W3 is a new addition to Kings Cross, offering a diverse range of amenities designed to promote community engagement and wellbeing. Designed by Haptic Architects, it forms part of a triangular site, nestled alongside two new urban green spaces.
The external timber facade was ‘pre-weathered’ with a coloured coating; © Simon Kennedy
The building offers a number of uses to new and existing residents of the Kings Cross area. With an easily accessible café, a gym and a creche, the building is an intergenerational well-being hub. Creating spaces that promote social interaction, physical activity and community engagement.
“W3’s main purpose is to serve the community,” states Timo Haedrich, Director and co-founder of Haptic Architects, “and it is mainly made from timber, both inside and outside.”
“Timber has a wide range of advantages. The building was quick to put up, not least because it is much lighter than a concrete equivalent. But timber enhances the atmosphere of the space. No need for additional internal finishes: the inherent qualities of timber are enough to create a warm and welcoming building.”
The brief and the challenge
The building sits alongside two privately rented sector schemes, one by Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios and the other by David Morley Architects. The latter master-planned the whole site.
CLT floor slabs and glulam beams; © Simon Kennedy
“We won an invited competition by Related Argent to design a community hub. Our focus was on creating spaces that promote and enable social interaction, physical activity and community engagement.”
The community hub provides a shield of sorts for the private and social sector rental buildings from the noise of the nearby railway tracks. It is a visual and sonic barrier for the residents.
Timber for the win
“Proposing timber for the structure as well as for the facade was a big factor in Haptic winning the project,” says Lucia Berasaluce, Senior Associate at Haptic. “Timber seemed a natural choice for a space that’s partially a creche and a community centre.”
The timber frame was erected speedily and unproblematically
This was a distinctive part of Haptic’s proposal, one which Related Argent embraced. Midgard were the main contractor and Hybrid were appointed timber subcontractors, responsible for all the structural timber work. “We were working as part of a great design team that really understands timber. Ultimately, everyone was keen to showcase it and the client was very much on board,” Lucia explains.
“The main structure of the building is relatively simple – it’s a repetition of glulam frames and a CLT structural deck, all made from mass timber. All the internal timber is exposed, apart from the escape corridors which were dry lined. There is also a concrete core for the lift, which used a high degree of recycled aggregate.”
The main structure of the building didn’t pose major challenges. The trickier part was the timber facade. Accoya was used, an acetylised timber.
“We decided to pre-weather the façade externally. We applied a sacrificial layer – which will eventually wash off – revealing the naturally weathered timber underneath,” Timo says.
Overall the external structure is a nod to the industrial heritage of the area with train sheds and large storage halls serving as references. The dimensions of the timber fins are different on each facade. To the north, the fins are shallow, as only little shading was needed. On the eastern elevation – the side facing the railway line – there is a combination of timber and aluminium panels, to respond to the proximity of the railway lines. To the west, facing the communal garden, the fins are deeper to create shadow and aiding against overheating in the summer.
Close-up on the timber fins; © Simon Kennedy
Layout and form
The carefully articulated scale and massing of the building creates a mediating element between the existing rail infrastructure and the new tenants of the adjacent residential buildings. Over three storeys, generous windows and skylights provide ample natural light and also offer framed views of both adjacent urban and green spaces.
A concertinaed, folding ground floor facade adds an element of visual interest, drawing attention and enticing people to enter the building. The integrated bench seating provides a functional resting place and also an opportunity for people to gather, socialise, and enjoy the space together.
“We wanted to present a simple, calm looking building, making a connection with nature to the new London square. The floor-to-ceiling height is very generous, with plenty of light coming into the building: the windows are three meters tall on all three levels.”
The whole first floor is dedicated to the creche, with access to a terrace, from which the children can play in an external space that is covered all year round. The second floor is a large single space for the gym, it includes large panoramic windows and roof lights to bring natural light and to allow views into the surrounding railway/infrastructure landscapes.
Long Life/loose fit
The building’s structure is a kit of parts and was quickly assembled on site. It could be adapted or added to, and could just as easily be disassembled. The facade arrived on site preassembled and can easily be recycled, adopted or removed should it ever become necessary.
Three metre tall windows are used throughout; © Simon Kennedy
W3 has been designed with longevity and adaptability in mind, which is crucial for sustainable construction. Easily adaptable floor plans, with generous spaces that can be repurposed as needs evolve are key. The main space is column-free and can easily be subdivided, should the need arise, without affecting the main load-bearing structure or facade.
Structure and loading
The floor slabs are CLT, while the beams and the columns are glulam. A cassette system is used for the walls: these are OSB with mineral wood insulation inside, and Fermacel (a combination of gypsum and cellulose) insulation on the inside face. There are very few metal elements, used only where it was more efficient to deal with transfer loads. The core is concrete with a high percentage of recycled aggregate content.
“We carried out early studies, comparing the different footprints of different solutions, such as an entirely timber building versus an entirely concrete one, or entirely steel versus hybrid solutions,” Lucia tells us. “A hybrid solution makes a lot of sense, because you are lowering the footprint by using timber intelligently whilst using fewer materials in areas where building in timber is a challenge in terms of section. The economy of materials as well as their footprint was a key consideration.”
