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CAA HOUSE (SPACE HOUSE) - London

Case Study

Case Study

CLIENT NAME: SEAFORTH LAND LIMTED

Industry: Real Estate

Architect: Squire & Partners

Project Value: TBC

Construction Dates: 2020 - 2022

Services Provided: Façade Access Consultancy


Seaforth Land appointed TÜV SÜD Dunbar Boardman to provide façade access consultancy for this project and analyse the access for periodic cleaning and maintenance of the building envelope appropriate for the architectural concept whilst complying with industry regulations and Code of Practice.

The project site, located at One Kemble Street and Civil Aviation Authority House (CAA House), originally known jointly as Space House, is an architecturally notable building off Kingsway in Camden, London. The grade II listed building was built for the developer, Harry Hyams, as part of the 1960s commercial property boom.

Space House comprises a rectangular eight-storey office building at 45–59 Kingsway and a cylindrical tower, now known as One Kemble Street, on a triangular plot to the west bounded by Kemble Street, Wild Street and Keeley Street. The buildings are joined by a two-level enclosed walkway.

The 14-storey tower is formed of circular floor plates consisting of glazed bays recessed from a projecting lintel feature. It is intended to increase the net lettable space by adding two floors and creating a new external roofscape massing to rebrand the building whilst enhancing the quality of the existing provision. The tower will be accessed by a static type telescopic BMU fixed on top of lift core.

The 7-storey mid-rise block consists of a rectangular floor plate with a flat roof. Ideally, access will be provided via a mobile elevated work platform deployed at ground level to eliminate any equipment loading imposed on exiting roof level.

The striking façade geometry will require a highly bespoke access system for safe and efficient access to the entire development. Although bespoke in appearance, the overall design of the access systems will be based on tried-and-tested design principles . The visual impact of the system, when not in use, will be a key concern to prevent blocking the line of sight to iconic and historic buildings around the site.

The low-level facades will be clearly visible therefore we will design an access strategy to achieve direct hands-on access. It will require both internal and external access systems for cleaning and maintenance.

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