Sixty Parker Street, London
Sixty Parker Street is an industrial building in Covent Garden dating from the 1820's. It was originally a coach works, and then a printing works, making use of the north facing strip windows at every floor.
Its owners, GMS Estates, had intended to demolish it and rebuild. However, in conjunction with Camden's conservation officer, Colin Wilson, it was decided to retain the original building and renew it. It was listed Grade II during the planning process, and an alternative approach was developed: to restore the four floors of accommodation within the main body of the building, but to strip out staircases and services, which could be accommodated in a new addition in the light well behind.
The new staircase was created within a glass enclosure, and a slot of light was established behind the original rear elevation of the building throughout its four storeys and up to the glass roof. Walkways at first and third floor level are made of galvanised steel gratings, and the second floor walkway is structural glass, acid etched, and lit by blue cold cathode ray tubes.
The office spaces are designed to ventilate through to the stairwell, with thermostatically controlled vents at the top. The stair flights which are constructed of folded steel plates with reconstituted stone treads, are heated, to temper the space, and solar shading is provided by deciduous vines, which are designed to form a mat of leaves in summer across the south facing glass wall. Within the offices, the floors are English oak.
Kitchen, shower, and WCs are contained within a curved, glass mosaic clad drum, which extends the full height of the building, modulating from light to dark turquoise as the drum rises up.
Sector: Commercial
Location: London, UK
Proj/Arch: Marcus Beale
Job/Arch: Andrew Dobson
Status: Built
Year: 2002
Its owners, GMS Estates, had intended to demolish it and rebuild. However, in conjunction with Camden's conservation officer, Colin Wilson, it was decided to retain the original building and renew it. It was listed Grade II during the planning process, and an alternative approach was developed: to restore the four floors of accommodation within the main body of the building, but to strip out staircases and services, which could be accommodated in a new addition in the light well behind.
The new staircase was created within a glass enclosure, and a slot of light was established behind the original rear elevation of the building throughout its four storeys and up to the glass roof. Walkways at first and third floor level are made of galvanised steel gratings, and the second floor walkway is structural glass, acid etched, and lit by blue cold cathode ray tubes.
The office spaces are designed to ventilate through to the stairwell, with thermostatically controlled vents at the top. The stair flights which are constructed of folded steel plates with reconstituted stone treads, are heated, to temper the space, and solar shading is provided by deciduous vines, which are designed to form a mat of leaves in summer across the south facing glass wall. Within the offices, the floors are English oak.
Kitchen, shower, and WCs are contained within a curved, glass mosaic clad drum, which extends the full height of the building, modulating from light to dark turquoise as the drum rises up.
Sector: Commercial
Location: London, UK
Proj/Arch: Marcus Beale
Job/Arch: Andrew Dobson
Status: Built
Year: 2002
