URBAN REGENERATION
Raidió Fáilte / Líonra Uladh – Raidió Fáilte / Líonra Uladh, designed
collaboratively by McGurk Architects and ArdMackel Architects.
Located in a once tightly knit neighbourhood of West Belfast, this new
build facility provides a unique community provision. In this case,
‘community’ is not defined as the local neighbourhood, but rather
the Gaelic speaking community which extends across the province
of Ulster and beyond. The project affirms a new physical presence
directly onto the public space of the street. An entrance courtyard
mediates the public entrance to the building, connecting the main
café and exhibition space with the carpark and garden areas, creating
a welcoming open for visitors. Voided brick and gold metal screens
perforated with historic verses of poetry in Irish Celtic were integrated
into the building’s façade. Staffordshire Smooth Blue Perforated
and Solid bricks, as well as Dragfaced Chamfered Blue Paver brick,
manufactured by Wienerberger, were used on this development.
COMMERCIAL
The Ray Farringdon – The Ray Farringdon, designed by Allford Hall
Monaghan Morris. This project consists of the replacement of an
outdated building at the heart of Clerkenwell, respecting the area’s
traditional massing and materials whilst providing flexible space for
office, retail and hospitality uses. The massing negotiates between the
taller, more formal urban context of Farringdon Road and the more
irregular, domestic context to Crawford Passage. Active frontages are
created in line with both key elevations, enhancing the surrounding
area. The project is composed of five different brick types – Forum
Charcoal, Forum Velvet, Forum Cromo, Forum Grey and Glazed White
– inspired by the palette of Victorian brickwork in the area. The use of
handmade bricks and white glazed bricks adds texture and emphasises
the bonds, creating a gradation from a richer base to a lighter and
brighter top. All bricks were manufactured by Wienerberger.
PUBLIC
Cambridge Central Mosque – Cambridge Central Mosque, designed
by Marks Barfield Architects. After conducting research on mosques
around the world, the architects found them to be an incredibly
versatile building, adapting to the local conditions in which they
are constructed. They drew inspiration from an image of the garden
of paradise, as well as Islamic and English religious architectural
traditions, namely Islamic geometry and Kings College Chapel
respectively. The underlying geometry of the entire building is the
‘breath of the compassionate’ pattern which is based on octagons
and symbolizes the rhythm of life. The mosque incorporates many
sustainable features, including its timber structure which is curved
and laminated. Roof lights above the trees create a prayer hall bathed
in light. The external walls are made of cross laminated timber, clad in
a Corium brick system. The tiles have also been chosen to reflect the
light buff Gault Cambridgeshire brick with an accent red tile, which
have been arranged to form Square Kufic calligraphy writing. All bricks
were manufactured by Wienerberger.
EDUCATION
Royal College of Pathologists – Royal College of Pathologists,
designed by Bennetts Associates. Located in the rapidly changing area
of Aldgate on the London’s Eastern fringes, the seven-storey building
replaces an existing office block and represents the final phase in the
College’s relocation from its former home in the West End. The new
building uses materials and artefacts to reflect the character of the
Royal College, with social areas, staff offices and education spaces that
reference the college’s history and look to its future. As a key feature,
the building’s sixth floor steps back, creating an open-plan pavilion
with panoramic views over London. Designed and built to last, the
building features enduring and timeless materials: the meticulously
crafted concrete frame unifies the building and integrates structure,
services and lighting. The brickwork cladding, also present in the
grand atria, stitches the spaces together. Freshfield Lane Selected
Darks bricks, manufactured by Michelmersh Brick Holdings, were used
for this project.