Integrated Building Design: The White Collar Factory – the development of an idea

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About the event

Speakers from AHMM will discuss their work on the White Collar Factory in Shoreditch, London.

As a naturally-ventilated spec-office with a focus on smart servicing, flexibility and adaptation to future uses and likely future climate, the White Collar Factory (WCF) at Old Street Yard is a brave and bold iteration of AHMM's five-year research project for Derwent London. A 16-storey tower is placed at the epicentre of London’s Tech City; Silicon Roundabout. A series of new alleys and passages connect a new public realm and the tower to two retained buildings and three new ones, all between four to five storeys. Together, they offer a mix of living and incubator working spaces to make a new place in the city. Featuring long spans, flexible floor plates, operable windows, generous volumes and robust construction, the tower represents a new type of office building that takes its cue from the multi-level factory typology. The project has become a trademark for a building type that combines the efficiencies of a new build with the character of a 19th century warehouse.

The event will feature a presentation followed by an interactive Q&A session.

About the speakers

Steve Taylor, Associate Director: Stephen joined the practice in 2001 becoming an Associate Director in 2005. He has been responsible for a number of high profile projects as well as for setting up and managing the Bristol office. Stephen has developed specific expertise in commercial led mixed use developments and masterplans, working for key clients and securing challenging planning permissions. Completed projects include the innovative White Collar Factory, the Johnson Building campus, The Steward Building, Two New Bailey Square and Riverside House. Stephen is currently directing the design of mixed use developments at Assembly Bristol and Bath Quays North. Outside of the practice Stephen has been invited to talk at many industry events whilst also acting as an RIBA Student mentor at Bath University and providing lectures in Professional Practice at UWE.

Craig Robertson, Associate & Head of Sustainability: Craig joined AHMM in 2014 and is an architect, researcher and teacher with expertise in environmental design and engineering. Prior to joining AHMM, Craig led architectural projects in the education, commercial and housing sectors before moving into academia. He completed his PhD at the UCL Energy Institute focusing on the potential for energy consumption information to inform and justify strategic and detailed building design decisions. Craig is responsible for AHMM’s sustainability agenda and leads the building performance team, which supports designers with performance analysis, environmental input, post occupancy evaluation and research. Craig’s current research focusses on the relationships between architecture, performance, place and investment. He recently led an Innovate UK funded project focussing on information sharing for performance based design. He is an invited environmental design tutor at the Bartlett School of Architecture, lectures in Sustainable Design and sits on the London Borough of Haringey’s Quality Review Panel. He became Head of Sustainability in 2016 and was made an Associate in 2018.

Photo credit: Andrew Holt