HWKN makes its debut in the UK with an innovative office building concept at Canada Water Dockside

HWKN makes its debut in the UK with an innovative office building concept at Canada Water Dockside

20 Sep 2023  •  News  •  By Allie Shiell

This month, London’s Southwark Council resolved to grant permission for detailed designs at Canada Water Dockside, a 1.5 million square foot commercially-led masterplan in Canada Water led by the Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG). Designed by New York-based office HWKN, A2 will be the first building constructed in the scheme. It will provide a new office typology in London that meets ambitious sustainability standards, including BREEAM. 

Caption

With a total of 240,000 square feet of space over 11 storeys, A2 emphasizes using contextual materials and providing distinctive spatial qualities. HWKN has designed the office building to include a wide range of diverse spaces that foster creativity and wellness. Building users can choose whether to work from a standard office, a state-of-the-art work cabin, or with co-workers in flex spaces extending to the terraces. 

Overflowing with greenery, these terraces ascend the building’s angled sides while active frontages respond to the local context and biophilic design in harmony with Canada Water’s new public areas and green open spaces. 

photo_credit Courtesy HWKN
Courtesy HWKN

At the same time, the design pays homage with an innovative take on London’s historic Gothic Revival architecture, featuring exotic forms with natural elements.

The building forms part of an overall 4.5-hectare masterplan, which will become the commercial core of the wider Canada Water generation area in London. The scheme promises to bring a new workspace hub with Grade A, sustainability-led buildings, new places to eat, drink, and relax at the water’s edge, and 130 acres of open green space.

photo_credit Courtesy HWKN
Courtesy HWKN

A2 will, in the future, be joined by A1, a 24-storey office building with a distinctive tiered form designed by BIG.