Paradise SE11, the UK’s lowest embodied carbon mass timber office development, has been built in the heart of Lambeth, South London. Designed by Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios (FCBStudios) for Bywater Properties, this fully demountable structure showcases both the immediate and future potential of simple, circular, carbon-conscious, and people-centric design. Paradise demonstrates how architecture can reshape the built environment to actively address the climate emergency.

A sustainable building ahead of its time

Paradise was completed five years ahead of the RIBA 2030 Climate Challenge. Developed by RIBA, these voluntary performance targets measure operational energy use, water use, and embodied carbon. The 7,700-square-metre, six-storey building has achieved 35 percent lower embodied carbon, sequestering more than 1,800 tonnes of carbon dioxide and locking it away for decades.

Paradise has attained both BREEAM Excellent and WELL Gold certifications. The building achieved an EPC rating of “A” and a LETI “A” rating, surpassing the LETI (Low Energy Transformation Initiative) 2030 design target.

Paradise is here

In 2018, Bywater Properties acquired the disused site of a former Costa roastery, aiming to construct a new, sustainable office development that would maximise operational efficiency. Construction on the building commenced in March 2023 and Paradise was officially opened in May 2025. The building takes its name from its immediate proximity to Old Paradise Gardens, a small public park. Paradise is situated between the park and the main train line into Waterloo Station.

FCBStudios prioritised sustainability and well-being in the building’s design, creating a series of light-filled spaces that look out across the park, passing trains, and London skyline. Generous floor heights, exposed timber, and access to green spaces contribute to a healthy workplace environment.

Simplicity in design

Paradise is conceived as a flexible office building. The ground floor accommodates workshops and maker spaces, while the upper floors are designed to be highly adaptable, catering to the diverse needs of tenants. To achieve this, Paradise was driven by the commitment to simplicity in design. Challenging conventional construction methods, the project team chose a streamlined and elegant timber structure.

Stora Enso, a Finnish forestry company and provider of renewable products in packaging, biomaterials, and wooden construction, prefabricated 2,100 cubic metres of cross-laminated timber (CLT) floors and roofs for the project. The CLT components were pre-coated using the company’s End Grain Sealer, ensuring that upon arrival they could be installed immediately. The CLT was delivered by Stora Enso’s UK partner, B&K Structures. B&K also designed and delivered the building’s V-shaped glulam feature columns.

Maintaining visual integrity and supporting future reuse

Exposing the timber structure required early and close collaboration between FCBStudios, the structural engineers, fire consultants, and acoustic specialists. From junctions to finishes, every element was meticulously considered to ensure the exposed timber met performance standards while maintaining its visual integrity and aligning with the building’s sustainability goals.

A key challenge was developing material interfaces that would allow for the building’s future disassembly and reuse. Conventional solutions such as grout and cementitious screeds were replaced with alternatives, including stone wool insulation, dry-fix techniques, and reversible fastenings. These methods support adaptability while ensuring carbon that is stored in the timber remains locked away for decades.

One particularly expressive symbol of Paradise’s legacy is its self-cleaning, demountable terracotta facade. Designed in collaboration with school children from the nearby Oasis Academy and drawing on the area’s Royal Doulton heritage, the tiles, like the building itself, are made to last more than 100 years and can be reused in the future.

A truly regenerative building

Paradise’s design challenges the status quo through rigorous testing and research, proving that environmentally and socially responsible architecture can support the transition to regenerative design and a zero-carbon economy.

“Paradise represents a bold step forward in how we think about workplace design,” says Alex Whitbread, Partner at FCBStudios. “It’s a project that demonstrates how ambitious sustainability targets, deep community collaboration, and a commitment to well-being can come together in a truly regenerative building.”