Concrete Quarterly | spring 2011 | ISSUE NUMBER 235

heavenly features what lies beneath the new boy

Exposed concrete, a curving facade A new public square outside Pie Architecture’s robust extension
and a retractable roof have Bristol’s civil justice centre takes has made quite an impression on
transformed Islington’s unloved its cue from millions of years of a Catholic primary school in north
Angel Building geological history London
WELCOME news round-up

Having it both ways Concrete Centre

flies the flag for
Can architecture be both glamorous and worthy?
That might sound like a contradiction in terms, but eco construction
our cover star demonstrates that, with innovative
use of concrete construction, buildings can achieve The Concrete Centre will be n Can we achieve better buildings
the apparently impossible. promoting concrete’s wide range through building physics?
The Angel Building in north London (page 4) of environmental credentials at Tuesday 1 March, 12.30
combines inspirational design with impeccable Ecobuild from 1 to 3 March at the South Gallery 27
sustainable credentials. Exposed concrete plays ExCeL centre in London’s Docklands.
a central role in turning what was a non-descript The overall theme of The Concrete n Understanding embodied carbon
office block into one that has both a “wow” factor Centre stand is holistic whole-life in products and materials
and a low carbon footprint. Similarly, the sparkling sustainability and it will include Wednesday 2 March, 10.30
white cut-out facade of CitySpace at the University information on responsible North Gallery 4 and 5
of Sunderland (page 9) makes a bold visual sourcing and achieving zero-carbon
statement while its thermal mass contributes construction. A number of low- n Achieving zero-carbon homes:
towards an “excellent” BREEAM rating. carbon project case studies will be Optimising fabric and energy
Concrete design is not always about the presented and full technical advice performance
monumental. It can also be understated. For St and guidance will be available. Wednesday 2 March, 15.00
Joseph’s Roman Catholic School in north London All this and more can be found at South Gallery 29
(page 10) concrete shapes introduce a new stand N1161 of the exhibition hall.
architectural arithmetic with muted tones that In addition, The Concrete Centre will n Passivhaus and concrete
discreetly update the building’s existing vocabulary. be presenting at a number of fringe construction
Not content to rest upon these laurels, the events during the exhibition. These Thursday 3 March, 13.30
concrete sector is pursuing a sustainability agenda include: North Gallery 9
that has been applauded by the construction
industry and government. Its objective is simple:
to be recognised as the leader in sustainable
construction. The publication of our latest report
detailing the achievement of key sustainability
targets (right) demonstrates pan-industry progress
Guide explains concrete benefits
– and proves that glamour and worthiness are not
so far apart after all. The Concrete Centre has published Benefits include the potential
Guy Thompson a new guide to the numerous to responsibly source materials,
Head of architecture & housing, The Concrete sustainability benefits of concrete thermal mass – which capitalises on
Centre and masonry housing. passive solar benefits and reduces
www.concretecentre.com/cq “Fabric for the Future” provides overheating – and flexibility in terms
details of a range of benefits for of re-use and recycling.
design and construction, both in use To download a free copy, visit
INSIDE and from a whole-life perspective. www.concretecentre.com/publications

4 an angel reborn
AHMM has transformed an unloved eighties throwback
into the epitome of exposed concrete cool
8 hidden depths
Bristol’s new public square marries a 14th century church
with its new civil justice centre
9 grand union
CitySpace in Sunderland has redefined the student union
– and it looks pretty good too …
10 a lesson in addition
Pie Architecture goes back to basics with an understated
but sensitive extension to a north London primary school

On the cover: AHMM’s Angel Building in Islington, north London

The Concrete Centre is part of the Mineral Products Association,

the trade association for the aggregates, asphalt, cement,
concrete, lime, mortar and silica sand industries. www.
mineralproducts.org Marine Crescent, Folkestone, built in 1870: Proof of the natural durability of concrete

