The Broadgate Exchange House in London, celebrated for its simple yet ingenious structural system that unifies design and function in the mid-century Modernist tradition, has been selected for the 2015 AIA Twenty-five Year Award. Designed by Skidmore, Owings, and Merrill (SOM) and completed in 1990, the Exchange House is a recognizable presence in central London.
Recognizing architectural design of enduring significance, the Twenty-five Year Award is conferred on a building project that has stood the test of time by embodying architectural excellence for 25 to 35 years. Projects must demonstrate excellence in function, in the distinguished execution of its original program, and in the creative aspects of its statement by today’s standards. The award will be presented to SOM in May at the AIA National Convention in Atlanta.
Exchange House, an elegant ten-story office building that spans over the merging tracks of London’s Liverpool Street Station, is located in London’s Broadgate Development. As one of the last remaining areas for development at Broadgate, SOM was able to envision an opportunity to resolve these challenges through a multi-faceted approach encompassing architecture, engineering, and masterplanning.
The structural and architectural solutions for this development were entirely intertwined, embracing the constraints of the site and using them to fuel a clear, elegant solution that dramatically overcomes the challenges beneath it. The building is suspended over the rail lines below via four, seven-story tied arches that bridge 256ft (78m), while only five percent of its footprint touches the ground. The centrally located lift core, fire stairs, and even the lobby are suspended from this bridge structure, touching the plaza beneath it out of necessity for access rather than support. By elevating the building the opportunity to bring an open space beneath was created, connecting Exchange Square to the south to Primrose Street to the north.
Exchange House is the first project in the United Kingdom and only the third international project to win the award. It is the sixth SOM project to win the award.
Related Stories
Office Buildings | Sep 27, 2017
Gensler designs New Jersey law firm’s new headquarters space
The HQ occupies 75,000 sf in a 400,000-sf suburban office building.
Mixed-Use | Sep 26, 2017
Perkins+Will designs new international business community in Cali, Colombia
The new free trade zone is designed to resemble a small village.
Office Buildings | Sep 20, 2017
Five Stantec offices move into one Fifth Avenue location
The new location provides the firm with 40,000 sf of space.
Industrial Facilities | Aug 29, 2017
Clayco completes construction on Georgia-Pacific Distribution Center
The new facility expands on the company’s old distribution facility by over 300,000 sf.
Green | Aug 24, 2017
Business case for WELL still developing after first generation office fitouts completed
The costs ranged from 50 cents to $4 per sf, according to a ULI report.
Market Data | Aug 20, 2017
Some suburban office markets are holding their own against corporate exodus to cities
An analysis of mortgage-backed loans suggests that demand remains relatively steady.
Office Buildings | Aug 17, 2017
Toyota’s new North American HQ opens in Plano
Toyota invested $1 billion in the project, which was designed by Corgan.
Lighting | Aug 2, 2017
Dynamic white lighting mimics daylighting
By varying an LED luminaire’s color temperature, it is possible to mimic daylighting, to some extent, and the natural circadian rhythms that accompany it, writes DLR Group’s Sean Avery.
Office Buildings | Aug 1, 2017
Corporate values as workplace drivers
Connecting personal values to company values is important to millennial workers.
K-12 Schools | Aug 1, 2017
This new high school is the first to be built on a tech company’s campus
Design Tech High School, located on Oracle Corporation’s Headquarters campus, will span 64,000 sf across two stories and have a capacity of 550 students.
