26 July 2022 By Fran Williams Buildings

Urbanest City's silhouette features inset terraces sheltered by an oversailing barrel vault roof constructed using a bespoke inclined cladding system developed with an integrated framework of solar shading louvres

Urbanest City is a distinctive mixed-use building creating a new destination within the City of London, providing extensive high-quality student housing, incubator, and flexible office space, as well as a café and a public exhibition space which houses a preserved section of the original Roman London City Wall.

Apt was appointed to take a consented Stage 2 scheme and deliver it to completion. Under a pre-construction services agreement, Apt delivered Stage 3, working with Balfour Beatty to develop contractor proposals on cladding and submitting amendments to help rationalise the design. While co-ordinating and delivering the consented scheme, Apt was appointed to develop designs for the fit-out of the 8,000 sqft incubator space, the 55,000 sqft office space and student common areas, adding significant value to the scheme for the client.

A variety of construction methodologies was employed to respond to the brief and the constraints and challenges presented by the site. The Roman Wall and Bastion exhibition area called for a large, column-free space and a structure designed to protect this important heritage asset. It introduced a significant transfer structure to the design, spanning 17m across the exhibition space to support the 14 floors of student accommodation above: post-tensioned slabs for the office space to maximise column-free spans with clean soffits; reinforced concrete for the student accommodation on an efficient 5m grid; and a lightweight steel frame for the Crosswall building that allowed the re-use of the previous building’s foundations.

The distinctive silhouette of the building features inset terraces, sheltered by an oversailing barrel vault roof. The upper storeys are set back from the building line to maintain good levels of light to neighbouring buildings and streets. A bespoke inclined cladding system was developed with an integrated framework of solar shading louvres that preserves views out while reducing heat gain and improving occupants’ comfort. The inclined façade includes openable vents so that students can enjoy natural ventilation. Nat Lee, project leader, Apt

Start on site January 2018 Completion July 2021 Gross internal floor area 29,265m2 Construction cost £86 million Architect Apt (Hopkins to Stage 3) Client Urbanest UK Structural engineer Robert Bird Group M&E consultant MTT Cost consultant Cast Project manager Tower 8 Principal designer JLL Approved building inspector Gerald Eve Main contractor Balfour Beatty Landscape architect Townshend Exhibition designer Metaphor Archaeology MOLA Façade engineer Mott MacDonald/KFK CAD software used Revit Predicted design life 60 years

The commercial office entrance features flowing lines that define zones for rest, activity, circulation and collaboration. The floor is finished with an in-situ palladiana terrazzo with a large-format aggregate that gives it a graphic quality and a monolithic, fluid appearance. Special pre-moulded pieces were created for the skirting profiles, adding to the apparent seamlessness.

Timber wall cladding was selected to give the space a sense of natural warmth and texture. The timber selected was Accoya, with light and dark finishes created through a traditional Japanese process of flaming and brushing, the finishes alternating to create a rhythm and vertical emphasis. Nat Lee, project leader, Apt

The specification process drew upon Urbanest’s requirements for high quality and robustness as well as specialist input from the supply chain managed by Balfour Beatty pre-construction. Prefabrication was prioritised during the specification process for the benefits it brings for quality management and speed of installation. Prefabricated elements included façades, services, bathrooms and joinery.

The structural frame varies block by block to suit the differing ground conditions and site constraints as well as the varied use requirements of student rooms, workspaces, and exhibitions. The building features raking façades at varying inclines on its east and west elevations and the client’s brief was to provide openable vents for the student rooms. In response to this, a bespoke, prefabricated, unitised cladding system was developed by the team to incorporate inclined pivoting opening vents, requiring extensive development, and testing.

Exposed services were selected for the workspace element to maximise the sense of light and volume and to animate the space while reducing the quantity of materials used. This required detailed co-ordination with the services installers and an extensive mock-up and prototyping process to meet the aesthetic requirements. Nat Lee, project leader, Apt

Timber cladding Shou Sugi Ban Charred and Heavy Brushed Accoya Office entrance shousugiban.co.uk

Terrazzo flooring TRI Marble Palladiana Office entrance tricontracting.co.uk

Revolving door Geze TSA 325 Automatic Office and student entrances geze.co.uk

Cladding Schüco and KFK Schüco USC 65 Bespoke Prefabricated Unitised Cladding System Façades schueco.com, kfk.hr

Pivoting vent Schüco and KFK Bespoke pivoting vent Inclined student façades schueco.com, kfk.hr

Tagged with: Apt doors and windows Student accommodation

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