2 | CQ | spring 2011
Minister praises sector’s progress on sustainability
The concrete industry has been
praised by Mark Prisk, minister for
construction, for its environmental
credentials and commitment to
sustainability at the parliamentary
launch of the annual Concrete
Sustainability Performance Report.
Prisk said: “I am really impressed by
how the concrete industry has taken
positive action and initiative, not industry to engage with the
only to reduce carbon emissions, but government’s own agenda when
also to produce cleaner products and it responds, in the spring, to his
reduce waste. This last achievement November 2010 report on the ability
is one that the industry should take of the construction industry to
particular pride in, for it now uses deliver a low-carbon future.
more waste than it produces.” This is the third Sustainable
Paul Morrell, the government’s chief Concrete Forum report following
construction adviser, also applauded the agreement between the nine
the concrete industry for having sectors within the concrete industry
taken the initiative in developing a to commit to a pan-industry
vision of leadership for sustainable sustainability strategy, with the
construction. However, he said aim that, by 2012, the industry
that while there is excellence in will be recognised as the leader
Prisk: Impressed with ‘positive action’ on producing cleaner products in sustainable construction. It
The industry should intends to achieve this by adopting
sustainability to be found both in the importance of examining the whole- a dynamic role in delivering a
take Particular concrete industry and in a number of life performance of buildings and sustainable built environment in a
pride in the fact exemplar sustainable buildings, the of developing assessment tools manner that is profitable, socially
construction industry generally is that enable carbon to be used as a responsible, and functions within
that it now uses fragmented: “It is inconceivable that metric for good decision-making. environmental limits.
more waste than it we can solve these problems [of For example, products cannot be To download a copy of the latest
low-carbon construction] if we properly compared if the impact of Concrete Industry Sustainability
produces continue to work in silos.” transportation is ignored, he said. Performance Report, visit
Mark Prisk Morrell also focused on the Morrell encouraged the concrete www.sustainableconcrete.org.uk

Laing O’Rourke buys into cement alternative Low-carbon housing

Contractor Laing O’Rourke has CO2 than it emits. series published
joined investors in carbon- The product is based on 20
negative cement company years of research on the mineral A new guidance series, “Building Low
Novacem in a round of fundraising carbonation of magnesium Carbon Homes”, has been published
The Novacem product is based on
worth £1.6m. This fund will be silicates. These minerals are by Zero Carbon Hub. Three guides are
magnesium oxide
used to continue the development widely dispersed with accessible now available to download: “Masonry”,
of the product and expand its worldwide reserves estimated to “Concrete Frame” and “Insulating
commercial potential. exceed 10,000 billion tonnes. Concrete Formwork (ICF)”.
Novacem’s carbon-negative Laing O’Rourke previously Each guide provides comprehensive
cement is based on magnesium collaborated with Novacem in a information on key issues including
oxide and offers the cement two-year project worth £1.5m, thermal performance, bridging and
industry a scalable alternative to funded by the Technology bypass, airtightness and sequencing,
current production. No carbon Strategy Board, and the two together with a range of key working
emissions are released from the companies are planning details. In addition, each has a case study
magnesium silicate raw material. further joint development to demonstrate the theory in practice.
Overall, the production process activities. To download free copies of the “Building
to make one tonne of Novacem To find out more, go to Low Carbon Homes” series, visit
cement absorbs up to 100kg more www.novacem.com www.concretecentre.com/publications
FEATURE | angel building

an angel reborn
An unloved eighties office building in north London has been stripped back to
its concrete frame and transformed by AHMM into a cool high-tech workplace
fit for the 21st century. Tony Whitehead reports

