Electric Wharf

Design and build

The brief was to develop the concept architects brief to convert former Victorian power station on a design and build basis. The concept was for a truly mixed use scheme incorporating external and public works elements and a new multi-storey car park.

The former turbine and generator halls were converted retaining the majority of the original features of the building. Window apertures were formed in the 900mm thick brick walls and new intermediate floors inserted to give 4 levels of accommodation and live work space. The lower ground area was excavated and tanked, providing office space.

Externally a strong recycling theme was adopted with use of gabions filled with reclaimed bricks and a sleepered entrance way with LED lighting strips.

This work provided many challenges including removing redundant 1200 diameter cast iron pipes from the adjacent canal and overcoming a century of redundant electrical cable to enable the project to be successfully completed. The space has been converted around steel trusses and has retained many of the original features such as the timber crane rail that runs around one block.

A steel framed new build office block was created at the entrance to the site with high end Velfac rain screens and curtain walling.

The new build eco houses where constructed along the side of the canal basin. The medium density concrete blocks create a high thermal mass which absorbs heat in summer and retains heat in winter. Solar panels on the south facing roof boosts the high efficiency, condensing boiler, reducing the amount of energy used to heat water.
The water recycling and filtering reduces the water consumption by up to 25%.

The scheme has received several local and regional accolades and is the recipient of no less than 10 awards.

www.complexdevelopmentprojects.co.uk