Scratching The Surface: New London Facades By London Architects

298 Pages·2007·34.39 MB·English

by  Andrew Watts (auth.)

Andrew Watts © 2007 Springer-Verlag/Wien
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Edited by Andrew Watts
newtecnic
facade technology + research
SCRATCHING THE SURFACE
NEW LONDON FACADES BY LONDON ARCHITECTS
c o n t e n t s
discussion 1_ i n t r o d u c t i o n
06 project locations in london
08 an overview_andrew watts
research 2_ e s s a y s
12 material complexity in facade design_scott cahill
22 variability in component systems_scott cahill
32 new facade systems_andrew watts
42 redefining the physical: the architectural implications
of computer-aided manufacture_ jeg dudley
52 further implications of cam and cad in contemporary
architecture_ jeg dudley
62 parametric design: an historical perspective_roly hudson
progression 3_ i n t e r v i e w s
74 alison brooks architects
84 ash sakula architects
94 dRMM
104 dsdha
114 mangera yvars architects
124 niall mclaughlin architects
134 youmeheshe
production 4_ p r o j e c t s
146 alison brooks architects
152 allford hall monaghan morris
158 ash sakula architects
164 cottrell & vermeulen
170 dRMM
176 dsdha
182 fat
188 feilden clegg bradley architects
194 gianni botsford architects
200 hawkins\brown
206 lynch architects
212 maccreanorlavington architects
218 make
224 mangera yvars architects
230 meadowcroft griffin architects
236 moxon architects
242 muf architecture/art
248 niall mclaughlin architects
254 penoyre & prasad
260 piercy conner
266 sarah wigglesworth architects
272 sergison bates architects
278 stephen taylor architects
284 youmeheshe
292 newtecnic practice profile
300 credits & acknowledgements
302 index
i n t r o d u c t i o n
e s s a y s
i n t e r v i e w s
p r o j e c t s
0
6
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project locations in london
01_lyford road, sw18_ p 146
02_peckham way, se18_ p 152
03_boxley street, e16_ p 158
04_brookehowse road, se6_ p 164
05_belmont road, sw4_ p 170
06_tower bridge/city hall, se1_p 176
07_garner street, e2_ p 182
08_gordon street, wc1_ p 188
09_st john’s mews, w11_ p 194
10_tooley street, se1_p 200
11_greenwood road, e8_p 206 0
12_old nichol street, e2_p 212 7
p
13_baker street, w1_p 218 r
o
14_gellatly road, sw14_p 224 je
15_portobello road, w10_p 230 ct
16_daleham mews, nw3_p 236 lo
c
17_whitmore road, n1_p 242 a
t
18_evelyn road, e16_p 248 io
n
19_ moorfields eye hospital, ec1_p 254 s
21_stock orchard street, n7_p 266 in
22_seven sisters road, n4_p 272 lo
n
23_chance street, e2_p 278 d
o
24_cutty sark, se10_p 284 n
bold red line denotes inner boroughs of london
1 _i n t r o d u c t i o n
e s s a y s an overview_andrew watts
i n t e r v i e w s
p r o j e c t s
Scratching the Surface was an exhibition held at the Building Centre
Trust in London in the summer of 2007. The exhibition was curated
by Newtecnic, façade consultants based in London who work on large-
scale ambitious projects around the world. Newtecnic is led by Andrew
Watts, who wrote this introduction.
0 London architecture demonstrates a diverse range but most are either nearing completion or have been
8 of contemporary positions on design; the dialogues be- recently finished, allowing the changes made to the fab-
o tween the background and foreground, complex form ric of the city to be keenly observed. Most projects are
v
er and rectilinear geometry, sustainability, technological relatively modest in scale, which is to be expected from
v
ie advancement, tradition and change, with each demand- the group of architects who have designed them, part of
w ing an approach which is more than merely cosmetic. the emerging scene of London architecture. The mod-
The facade occupies a uniquely complex position as the esty in scale allows each project to be examined in some
public face of these new architectural approaches while detail; most can be visited or are visible from the street.
integrating intelligent systems, environmental, material Maps showing the location of each project are there to
and structural functions. orientate the reader but not all can be visited. Readers
are advised to contact the architects to check of their
Scratching the Surface was an exhibition held at the current status and to ascertain whether they can be vis-
Building Centre Trust in London in the summer of 2007, ited. A few projects are not visible from the street, and
and this associated publication explores the current for these examples the nearest Underground Station is
state of the building envelope in London, as proposed by not listed, as is also the case where the projects have
London-based architects. Glimpses into the spectrum not yet been constructed. Areas of London where some
of new facades are presented through essays in digital of the projects have not yet been built are still worthy
fabrication, material constraints and parametric model- of a visit, particularly in Hoxton and along the Regent’s
ling, all part of the search for a contemporary interpre- Canal from the Angel to Victoria Park in Hackney, where
tation of the London vernacular. many other new schemes are under way.
A map on the following pages shows the geographical A set of interviews has been included in the book in or-
spread of locations of projects in the inner London re- der for the reader to become better acquainted with the
gion. While a cluster are set in Hackney, there is a wide specific approach of some of the architects. We would
spread across the capital, reflecting the current buoyan- have liked to have interviewed all the architects who are
cy of the economy in London. Some projects are unbuilt, exhibiting, but time pressures have made that not pos-
sible to achieve, so a selection of seven architects was about the use of materials and constraints imposed by 0
made that attempts to reflect some of the wide range of their use, a theme which runs through the projects il- 9
approaches taken in the design of contemporary build- lustrated in the essay on facade systems. Some of the o
v
ings in London, while allowing a common thread of the construction techniques and materials used are finding er
v
experience of working in London to be woven across all their way into new projects in London, with some tan- ie
the interviews. talising glimpses of these changes being visible in the w
projects shown here. The example of a possible evolu-
The accompanying set of essays aims to set out some tion of concrete as a construction material is shown
of the issues which are of interest to the scene of here in order to demonstrate the increasing complexity
emerging architects in London, such as fabrication us- of thought in the use of material, a way of thinking about
ing digital technology that allows the designer to have materials, components and assemblies in facades and
ever closer involvement in the evolution of the built form structures which is as fundamental as the primary deci-
of the project. Linked to this is an interest in architects sions made about the overall organisation, layout and
working with construction materials in different ways, design of the building project
some which are contemporary interpretations of his-
toric techniques, others which are a result of the manu- In the new London projects illustrated here progressive
facturing technique employed. An essay on parametric technologies and contemporary architectural concerns
design has been added. While this development of CAD are enabling designers to take ever closer interest in
is only just beginning to emerge in architectural prac- the sensuality of the facades of buildings, generating
tice, projects such as the Temporary Visitors Centre outer surfaces of both beauty and depth. The tactile and
for the Cutty Sark, at Greenwich, are making use of the technical presentation of Scratching the Surface goes
form finding capabilities of parametric design software. some way towards demonstrating that while facades
An essay on developments in new facade systems uses, have previously appeared dominated by a visual bias,
as examples, projects developed in the Cahill/Watts their role is more than just skin deep.
design studio at the University of Bath. Scott Cahill,
with whom I run the studio, has contributed two essays
2_ e s s a y s
12 material complexity in facade design_scott cahill
22 variability in component systems_scott cahill
32 new facade systems_andrew watts
42 redefining the physical: the architectural implications
of computer-aided manufacture_ jeg dudley
52 further implications of cam and cad in contemporary
architecture_ jeg dudley
62 parametric design: an historical perspective_roly hudson