Surface Design Awards – Complete

• COMMERCIAL BUILDING - INTERIOR
  Commercial Buildings that are used for commercial purposes, and include retail, hospitality, workplaces, factories and warehouses and buildings where commercial services are provided. At least 50 percent of the buildings’ floor space will be used for commercial activities.

The striking reimagination of a first-generation Canary Wharf building has reduced the overall energy demand of the building by 62%, whilst avoiding demolition is estimated to have saved 10,260 tonne CO2e. The key moves involved extending the entrance lobby to the south, removing the existing slab and inserting a new feature staircase to create a new triple-height lobby. The new building gestures outwards, with more space for retail, restaurants and bars to enliven the public realm. Within the reception, a large feature staircase connects ground and upper ground levels, where a digital screen wall can relay information or show abstract artwork. Large, fluid mirrored panels on the ceiling create the sense of an even larger space and reflects the movement of visitors below. The most notable difference is the façade, which has been entirely re-clad to bring as much natural light as possible into the building and also provided an opportunity to introduce terraces on every floor as secondary breakout spaces. New glazed panels and high performance solar coatings on the façade have reduced air permeability and reduced the overall energy demand of the building.

Within the new triple-height reception, bespoke, handmade terrazzo tiles are used extensively to provide a hardwearing floor that introduces a fluid and sensual element within a building otherwise defined by geometric shapes and sharp design lines.

We considered bespoke tiles because they can achieve a seamless finish without disrupting other patterns or design motifs. Whereas standard terrazzo follows a strict process with a precise ratio between stone granules, chips, binders and other ingredients, the bespoke design for YY London could be made to a specific design and have a random appearance, so we were able to alternate between large or small pieces of marble and other aggregates can be laid out to form a pattern or placed randomly, upholding the sense of the reception as a distinguished and independent space that sets the tone for the rest of the building.

To create the bespoke terrazzo tiles, marble and stone is first mined and processed into small chips from quarry waste material that is extracted and taken to aggregate processing plants. The stones are organised by colour, size and stone type. Bigger pieces are crushed into ‘stone chips’ or aggregates of various sizes, with the smallest range being 0.15 mm and the largest 40 mm. The aggregates are then passed through a series of sieves and are separated again into different size groups at each grade. Leftover chips are further ground into sand granules of various colours, which comprise the main component of the terrazzo base.

To create the bespoke slabs for YY London, we collaborated closely with InOpera on the design and finish. Pieces of marble were first laid out in an informal arrangement. Large slab faces were made using an inverted system whereby the face of the slab is laid out and then covered with a terrazzo binding mix in a vacuum. Individual pieces of hand-cut marble, are then set within the terrazzo base to provide a bespoke appearance. A base mix consisting of marble granules, cement and other ingredients is then poured into slab moulds. Once the slab has cured for at least 28 days, it was extracted from the mould. The face side of the slab was then polished and treated to reveal the intended design and to achieve the desired finish of the surface. Once the slab was polished, it was cut into the large slabs, which vary between 260 x 160 cm, 230 x 130 cm or 183 x 130 cm to minimise waste by having to cut larger pieces down to size.

By retaining the sub and super-structure, an estimated 10,260 tonnes of CO2e emissions have been saved. New unitised glazed panels on the façade reduce air permeability, and combined with the use of hi-performance solar control coatings the overall energy demand of the building will reduce by 62%. The building is also all-electric. Rooftop photovoltaic panels and an air source heat pump provide heating with waste heat redirected. New CO2-controlled ventilation, energy monitoring and cloud-based analytics enable systems to be optimised in operation to minimise energy consumption and carbon emissions.

We were keen to work with InOpera because of their extensive experience and specialism in terrazzo, stone and porcelain. Through detailed drawings and close communication - including a quarry and factory visit - we were able to communicate clearly what was desired for the space and arrive at a shared agreement on what was achievable. The key issues to overcome were the need to create a shape and pattern that was fluid and natural in an otherwise formal context, without it appearing as an error or a poor-quality design detail. The key risk was pieces of marble extending to the edge of each slab and therefore ending abruptly when placed alongside another slab, which would have a different arrangement. We ensured all the pieces were placed within a tolerance from the edge so there is no risk of abrupt edges.