The requirement to provide a minimum of three parking bays per 100m ² was a strong concept driver . There were several ‘ hard ’ restrictions on the site ; all related to the levels of the existing structures and surrounding road infrastructure . The site was just wide enough to accommodate a double row of parking lanes . This normally makes for simple vehicle circulation , but in this case the section of building facing directly onto Bree Street had to accommodate a retail component , and this blocked the typical circular vehicle flow . The only option was to create two vehicle entrances to the building . The entrance on Mechau Street circulates downwards into the five level deep basement parking area , whilst the Bree Street entrance circulates upwards .
The office levels start at roof level of the heritage façade and continue with a gradual reduction in footprint upwards for a further eleven floors . The upper floor is completely set back from the level below and houses an entertainment deck for the tenants , apart from some prime office space where FWJK has relocated its offices ,
Planning The 26,000m 2 building consists of 13 half-levels of parking - 5 underground and the remainder
above , with 11 office floors and a retail component on street level . Due to the step-backs of the façade , the position of the existing main entrance in the historical Touchstone building and the layout of the parking , the position of the central core was predetermined from the start . The challenge was now to create the most of exposure for the offices , to provide maximum layout
TYPICAL OFFICE LEVEL
15TH FLOOR PLAN
LOWER BASEMENT LEVEL
RETAIL LEVEL
Touchstone House 393