The site has historically stood between two distinct zones: the earlier, mainly industrial, riverside development; and the later, Victorian residential urban spread. While the site is not within a conservation area and the existing building is not listed, the design team investigated and capitalised fully on the potential of keeping and refurbishing the valued 4 storey building on the northern side of the plot as an integral part of the neighbourhood a clear link to the origins and the history of the place.
The proposed building envelope has been thoroughly sculpted in order to achieve an optimal
massing from all points of view to the site, while keeping main neighbourhood views unobstructed with a balanced footprint to volume ratio and a good amount of internal lettable surface area.
In order to clearly address to the design objective and adequately integrate the northern preserved building of the plot, the new built intervention maintained an elegant yet sophisticated architectural character:
The new addition sits at a clear open gap distance from the existing building. This gap creates a visual and physical interface for the project’s tenants introducing natural light and interesting connections throughout. On the urban level, the gap acts as a spatial and visual link between the eastern front side of the site that is accessible and preserved, and the western edge that is spacious and under development.
