Kew Office

Veeral

• Architects

The Kew Office project is an interplay of curvilinear form and materiality. Nestled within a hustling High Street, the project is a sophisticated embodiment and celebration of a neo-brutalist concrete sculpture masquerading as a building.
The Kew Office project is a departure from the ubiquitous glass office box. The building transforms concrete from a material of utility and structure, to a delicate tension of a soft and fluid motifs as the primary architectural language. Exploiting the plasticity of concrete resulted in a series of frozen sculptural and ornamental artistic expressions. Using the latest technology, the concrete facades are a series of complex mouldings to execute the design intent. A bespoke 3D model was carved out of high-density rubber to capture the tessellated floral patterns on boundary walls which are a significant component of the design expression, as opposed to the traditional blank boundary wall. In addition, the large north facing fluted forms also serve as a sun shading mechanism to ensure optimal light penetration into the spaces.

The Kew Office is a 4 Star Green Star Building which involved a plethora of environmentally sustainable initiatives. This ranges from the 5,000L rainwater tanks for toilet flushing, solar hot water and PV systems and 90% of waste being diverted from landfill. In addition,100% green power energy from electrical supply through an embedded energy supplier.

Operational and software management systems have been incorporated though a BMS (Building Management System) which enable the software to control all aspects of the building services to optimise consumption and thereby reduce the carbon footprint. This was also a future proofing intervention that provided flexibility to compartmentalize the floor spaces without the need for additional hardware, metering and wiring. Motion sensor and energy efficient lighting throughout the project reduces the energy consumption and is also linked to the BMS.

The building has natural light and cross ventilated from three sides of the permitter which significantly reduces artificial lighting power and air-conditioning consumption. Moreover, the spaces enjoy much deeper natural light penetration and amenity for the working environment.