ο»Ώ2 Finsbury Avenue
This project is for a mixed-use tower located in London, UK. We pushed to find sustainable design solutions that would prioritize the well-being of users while still maintaining low costs.
ROLE
GXN Research & Innovation Intern
ο»ΏCLIENT
British Land
ο»ΏDATE
Feb - May 2020
ο»ΏTEAM
3XN/GXN Architects
Developing a sustainability strategy that puts circular construction at the forefront β»οΈ
The goal for this project was to create a net zero carbon building and the process required exploring how the project could go beyond sustainability and innovation. This entailed conducting extensive research in the context of sustainable buildings today, as well as examining the potential for optimizing the sustainability performance and narrative of the project.
With GXN as the sustainability consultants, I participated in researching and developing a strategy that would make this project a building like no other.
THE CHALLENGE
Balancing costs with designing for users in a sustainable and effective way.
THE OPPORTUNITY
Upcycling the existing materials into the amenity spaces of the new building.
Sustainability strategy diagram
Understanding the site
The project is located in the largest pedestrianized neighborhood in Central London. It consists of a 12-story podium with a 35-story East Tower and 20-story West Tower.
Researching the context of sustainable buildings today
In order to discover a competitive sustainability strategy, we conducted extensive research into the world's leading sustainable buildings. This allowed us to examine and compare both technical certifications and the way they are being used in the narrative and communication of the project.
The case studies
The buildings are split into four categories. In total, 30 case studies were researched. Four cases were selected to represent each of the categories and provided a summary of the findings.
1 / Tall Buildings
Comparable with 2 FA in terms of size and functions. Reference projects include:
- Copenhagen Towers
- Quay Quarter
- Commerzbank HQ
- Shanghai Tower
2 / London Context
Can be considered as competitors on the UK market, and have a focus on sustainability:
- Bloomberg
- White Collar Factory
- Google's King Cross
- 2 Redman Place
3 / Sustainability As Main Narrative
Set new standards for sustainable buildings & include this as core to their identity & function.
- WWF UK Living Planet
- CIRS
ο»Ώ- Powerhouse BattΓΈrkaia
- The Bullitt Centre
4 / Sustainable World Leaders
Buildings with very high certification scores or visual sustainability elements.
- Olympic House IOC
- Bosco Verticale
- The Edge
- One Angel Square
Example of building analysis
Analyzing the data
The data from the case studies was organized in three themes:
1. Baseline: The certification schemes and third-party accreditations obtained by the case studies.
2. Positive footprints: The specific sustainability elements in the case studies are organized in 5 areas of focus: π Healthy Materials, β‘οΈ Clean Energy, π· Enhanced Biodiversity, π§ Clean Water, π¨ Healthy Air and πΊ Wellbeing.
3. Unique stories: Short analysis of the way the case studies are being marketed and referred to across media outlets.
Positive footprints
Certifications
Total positive footprints
Total certifications
Key findings & insights
After researching 30 different sustainable buildings we found that all buildings are certified or in the process of becoming certified. This shows that certifications are the minimum standards that our building needs in order to be recognized. What sets a building apart are the visual sustainability elements that enhance the narrative of the project, elevating it from a building to an icon.
Understanding the users
We focused on researching all the user needs in order to address them with thoughtful design solutions. We narrowed down our users into 5 categories: Local Residents, Office Workers, Tourists/Passerby, Flexible Workspace Workers.
We outlined the needs for each below.
Developing a strong sustainability strategy
We pushed to find design solutions that would prioritize the well-being of users while still maintaining low costs. For that to work, sustainability needed to become part of the design process, not just an afterthought.
Aside from establishing a clean energy approach, we refined the idea of reducing consumption. This translated into a strategy of upcycling materials and elements from the existing building prior to its demolition and introducing a type of construction in which materials, components, and products are designed for disassembly.
The money saved from reusing materials was to be reinvested into the amenity spaces of the tower and we came up with a strategy that would visually enhance the sustainability narrative of the project.
We wanted to create a vertical village that would foster collaboration, interaction, and well-being.
Upcycling existing building materials
The pre-demolition audit from the old building measured the quantities of each material left over in order to determine the potential reuse for the future building.
For instance, we were able to upcycle the metal into potential metal cladding or partitions.
Circular construction London area
The greater London area also offers a wider range of upcycled materials that can be applied to multiple areas in the amenity spaces.
We tested different upcycled materials in key amenity areas in order to enhance the visual identity of the tower.
'A Tower Like No Other'
The final tower's sustainability strategy is summarized in this diagram, under the same categories as the sustainable buildings white paper research.
Sustainable buildings white paper
Below you can find a copy of the full white paper on sustainable buildings for 2 Finsbury Avenue.
Final thoughts
Learnings
π The baseline for what it means to be sustainable is continuously improving.
In our research, we discovered that sustainability is becoming increasingly important to developers in order to promote a positive public image. Yet, achieving certification status is becoming more and more of a norm rather than a differentiator, thus the standards for building are being pushed past certification.
π A strong concept and equally strong narrative can take a project to the next level.
Our White Paper research led to crucial insights on how to create a building that went beyond sustainability certifications. We discovered that a strong and thoughtful architectural concept along with a vigorous marketing strategy would be key factors in boosting this project from tower to icon.
Next Steps
β Testing existing materials into reusable components.
The materials from the existing building must be tested on a small scale into potential components for the building.
π Finding upcycled material sources from the London area.
Gathering information about upcycled materials from London in order to narrow down material options.
Selected Works
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iOS WeatherAdding A Personalized Notification Feature
VCorp Latin AmericaA Small Business With A New Identity
ZeitAn Innovative Way To (Time) Travel
South Carolina VillaResidential House Project For A Growing Family
Shenzhen Natural History MuseumAward Winning Museum With A Holistic Sustainability Strategy
Reinventing Cities, MilanDesigning A Masterplan That Fosters Community & Wellbeing