Forbury Road, SE13
- Location:12 Forbury Road, Reading
- Project Type:Cat A+, reception refurbishment
- Status:Completed
- Contractor:Open Contracts
- Project Manager:Constructive Management
- Structural Engineer:Elliot Wood
- Size:Phase 2 - 18,229 sqm/196,215 sqft
Completed in two phases, the brief was to strip out and refurbish four floors within a 90's office building along Forbury road, with a design intent of maintaining the existing features where possible. This provided a great opportunity to showcase Architectural interventions such as the detailing of suspended mesh paneling and birch ply timber panels against the rough texture of exposed concrete. Throughout the process, we worked closely with joinery and metal workers to inform the bespoke additions to the reception area and floor plates, which were key to reinventing the building and reappointing it along Forbury road. The mesh ceiling panels from the reception were also used within the offices around the main core and WC’s to define the circulation areas.
Within the office, floors galvanised circular ductwork and grilles in a repeated formation created a neat and interesting air condition solution, with suspended strip lights set out in a uniform manner. The relocation of the plant onto the roof had allowed enlarged the fifth floor, maximising the floor reformed through large glazed sliding doors.
Modern facilities such as 15 secure cycle racks and 2 electrical charging points have also been incorporated into the scheme, providing flexible means of transport to the building. The EPC rating achieves a ‘B-49’ energy efficiency. The main heating fuel is from grid-supplied electricity and the building environment is controlled through air conditioning connected to a new AHU.