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08/11/2010
Cartwright Pickard Architects’ innovative and cost-saving civic offices start on site in Wakefield.
Building work has begun on Wakefield’s new civic office development, a key part of the city’s Merchant Gate Masterplan that will transform the 15-acre site for council employees and the general public.
Designed by Cartwright Pickard Architects and developed by English Cities Fund (ECF), a partnership between Muse Developments, Legal and General and the national housing and regeneration Homes and Communities Agency, the new four-storey building occupies a prominent position in the city next to the existing Grade 1 listed County Hall.
Achieving BREEAM ‘Excellent” status, the new civic offices are designed to provide long-term savings through innovative environmental technologies. The central public atrium, which not only forms the heart of the new building visually and operationally, is a crucial element of the overall environmental strategy. Air from the offices will be drawn up and out of the atrium through natural ‘stack effect’, which in turn pulls a constant supply of fresh air into the offices spaces. This process minimises the need for mechanical ventilation and as such reduces the overall energy consumption of the building, with clear environmental and financial benefits.
The materials chosen further enhance the environmental performance of the building. Internally, the concrete structure of the office ceilings and columns will be left exposed, allowing the thermal mass of the building to assist its cooling in warm weather. The atrium will be lined with timber to not only give warmth and texture to the space but also absorb noise and minimise the impact of activity on the surrounding offices.
Providing accommodation for more than 1,200 Wakefield Council employees over a total area of 123 000 square feet, Cartwright Pickard have designed a flexible space that allows for the evolution of the building over time.
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