Lowlands Road

Our involvement at Lowlands Road began after planning consent was secured so our role has focused on the scheme’s technical delivery, which has included overcoming several significant challenges. The site has a triangular footprint so whilst this creates an opportunity for a visually striking and prominent corner building, it also means spatial economics have required careful consideration. Internal layouts have been reconfigured to accommodate acoustic and fire safety requirements, including a new ventilation shaft through the core of the building, which we’ve had to achieve without compromising on the overall aesthetic or function.

Similarly, the original design called for a range of biodiversity requirements, particularly for the green roof, but recent changes in fire regulations made this challenging to achieve against the intent of the planning condition. We worked closely with the fire engineer, building control and the wider planning team to satisfy both compliance and safety, as well as meeting the restorative objective of biodiverse habitats on site.

Finally, the most complex challenge has involved ensuring the approved materials will work for a nine-storey building. A combination of glazed brick, stone and green pigmented fluted concrete was proposed for the external cladding, which had to be adapted to ensure full compliance with new fire regulations for buildings of this height. Given the constraints of the tight footprint, the structural strategy called for a lightweight design yet with a traditional, heavy masonry appearance. We found the solution in a faux-brick material imbedded in a non-combustible cladding panel. These faux-bricks were also able to be manufactured in the pattern needed to reference the olive hues of the masonry and glazed green tiles of the listed arcade building opposite the site.

Construction on Lowlands Road is now underway.