In north-west London, England, Thomas-McBrien Architects and construction company New Wave London have completed the adaptive reuse and expansion of New Wave London's existing headquarters. A new 600-square-meter Douglas fir glulam (glued laminated timber) roof extension was designed by Thomas-McBrien for the high-end contractor’s headquarters. Perched atop the existing structure, this lightweight timber pavilion expands the available floor space without altering the building’s footprint: embracing the concept of airspace development, the project maximises land use by extending upwards.
New Wave House epitomises the significance of strong contractor-architect collaboration. The design prioritises natural materials, light, and well-being to create a serene, refined, and practical workspace.
Adaptive reuse
In this meticulous adaptive reuse project, Thomas-McBrien Architects has retained New Wave London’s two-story industrial building, thereby minimising the embodied carbon associated with new construction. The lightweight timber pavilion adds a third storey extension to the hadquarters by utilising the existing load-bearing perimeter walls. This contemporary addition respects the building’s industrial character. The timber’s natural warmth, artisanal flair, and innovative assembly contribute to the project’s architectural quality.
The pavilion provides additional floor space to meet New Wave London’s growing operations and spatial requirements. The timber structure includes an area for the main office; the revised plan also accommodates a large joinery workshop, spraying booths, a metal fabrication workshop, and general storage for materials and building supplies across the three floors. In addition to the 600-square-metre pavilion, 785 square metres of flexible workspace has been created on the first and second floors. This space offers nine affordable units for local SMEs and start-ups, contributing to community development and economic growth.
Sustainable and low-tech construction
The project emphasises a low-technology, light-touch approach, utilising cost-effective and readily available materials. PEFC-certified Douglas fir glulam, chosen for its environmental and structural performance, provides the basis of the new structure. Glulam’s embodied carbon is less than five percent of a comparable light steel frame — this, combined with its strength, durability, and long lifespan, reduces maintenance needs and in-use carbon costs. Douglas fir is a rapidly growing and renewable resource that absorbs carbon dioxide. Each cubic metre of glulam sequesters over 700 kg CO2e, significantly offsetting emissions. At the end of the building’s life, the material can be reused.
To ensure the timber weathers appropriately, Thomas-McBrien Architects conducted extensive research and experimentation. This led to the application of a light-grey pigmented SiOO:X Wood Protector across the entire timber structure, both externally and internally. (SiOO:X is a Swedish patented and ecological wood protection system.) With its capacity for material efficiency, Thomas-McBrien applied unfinished Troldtekt wood wool panels between the Douglas fir joists. Readily available, sustainable, and inexpensive, theses panels provide an effective alternative to applying plasterboard and paint.
Resourcefulness and conservation
New Wave London’s ground-floor joinery workshop served as the base for manufacturing the project’s key components. The thirteen-metre lengths of Douglas fir glulam were delivered in bulk and cut on-site before being craned into position on the roof.
A defining feature of the project was a zero timber waste approach. With resourcefulness and conservation in mind, Thomas-McBrien Architects and New Wave London made use of every piece — glulam offcuts were repurposed in the workshop as windows, doors, and interior joinery.
The original 350 square metres of insulated roof panels were carefully removed from the existing building, stored on-site, and then reused on the new timber roof extension.
These sustainable measures significantly reduced the project’s carbon footprint.
Purposeful material reuse
The New Wave House project demonstrates a holistic and impactful approach to material reuse, surpassing the expectations of merely recycling: timber salvaged from other New Wave London projects was used for the building’s floor joists, studs, noggins, and raised access floor supports; leftover lime render from a previous retail project was applied to the internal walls; plasterboard and insulation diverted from landfill were repurposed throughout the building. Sanitary ware and tapware were salvaged and used in the communal bathrooms, while light fittings, sockets, and switch plates were reused where possible. These items were sourced from previous New Wave London projects and stored on-site.
A 100-square-meter communal roof terrace was built using salvaged materials from previous projects and lined with native planting.
Improving energy efficiency
To improve thermal performance, the existing building’s facade was externally insulated. Passive ventilation measures were introduced, including low-tech shutters for cross ventilation — these half-sized timber “doors”, located next to the glass, can be manually opened, allowing air into the space. Energy consumption data was collected for the entire building across a two-year period, covering the twelve months before and twelve months after the completion and occupation of the timber roof extension. Energy use per square metre decreased by 25 percent compared to the pre-refurbishment baseline. This is a significant improvement, given the 40 percent increase in floor area.
