- Workplace
- Workplace
We’ve delivered several projects on White Rose Office Park, which is home to a number of significant companies. One of these tenants – a major sports broadcasting company – had outgrown its existing offices, and needed a large extension that would connect seamlessly with the existing block.
The site presented a number of challenges. It sat at the edge of the office park, with a curved boundary separating it from the road; a culvert also runs underneath the site, which would determine the placement of any developments there. Our plan was to find a way of using these constraints to our advantage, designing a unique, modern extension that put occupants’ wellbeing first.
The curved site boundary allowed us to design a distinctive semi-circular building, with a new atrium connecting it to the existing offices. That curved façade proved the making of the building: by combining full-height glazing with projecting “fins” to provide shade, we ensured that occupants could work in maximum daylight without suffering from overheating in summer.
On the fourth floor, workers have access to a balcony running the full semi circumference of the building – another advantage of the curved façade. We designed the central atrium to welcome people into the building, with full-height glazing extending across the roof to provide views and encourage use of the stairs.
The building is highly sustainable, with the passive approach of the glazed frontage supported by air source heat pumps, natural ventilation, and PV solar panels. When complete, the extension will sit as a dramatic gateway for the office park – while providing an exceptional place to work.
“We decided to create a distinctive and curvaceous form, reflecting the vehicular flow at the entrance to the site, which was also a way of maximising natural light in and views out. It’s a solution inspired by context, orientation, environment and wellbeing.”
– ROGER FITZGERALD, PROJECT DIRECTOR
