London – Waugh Thistleton Architects' sustainable office block is based on the values of reduce, reuse and recycle with the aim of achieving zero-waste architecture.
Positioned alongside the Regent’s Canal, 6 Orsman Road utilises cross-laminated timber (CLT) and a steel frame, both of which are demountable meaning it can be remodelled or taken down with ease. In this way, the wall and floor elements can be adapted or relocated within the building to rearrange or create new internal spaces.
Throughout its construction, the architects also considered how the structure could be recycled at the end of its life, with the fixtures, cladding and decking all designed to be detachable. At a time when the future of physical workspaces remains uncertain, such adaptable, demountable designs point to a future of temporary and changeable offices.
Already, the increase in remote working is leading employers to reconsider the need for a permanent office space. In Pandemic Proof Properties, we explore the future of working from home, and how interiors may be redesigned to bolster wellbeing.