plate , are a series of alternating pause areas and light wells . The light wells extend through the office levels to the parking floors below to provide them with daylight and natural ventilation .
On the upper block , the light wells will be planted with indigenous trees that provide partial shading to the full volume glass façade on the north during summer , and will lose their leaves in winter to allow heat into the offices . On the lower block , the light wells will be planted with flower boxes suspended in the space to form a living chandelier that hangs between consecutive pause pods .
The central axes of the four office blocks are aligned east-west which unlocks a twofold
advantage . The first is to give the major façades a north and a south orientation to ensure that the building will perform optimally with regards to natural lighting and thermal performance . The second advantage is that the buildings follow the natural contours of the site .
The southern block is two stories below the two northern blocks , ensuring that all eight office halls have a direct view towards the river and wetland and , simultaneously , reduces the scale of the overall composition to blend in with the predominantly residential fabric of the site ’ s surrounds . This orientation also means that the building is perfectly angled towards William Nicol to maximise exposure .
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