Project done for Benoy Architects (London)
The Post-Rationalize Exercise
Location, Scope & Challenges . After I was transferred (on request) from Hong Kong to London this
was the very first project I did for Benoy. It was a small exercise and, as
requested by my Director, my task was to “audit”, help, post-rationalize and
work on façade options for a scheme that was being done in the office, which
had started almost a year before, a large scale an urban regeneration
masterplan for the Woking town centre, a city located in the outskirts of
London. This mixed-use masterplan was formed by landscaped areas, street retail, a shopping mall, low-rise
and high-rise residential and a hotel. Specifically, I was supposed to work on
these last 2 components.
Massing & Facade Concepts . When I came on board both
massing and facade concepts were already (roughly) defined by my colleges, so
what I did was simply to “fine tune” them and rationalize all structural and
cladding elements in order to obtain a consistent and cohesive scheme,
something that the project was somehow lacking. For the high-rise residential
tower one of the options I proposed was a simple and restrained façade layout
based on a square grid, formed by pre-cast concrete cladding elements and
recessed glazed surfaces, in contrast with more sculptural and zigzagging
balconies placed on the side elevations. For the hotel tower I proposed a more “striking”
façade approach, based on a bar code layout, entirely cladded in solid and
perforated aluminium golden panels… The project eventually evolved and in late 2014
it wan a prize for the Best Refurbishment / Extension (over £5 million) at BCSC Gold Awards 2014.
