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WorkStack

Pioneering high density industrial space for compact sites

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Bauher*innen: Greenwich Enterprise Board
Status: Completed
Standort: Charlton
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Nutzung: Commercial, Workplace
Tagged: Collaboration, Engineered Timber, Sustainability Exemplars

Kollaboration

Structural Engineer Arup with changebuilding
Fire Engineer Arup
MEP and Civil Engineer Webb Yates
BREEAM ME Design
Contractor F. Parkinson
CLT Suppliers Stora Enso, Hasslacher Norica Timber
Specialist subcontractor B&K Structures
Cost consultant CHP

A response to the growing need for high quality industrial workspace on compact sites. By stacking the units over five floors, the footprint of the building is significantly reduced without loss of lettable area.

 

 

Kollaboration

Structural Engineer Arup with changebuilding
Fire Engineer Arup
MEP and Civil Engineer Webb Yates
BREEAM ME Design
Contractor F. Parkinson
CLT Suppliers Stora Enso, Hasslacher Norica Timber
Specialist subcontractor B&K Structures
Cost consultant CHP
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Photo: Alex de Rijke
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Furniture maker's studio, photo: Alex de Rijke
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Concept Model
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Furniture maker's studio, photo: Alex de Rijke
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Photo: Alex de Rijke
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Furniture maker's studio, photo: Alex de Rijke
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Concept Model
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Furniture maker's studio, photo: Alex de Rijke
01 A new model for urban industrial space

Backed by the GLA as an exemplar for industrial intensification, and a recipient of Good Growth Funding.

Many London Boroughs have de-restricted industrial land which is inevitably acquired for residential development, forcing production away from city centres. Designed to be affordable to rent, operate and maintain, these workshops encourage manufacturing in central London.

WorkStack’s 14 units vary between 55 – 110 sqm (600 – 1,200 sq ft.) offering tenants choice and growth within the building. The units provide workspace for approximately 60 people, equating to an employee density of 428 employees per hectare compared to the London industrial average of 69 employees per hectare. Occupiers include furniture makers, knitwear producers, workwear manufacturers and a bicycle/motorcycle workshop.

02 A progressive client

By collaborating with GEB, we designed workspaces that answer a growing socio-economic need for industrial capacity while challenging the generic ‘tin shed’ conception of light industrial architecture.

Greenwich Enterprise Board (GEB), are a social enterprise with over twenty years of experience of providing affordable workspace in the borough of Greenwich. As a not-for-profit organisation, they offer places for small businesses to grow, encouraging diversity within the borough’s urban centre and reversing the loss of workshops to the periphery.

GEB invited us to design a building to house a mixture of light industrial, creative and office uses on a compact site of 1,426m2 and provided detailed knowledge of tenant and management requirements that were continually fed into the design process. It was important that the building play to its visibility but also respond to its context, situated on an arterial route on the border of an established industrial zone and residential area.

 

 

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Photo: Fred Howarth
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Photo: Fred Howarth
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Photo: Fred Howarth
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Photo: Fred Howarth
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Photo: Fred Howarth
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Photo: Fred Howarth
I first contacted dRMM when searching for new approaches to the building of urban workspace. I was extremely lucky, because I found there a wealth of experience and expertise in the use of timber and particularly of cross laminated timber. After a period of thorough planning and development, the Charlton Workstack was devised and eventually built; it now provides outstanding accommodation for fourteen SMEs in an area where space is becoming increasingly scarce. I believe that dRMM have part of the answer to the problems of such scarcity, and also the imagination and commitment to bring new techniques to bear.
Michael Finlay, Director, GEB
03 Innovative and sustainable design

WorkStack is constructed in cross laminated timber, a highly sustainable and fast construction method that uses engineered timber as shear walls and slabs.

The distinctive cantilevered form gives the building a powerful presence on the adjoining arterial road with a minimal footprint, the progressive overhangs working as solar shading and covered delivery area. Organised in a simple and functional manner there are three units per floor, forming three structural bays stacked over five floors.  Two lifts provide the primary access to the upper floors for goods and tenants whilst a staircase is located to the inside of the eastern façade.

In keeping with the ‘log stack’ inspiration for the form, the material palette is simple. An engineered mass timber structure with limited steel, polycarbonate, glass and rubber, only introduced where required for function or regulation demanded. Each building element is designed to be as efficient as possible – a direct design without excess of any kind.

 

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Building section
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Ground floor studios
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Building section
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Ground floor studios
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04 Evidenced performance

The primarily CLT stacked structure helps sequester 343 metric tonnes of carbon.

This works out as around 21% less upfront embodied carbon than LETI’s 2030 Design Target (of 350 kgCO₂ /m²), and 44% less than RIBA’s 2030 Built Target for whole life carbon (of 750 kgCO₂ /m²). The panelised construction reduces time on site, creates a safer and cleaner working environment and minimises material waste. The loadbearing timber walls and ceilings are exposed throughout. This beautiful and economical solution eliminates the need for additional internal finishes, reduces associated material resources and environmental impacts, whilst offering biophilic benefits to users. The project is on track to be BREEAM Excellent.

Why should ‘light industrial unit’ mean an ugly, cold metal shed with bad light and no view out? WorkStack is a demonstration of a new kind of tough timber workspace that is warm, bright and practical. It also gives a powerful message that light industrial can mean socially and environmentally inspirational.
Alex de Rijke
Director
05 Industrial workspace on a compact site

WorkStack is designed to create a new class of high-density industrial buildings

We believe there will be ample scope to copy this building’s methodology to other sites while raising the bar on industrial design in a way that will be of national significance. This new typology has the ability to counter fast-growing residential monoculture and is intended to act as a blueprint for future workspace developments in urban contexts. which can be integrated within mixed-use development across cities.

Preise

2024
Wood Awards, Commercial and Leisure Project
Winner
2024
Wood Awards, Structural Award
Highly Commended
2024
Structural Timber Awards, Solid Timber Project of the Year
Winner
2024
Structural Timber Awards, Architect of the Year
Winner
2024
Offsite Awards, Best Use of Timber Technology
Winner
2024
The Plan Award, Production Category
Honourable Mention
2024
AJ Architecture Awards, Workplace Project (up to £50 million)
Shortlisted

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