Waterside (building)

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The Waterside building in Harmondsworth, England is the international headquarters of the airline British Airways.

It is a novel design comprising six limestone clad four-storey horseshoe-shaped buildings which all back on to an internal 'street' that runs inside an atrium. The street is paved in granite slabs and cobblestones, has bridges which cross it overhead, linking the individual buildings, and is looked over by balconies which lead off the bridges. The street houses a health centre, hairdressing and beauty salon, florists, travel centre, Waitrose supermarket, bank, restaurants and a 400-seater auditorium.

The 9,000m2 gross internal area is mostly open plan offices, no personal space is assigned, although enclosed areas are available for meetings and study.

Waterside constituted one of the UK's largest building projects. Construction started in September 1995. The project also involved clearing and landscaping the site which was derelict to create a large public park and nature reserve, with a visitor centre.

The building opened December 1997 to May 1998. The first section of the public park was opened in June 1998, with the remainder in 1999. Construction costs were £17.4m

The architects were Niels Torp, supported by RHWL . The Building Services Engineers were Cundall Johnston and Partners, the Structural Engineers Buro Happold and the Construction Managers MACE .

Waterside is located at 51°29′08″N, 0°29′10″W.

[edit] Awards

  • Civic Trust Awards 2000, Winner
  • National Lighting Design Awards of Excellence 2000, Winner
  • RIBA Best of British Awards 1999, Winner
  • British Council for Offices 1999, Winner
  • British Construction Industry Award 1998, Winner

[edit] References

  • Case study on BA Waterside at the Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment (CABE) – accessed November 2006.
  • Cundall Civil engineers - accessed January 2007


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