Cartwright
Pickard

Won in competition, Wakefield One combines a diverse programme of uses into a new model for value-focused civic architecture. The building features a mix of facilities including a museum, cafe, library, Wakefield Council One Stop Shop and civic offices, arranged around a public atrium.

The scheme takes a holistic view of sustainable design so that structural, environmental and architectural elements all contribute in providing a low energy BREEAM Excellent solution that produces 30% less carbon than a conventional comfort cooled office.

Wakefield One is part of the Worksmart programme, designed to rationalise the Council’s estate from 36 buildings to 12, unlocking value by optimising the Council’s two biggest assets; staff and buildings. The new office provides multiple efficiencies from shared facilities and infrastructure to savings in capital and running costs, fostering synergistic relationships between users and releasing other sites for future redevelopment.

An exposed concrete frame was selected for its aesthetic qualities and to contribute to the building’s mixed mode ventilation strategy, through exploitation of its thermal mass. Service rafts including chilled beams were selected to aesthetically complement the exposed concrete frame, and to allow full concealment of M&E services. The exposed concrete frame, finishes, and chilled beam/M&E services rafts have provided an attractive, contemporary, pragmatic, economic and sustainable building solution for Wakefield Council.