feature of the building’s exterior form. As a result
the floorplate was extended to fill the camisole
space, thereby making what was previously a void
in the ventilated façade now useable floor area.
To solve the issue of the façade treatment a
full scale mock up about 7m high and 5m long
was built and various shortlisted glass types were
installed that met both aesthetic and sustainable
criteria. The architects tried to create the contrast
between the camisole and the rest of the façade
with different colours of glass, but the visual punch
required was not being obtained.
This was eventually solved by introducing the
200mm deep white aluminium fins onto each
mullion on the camisole. This allowed the creation
of the visual contrast without compromising the
internal views. It also gave the building a uniquely
dynamic character as it changes depending on
the angle you approach it from as well as the
time of day.
Another challenge was the large atrium roofs.
The architects wanted these to provide as much
light as possible which meant the engineering
of a bespoke support solution that was visually
unobstructive, but structurally stable. They
challenged themselves further by making the
glazed roofs an inverted ‘Pringle chip’ shape that
echoed the swoop of the façade camisole. The
solution from the façade engineers is an elegant
tension truss lattice that supports both the weight
of the glazing as well as resisting the up forces
created by the movement of air over the top of
the glazed panels.
1 Discovery Place
The architects were challen