TAD were asked by the client to develop a design for offices and vehicle depot and consider the buildings wider urban context, as they wished the project to be a key building for long term wider improvements along an arterial road.
The site, in an area of extensively 80's single story retail units with large surrounding parking areas, either side of the major road is adjacent to a roundabout which has the quality of an urban dual carriageway.
Being highly visible from this roundabout and a nearby raised railway embankment, the proposal is to improve the urban relationship of the site to the street by extending the ‘green ribbon' of the railway embankment, drawing nature into the townscape.
The sites largest element is a vehicle storage area which needed to be masked from the road, both visually and acoustically.
Concept
By placing a building close to the road it adds structure to the undefined street line and gives a lead for future development. The building facade integrates elements of a ‘green wall' which extends at the low level to form a green boundary, providing acoustic and visual screening from the road to the vehicle depot.
The Works and Administration functions are separated within the building and this is reflected by the separation of the buildings massing and external surface treatments.
The Workshop is designed as a group of simple enclosing boxes with north lights providing visual relief in shape and colour, both functional and dramatic.
The Administration buildings vertical green panels appear to merge together giving the impression of a continuous wall of plants, designed to integrate with a curtain wall system which extends from the green embankment wrapping around the building and continuing along the road as a green wall. This green element is extended to the top of the building with a ‘Green roof', both elements seek to minimise the buildings ‘Heat island' effect and with the use of grey water harvesting reduce the surge effect of rainwater runoff.