4 | CQ | spring 2011
When developer Derwent London merged with LMS
in 2007, it inherited a large, unloved office building.
Built in 1980, when suitcase-sized fax machines
were the latest thing, five-storey Angel Place
featured a brown granite and smoked glass facade.
At the time, in the rundown London borough of
Islington, it probably seemed stylish and futuristic
– but it is not a look that has aged well. Around
Angel Place, Islington was on the up, becoming by
the early nineties the kind of place where future
prime ministers would map out their careers in
trendy bistros. Meanwhile, behind the mirror glass,
the interior functionality of Angel Place struggled
to keep its 21st-century occupiers happy. Tenant
BT quit the building years before its lease was up.
So what to do? Demolish and rebuild seemed the
obvious option. But then Derwent and architect
Allford Hall Monaghan Morris (AHMM) looked again
at the building’s potential and came up with a plan
to re-use Angel Place’s substantial concrete frame,
while creating a much larger lettable area.
The result is a development of considerable
confidence. The new, £68m Angel Building boasts
a dramatic, curved sweep of frontage, cool bare
concrete interiors, and a stunning new atrium
topped with an inflatable roof that can open on
sunny days like a hot-hatch convertible. It has also
been awarded a BREEAM rating of “excellent”.
“Islington has changed a lot since the original
building was completed,” says Derwent’s project
manager David Thurston. “The site now demanded
much higher quality.” He says that, being more
or less equidistant from the City and the West
End, the site had to be developed with a range of
occupiers in mind. “Either way, though, it had to be
of very high spec to maximise its potential. We saw
a fantastic opportunity to expand the floor area and
enliven the centre of the building, and AHMM came
up with an exciting vision of how it could work.”
Thurston admits that the old building suffered
from a very inefficient floorplan – its large
courtyard being a particular waste of space. So why
retain the concrete frame?
“Fundamentally, the decision was all about
embodied energy,” says Steve Smith, project
architect with AHMM. “We take sustainability
seriously so, once we realised that it would cost top above
2,000 tonnes of CO2 to replace the frame, it A heavy concrete grid supports The use of in-situ concrete
became very difficult to do anything else.” an ETFE roof, which can be defines the aesthetic of the
He explains that embodied energy traditionally retracted in hot weather interior extensions
accounted for only 10% of the energy a building
used during its lifetime. But with running costs
driven down in more efficient buildings, that ratio is
heading towards 50-50, making embodied energy a
much weightier consideration.
But this wasn’t the only advantage. Smith says:
“Once we made the decision to keep the frame,
we started appreciating the money saved by not
having to rebuild it, and the benefits of knocking
several months off the programme.”
He admits that stripping back to the frame took
time, and that the project could possibly have
advanced quicker with a demolition followed by a
steel frame. “But that wouldn’t have worked at all
with the environmental strategy we had for the
building, which was heavily involved in making use The new facade reinstates the curve of the street’s original
of the thermal mass of a concrete frame.” Victorian terrace
FEATURE | angel building

Finishing touch

Altogether, contractor Getjar every part of the formwork. Its but here it was also very important
poured some 7,300m3 of concrete, comparative lack of air bubbles to achieve the right colour. AHMM
around 1,800m3 of which was results in a smoother surface finish, wanted a very specific darkish grey,
self-compacting. but it has to be used carefully. not the creamy colour of some
John Croxford, Getjar’s contracts “Because this type of concrete concretes.”
manager, explains: “The self- does not begin to stiffen during a Croxford says the most
compacting concrete was used for pour as standard concrete does, the challenging part of the job was
all the bare, visible concrete in the formwork has to be able to support the new entrance area, and the
entrance and atrium area. Standard the full weight of the concrete as if thin concrete elements designed
concrete requires agitating by it were water. This means formwork to cover the steel frame extension.
operatives to remove voids, so has to be heavier to prevent In the event however, Getjar’s
self-compacting concrete, though flexing. At Angel, we used a double success in the atrium encouraged
more expensive, is often used thickness of ply which also enabled it to carry out in-situ concrete work
where access is difficult. In this all nail and screw marks to be to unusually fine tolerances. “In
case, though, it was chosen for the concealed in the outer layer.” this area we were creating vertical
very fine finish it can produce.” The concrete also contains a panels 9m high but only 150mm
Croxford says that high-flowing relatively high amount (36%) of wide so the only way to maintain
admixtures cause self-compacting fly ash as a cement addition. “As it consistent rebar cover was to place
Self-compacting concrete was used in the concrete to be much runnier than is a waste product, the use of fly the reinforcement and formwork
atrium and entrance areas normal, enabling it reliably to fill ash helps with sustainability, extremely accurately.”

