Archetech Issue 40 2019 | Page 85

The uncompromising, stepped structure acts as a catalyst for the transformation of the area of the city and is a key element of the region’s regeneration strategy. The structure of the BREEAM Excellent building, and the spaces it creates, are a direct response to the two over-arching ambitions for the project: environmental performance, with the sustainability agenda revolving around robust, carefully calibrated passive measures such as the self-shading form; and interactivity, with the building co-locating its regional team into one place for the first time. The exterior of the building is defined by an undulating, anodised aluminium facade, creating an ‘object’ building that is a marker for the ambitious change planned for the area. The building is surrounded by heavy infrastructure and industrial sites, and has very few contextual or architectural cues. Therefore, the boldness of the form and materiality is a statement of change, which is anchored to its surroundings by a podium and landscaping. THE BUILDING HAS INSTIGATED A CULTURAL SHIFT FOR THE COMPANY.