its existing thermal mass, we used the low-weight, high-quality structural properties of CLT construction to significantly extend the internal space, increasing it to 50,000 sq ft.

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As well as providing a new dynamic frontage onto Cambridge Heath Road, the extension to the front of the building facilitates the passive regulation of noise, heating, sunlight and ventilation. The extension to the back of the building provides a new services core, whilst a single-storey rooftop extension creates additional workspaces with uninterrupted views over the city.

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Result

The building has a flexible internal layout to accommodate different sized organisations, and a main atrium at its centre to enhance its networking community. The atrium’s timber-structure and lime render  optimise lightness, spaciousness and breathability, while its curtain walling further reduces the building’s carbon footprint.

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