The new building has a lettable area of

265,000ft2, a 63% improvement on the original.
The three extensions to the building that help
achieve this – two to the side and one inwards
into the courtyard – do more than just add
space, however. Smith says: “The old building
was essentially a rectangular doughnut on plan,
set back a long way from the street because of
a previous plan to widen the road. That never
happened, and the result was that the building had
a very strange relationship with the street.
“So we have extended the building towards the
street, at the same time putting back the long
graceful curve of the original Victorian terrace.”
The curved extension projects to a maximum
of 10m from the original perimeter while a more
straightforward extension projects 3m from the
former south elevation.
However the greatest amount of added space was
created by building into the 12,000ft2 courtyard
to create extra room on each floor as well as a
full-height central atrium. And while the exterior
additions have been achieved with a new steel
frame fixed to the original concrete, this interior
extension was constructed from in-situ concrete.
As Smith explains, it is this that defines the
interior aesthetic. “What you see in the atrium is
concrete surfaces and grids. At AHMM we are, if
you like, old-fashioned modernists. It is the grid
form that naturally results if you build in reinforced
concrete, as demonstrated by le Corbusier’s
above Dom-ino house [a standardised system
The use of fly ash creates developed in 1914-15].”
concrete of a very dark grey And it is impressive. The brutal bare concrete
beams and columns make a very overt structural
left statement, and the lines and rectangles continue
A full-height atrium has been up and even over, with a heavy concrete grid
created out of the central supporting the transparent inflatable ETFE pillow
courtyard atrium roof. It has a mid-20th century feel, but the

6 | CQ | spring 2011
 Photos: Tim Soar and Allford Hall Monaghan Morris
above
quality of the ‘as-struck’ concrete finish ensures the
Green Angel The bare concrete beams
and columns make an overt
Angel Building remains safe from comparisons with
the worst of sixties architecture.
structural statement
“The finish is very important,” agrees Smith. “With
The high thermal mass of concrete the frame then acting as a heat sink, the subcontractor, Getjar, we built a lot of mock-
frame buildings naturally acts as a this active cooling is kept to a ups and tested various mixes from different local
“thermal flywheel”, evening out minimum. suppliers [see box, opposite page] and I think that
diurnal temperature variations. At When heating is required, it is really paid off: we are very happy with the result.”
the Angel Building, this effect is done via traditional trench radiators The in-situ concrete frame for the interior
boosted by the use of a low-energy powered by a wood-chip boiler. extension at Angel Building was effectively treated
displacement ventilation system. Insulation is high throughout, the as a separate building, with its own piles and
Architect Steve Smith says that aluminium cladding having a U-value foundations. Smith says: “There’s no need for any
heat generated by the building’s of 1.5 W/m²K and the ETFE atrium joints to be visible in the atrium. Putting the two
3,000 occupants and their roof having a value of 2.16W/m²K. structures together just means you need careful
computers means that for most Solar gain is controlled without detailing across both to make sure everything
of the year the building requires the use of brise-soleils by reflective aligns properly.”
cooling: “But even if the outside glass and on hot days it is possible In order to ensure the cafe and lounge areas
temperature is only a few degrees to open the atrium roof, although were column-free, the building uses a Vierendeel
cooler than inside, sufficient cooling this feature is primarily designed to truss, designed by structural engineer Adams
project team
can be achieved by drawing in large help with fire regulations and Smith Kara Taylor to support the ceilings from above.
volumes of air.” admits it will have to await a hot Client Derwent London The open space ensures these areas feel truly
Four air-handling plants on the summer for testing. Architect Allford Hall part of the atrium. “Too often the atrium is just
roof draw air down through risers The building’s sustainability Monaghan Morris dead space,” says Smith, “somewhere you walk
and into the floor voids, which act as credentials are topped off by a Project manager Buro 4 across to get to the lifts. But here there is a cafe
plenums. The concrete frame helps rainwater collection and re-use Contractor Bam and a lounge on the ground floor and at other
to cool the air before it is released system, 150 cycle spaces, and a Construction levels there are meeting rooms and break-out
into the occupied areas via floor carefully selected variety of plants Concrete contractor spaces.” The atrium has become “the busy heart
diffusers. In hot weather, the air can to supplement the site’s existing Getjar of the building”, he says – an apt metaphor for
also be cooled with chillers but with mature plane trees. Structural engineer an office block that was spared demolition to be
Adams Kara Taylor given an extraordinary new lease of life.
Bristol | redcliffe plaza

hidden depths
A new public square in Bristol takes its inspiration from the layered effects found in the site’s geological history

