The brief for the building was to provide sustainable high quality office accommodation for the Marble and Granite Centre a leading importer and distributor of natural stones in the UK.
The site was previously used as cement batching plant using gravel quarried locally. A large earth berm was constructed to allow lorries to load materials into the batching plant below. The old machinery has been decommissioned leaving the remnants of the old supporting structure. It was agreed with the local authority that the site could be used for the storage and supply of the stone however due to the fact that it was located within a green belt the addition of new buildings on the site would be resisted, as a compromise it was agreed that the existing location of the concrete batching plant could provide the foot print for a new building, and that a new mono pitch green roof would disguise the new structure when viewed from the lake.
The proposal inserts a new four storey office building facing the main open storage area. The main elevation is expressed as a single structurally glazed curtain wall, recessed at ground floor, maximising light into the building and creating a monolithic crystalline structure, echoing the polished stone in the yard. The expressed anodized aluminium columns at ground floor sit on a granite plinth and entrance ramp subtly acknowledging the nature of the business. The side elevations are clad in timber responding to the softer natural landscape. The green monopitched roof is interrupted with a north facing roof light positioned to the rear of the building, introducing natural daylight below through the full height stair well and open riser stair.
The building is supported on a new concrete raft foundation supporting a steel structural frame. The new composite floor slabs providing lateral stability to the existing walls. A drained cavity tanking system was designed to deal with the high water table and large area of retaining walls. Internally the unobstructed office areas on each floor are maximised by the positioning of the lift, stair and services at the rear of the plan. The basement provides storage and changing areas along with plant and utility space. The use of natural stone to the floor, stair and work surfaces complements the internal glazed partitions maintaining a light and airy feel to the interiors.
The building is heated and cooled via a geothermal heating system. Three 100 meter bore holes in front of the building provide warm water to a heat pump which in turn supply a fully integrated underfloor heating system and ceiling mounted fan coils. Ventilation to the building is managed by an air supply and extract fan with heat exchanger to minimise heat loss. Having carried out the BREEAM Offices Pre-Assessment Estimator on the building, it achieved an estimated rating of Excellent.
A purpose built high quality office building for the Marble and Granite Centre is located on an industrial site set within the green belt near Rickmansworth. The four storey building is partially submerged into the landscape on three sides within a disused concrete retaining wall. The new building projects above the ground disguising itself to the lake with a south facing mono pitch green roof, creating a fully structural glazed façade overlooking the site. The building utlises many sustainable features including a ground source heat pump for heating and cooling and ventilation heat recovery system throughout.
The brief for the building was to provide sustainable high quality office accommodation for the Marble and Granite Centre a leading importer and distributor of natural stones in the UK. The site was previously used as cement batching plant using gravel quarried locally. A large earth berm was constructed to allow lorries to load materials into the batching plant below. The old machinery has been decommissioned leaving the remnants of the old supporting structure. It was agreed with the local authority that the site could be used for the storage and supply of the stone however due to the fact that it was located within a green belt the addition of new buildings on the site would be resisted, as a compromise it was agreed that the existing location of the concrete batching plant could provide the foot print for a new building, and that a new mono pitch green roof would disguise the new structure when viewed from the lake.
The proposal inserts a new four storey office building facing the main open storage area. The main elevation is expressed as a single structurally glazed curtain wall, recessed at ground floor, maximising light into the building and creating a monolithic crystalline structure, echoing the polished stone in the yard. The expressed anodized aluminum columns at ground floor sit on a granite plinth and entrance ramp subtly acknowledging the nature of the business. The side elevations are clad in timber responding to the softer natural landscape. The green monopitched roof is interrupted with a north facing roof light positioned to the rear of the building, introducing natural daylight below through the full height stair well and open riser stair.
The building is supported on a new concrete raft foundation supporting a steel structural frame. The new composite floor slabs providing lateral stability to the existing walls. A drained cavity tanking system was designed to deal with the high water table and large area of retaining walls.
Internally the unobstructed office areas on each floor are maximised by the positioning of the lift, stair and services at the rear of the plan. The basement provides storage and changing areas along with plant and utility space. The use of natural stone to the floor, stair and work surfaces complements the internal glazed partitions maintaining a light and airy feel to the interiors.
The building is heated and cooled via a geothermal heating system. Three 100 meter bore holes in front of the building provide warm water to a heat pump which in turn supply a fully integrated underfloor heating system and ceiling mounted fan coils. Ventilation to the building is managed by an air supply and extract fan with heat exchanger to minimise heat loss.
Having carried out the BREEAM Offices Pre-Assessment Estimator on the building, it achieved an estimated rating of Excellent.
