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Turnmill

Derwent London

Marrying timeless, beautiful tactility and pioneering sustainable design.

Turnmill
Derwent London

Turnmill sits on a prominent corner site in London's Clerkenwell Green Conservation Area. In respect to the site's unique setting, Piercy&Company focused on sympathetic materials, a strong two-part form, and carefully crafted details. A curved plan form is a direct response to the movement of people around the site, which is set to intensify as Farringdon Crossrail station opens in 2021.

Handmade Roman format Petersen Tegl Kolumba bricks create a horizontal rhythm across the façade and reflect the sturdy masonry characteristics of Clerkenwell's warehouses. The angles of the chamfered window reveals fan out across the building, optimising views out for the office users. En-masse, the varied chamfers animate the façade and emphasise the solidity and texture of the Danish brick.

The double height reception space and glazed link above, break the building’s massing into two elements to preserve the fine urban grain of Clerkenwell. On Turnmill Street, the brickwork continues inside through the curved entrance where it gives way to a palette of polished concrete, timber, and brass.

Details

Client:
Derwent London
Location:
Clerkenwell, London
Type:
Architecture, Workplace
Gross Floor Area:
97,200 sqft
Stage:
Completed January 2015

Awards

  • Civic Trust Award 2017
  • RIBA Stirling Prize Mid-list 2016
  • RIBA National Award 2016
  • FX Awards 2016, UK Project of the Year
  • Brick Award 2015, Best International & Worldwide Project
  • Schueco Excellence Award 2015
  • BD Office Architect of the Year Award 2016, highly commended
  • RICS Commercial Building Award 2015, highly commended
  • BCO Commercial Workplace Award 2016, shortlisted
  • Blueprint Award 2015, Best non-public use project (commercial), shortlisted

Project Team

  • Jackson Coles, Project Manager
  • AKT II, Structural Engineer
  • AECOM, Services Engineer
  • AECOM, Cost Consultant
  • Montresor Partnership LLP, Façade Engineer
  • Gerald Eve, Planning Consultant
  • Arup, Specialist Brickwork Consultant
  • Veretec, Contractors Architect
  • McLaren Construction, Main Contractor

Credits

  • Hufton + Crow, Photographer
  • Sophie Bowness (Hepworth Estate), Photographer
  • Jack Hobhouse, Photographer