Public space design by Gillespies

The plinths were manafactured
as concrete boxes and in-filled
with in-situ concrete on site

Urban public spaces have to be many things. The steps and raised edges of the plaza have
They need to reflect their setting, yet have their coloured layers seemingly uncovered by the angled
own identity. They need to be robust and require slope. The effect is that of exposing a piece of
little maintenance, yet be inviting. They need to the Earth’s crust. This analogy is carried forward
accommodate both movement and repose. Above by the natural palette of the layers and a series
project team all, they need to add to the urban experience. of scattered, slanted monolithic concrete plinths
Client Bristol Council Redcliffe Street Plaza in Bristol manages to achieve in the south-western corner that seem to push
Landscape architect Gillespies all of the above. up through the crust of the plaza. The different
Artistic collaboration Tania Kovats Designed by landscape architect Gillespies, the sized plinths tilt towards and away from each
Precast concrete Concrete Bloc plaza is framed by the red sandstone facade of the other to create interesting shadows and spatial
recently opened Bristol Civil Justice Centre and relationships. Practically, they also provide robust
the Bath stone of the 14th-century tower of the seating areas that are easy to maintain and clean.
Church of St Thomas the Martyr. The simple The precise coloured layering on the precast
gestures of a 1:20 slope and a series of feathered concrete plinths is a tribute to the craftmanship
steps take you from the entrance to the civil justice of specialist precaster Concrete Bloc. The colour
centre and from the church tower. This subtle and bandwidths are uniform and crisp and the
delineation manages to reduce the bulk of the polished finish is of high quality. Concrete Bloc’s
new centre while providing a raised platform for expertise is further underlined by the fact that
the church. the plinths, in order to minimise costs, were
Gillespies could have left the design of the plaza manufactured as concrete boxes to be installed
at that, but instead it has given the space its and in-filled with in-situ concrete on site.
own colour and character. The architect took as a Each layered band width of each vertical side had
starting point the horizontal stratum on quayside to be synchronised.
walls left by the ebb and flow of the adjacent River At 40m x 20m, the plaza is not huge. Despite this
Avon. Working closely with artist Tania Kovats, it has a feeling of the monumental. It offers a peek
The plaza makes a visual link between the new civil justice centre it developed this into a narrative of geological at the geological history of the site. A journey to
and the 14th-century Church of St Thomas the Martyr evolution and formation. the centre of the Earth.

8 | CQ | spring 2011
 cityspace building | sunderland

grand union
The CitySpace building at Sunderland centre is a vibrant
campus hub, and a far cry from student unions of old

CitySpace is an unusual combination of social,

sports and events facilities in a single flexible
building. Designed by FaulknerBrowns Architects,
the £11.5m building replaces the outdated student
union building and provides the centrepiece of the
masterplan for the university’s city campus. above
Upon entering the building, you find yourself in The distinctive facade
a triple-height space, which catches you unaware combines white concrete with
as externally the building looks relatively low. The green glass cut-outs and areas
extra height has been dug out from the ground. of dark cladding
A second surprise is the mix of social and sports right
space. Rather than the bars and cheap beer usually The cut-outs help to create a
associated with student unions, there is a climbing light-filled interior
wall, six court sports hall, a 70-station fitness
centre, as well as a cafe and dining areas. The break up the bulk of the building.
University of Sunderland is obviously a place to The irregular pattern of the cut-outs is achieved project team
improve both body and mind. using three main shapes of precast concrete Client University of Sunderland
The eclectic mix of spaces is intended to ensure panels: L-shapes, step-shapes and rectangles. Their Architect FaulknerBrowns Architects
that the building is used every day throughout the repetitive nature reduced the necessary formwork, Structural engineer Buro Happold
year by the local community and not just during and therefore also the cost. The irregular layout of Contractor Morgan Sindall
term time by the students (having a building that the panels called for close co-operation between Precast concrete Trent Concrete
is deserted for many weeks does not make good the project team. The panels are supported and
economic sense). restrained by the structural frame using corbels
Externally, the new building had to make its mark. for vertical loads and cast-in ties for horizontal
The old student union that it replaced, Wearmouth loads. The use of threaded tie rods allowed close
Hall, had become a local landmark with its concrete tolerances to be achieved. Incorporated within the
tile decorative facade designed by the artist Mitzi panels is fabric and loose bar reinforcement that
Photos: Martine Hamilton Knight

Cunliffe, who also designed the Bafta mask. The carried the loads back to the support point. Panel
new building provides a similarly strong presence orientation and placement, meanwhile, was made
thanks to its distinctive cut-out facade. easier through the use of multiple lifting eyes.
The main facade is made from crisp white precise The green against white concrete is a bold
concrete panels that are broken up with a random treatment. And in keeping with ensuring that
pattern of green glass rectilinear cut-outs. A mica CitySpace earns its place in the community, the
aggregate makes the concrete sparkle against the precast cladding not only looks good but provides
five shades of green. In further contrast to the thermal mass that contributes towards the A cafe is just one of the many facilities the building offers for
whiteness are areas of dark cladding, which help to building’s BREEAM “excellent” rating. both students and the local community
Building Review | st joseph’s school

a lesson in ADDITION
Pie Architecture’s task was to refurbish and extend a 1970s north London primary school in order to incorporate nursery
pupils. The result is far greater than the sum of its parts …
Completed last November, this project called which complements the existing building. The use
for the relocation of a nursery school into the of varying widths of douglas fir board has given the
existing school building of St Joseph’s Roman concrete a board-marked texture that echoes the
Catholic Primary School in Highgate, north verticality of the existing building.
London. In addition to a new entrance and Internally, the concrete has a smooth matt
classroom extensions, existing teaching spaces finish, which reflects the light from the generous
were reconfigured and refurbished in order to child-height windows and glazed roofs. Externally
accommodate the nursery, and new external play and internally, the concrete offers an understated
areas were provided. strength, a monolithic presence that manages to
For the architect, north London-based Pie be inviting. The attention to detail and scale means
Architecture, the existing 1970s school building that the new extensions do not subtract from the
provided a strong reference point, with its concrete original but instead give it a new lease of life.
frame and vertical bush-hammered precast The understated finish of the internal concrete
concrete cladding. Pie set out to introduce a new complements the muted palette of the internal
vocabulary that discreetly updated the old. Low boundaries provide a subtle separation between play areas materials, which include birch plywood, sundela
The two new extensions, in contrast to the board, recycled yoghurt pot surfaces, reflective
temporary glass conservatory structures that they charcoal-coloured acrylic and thick woollen felt.
replaced, provide a robust solidity. They are built The interior is quiet and restrained in contrast to
from double-skinned in-situ concrete – each skin below the colour and creativity normally associated with
poured at the same time, with rigid insulation Douglas fir boards were primary-school learning and playing.
sandwiched between. The walls are 400mm thick used to give the concrete a Outside, the douglas fir shuttering boards were
and have a precise, high-quality finish, the colour of marked texture re-used for the play pieces, planters and fences,
adding to the sustainability of the project. The new
play areas include low boundaries that provide a
subtle separation between the younger and older
children.
The programme and budget were tight – just nine
weeks and about £240,000. Yet, despite this, Pie
has managed not just to update the school, but to
transform it both externally and internally.

project team
Client St Joseph’s Roman Catholic Primary School
Architect Pie Architecture
Structural engineer HRW Engineers
Contractor JSP Building Services

Photos: David Grandorge

The colour of the concrete extensions (in the foreground)

complements the existing school

10 | CQ | spring 2011
 Internally, the smooth matt
finish of the concrete reflects
the light from the generous
windows and glazed roof
 Architect: Seymour-Smith Architects
Image courtesy of Dow Building Solutions and Sto Ltd;
Photographer: Samuel Ashfield
this is
low carbon

This is concrete
Underhill House, in the heart of the Cotswolds, is the first in England to be
certified to Passivhaus standards. The home is built with concrete and masonry
and is a stunning and comfortable home with exceptional thermal and airtight
performance. This is worth talking about.

Want to know more? Join the discussion at thisisconcrete.co.uk

This is Concrete is supported by The Concrete Centre