One Angel Lane
One Angel Lane
One Angel Lane, formerly known as Watermark Place, replaces the redundant international telephone exchange, Mondial House, on a site that fronts the river next to Cannon Street station. The site has an important place in the history of the Thames and is defined by the boundaries of the working river. The northern edge is the line of the Roman wharf, and the 'Steelyard' under Cannon Street station was a German Hanseatic trading post, the largest medieval trading post in Britain. The strategic viewing corridor to St. Paul's Cathedral informs the height and massing of the new building.
Twin rectangular blocks to the north are attached by a full-height atrium, and the fluid forms of the lower pavilions enclose a south-facing open square with a restaurant to encourage active use. This, together with the pedestrianisation and widening of Angel Lane to the east of the site, more than doubles the existing public space and creates the largest riverside square in the City of London. The new building and its setting form a strategic part of the City Corporation's initiative to encourage access to the river and develop a unified river walkway. In order to enjoy the magnificent views along the river from Tower Bridge to Westminster, the building is clad in high-performance glazing, using dot-matrix glass with a palette of colours derived from a pixilated image of the water to create a dappled façade.
Twin rectangular blocks to the north are attached by a full-height atrium, and the fluid forms of the lower pavilions enclose a south-facing open square with a restaurant to encourage active use. This, together with the pedestrianisation and widening of Angel Lane to the east of the site, more than doubles the existing public space and creates the largest riverside square in the City of London. The new building and its setting form a strategic part of the City Corporation's initiative to encourage access to the river and develop a unified river walkway. In order to enjoy the magnificent views along the river from Tower Bridge to Westminster, the building is clad in high-performance glazing, using dot-matrix glass with a palette of colours derived from a pixilated image of the water to create a dappled façade.
The lower waterside buildings have clear glass cladding protected by a massive five-storey timber structure redolent of historic wharf structures and responsive timber louvres, which protect the lower pavilion. These are designed to work together to give character and animation to the new public square. Intrinsic to this development is the re-use of a third of the existing buildings, using the below ground imperial structure to support the new metric column grid above. This results in less demolition and significant savings in time, energy and materials. Roof terraces of breathtaking scale allow building users to enjoy the riverside setting and distant views, while high-level sedum roofs encourage wildlife to inhabit the city.
"Oxford is excited to have entered the London market with a development as unique and distinguished as Watermark Place. The building combines efficient and inspiring indoor and outdoor spaces with environmentally conscious design, and will be an impressive addition to the City waterfront."
Michael Mayville, Vice President, Oxford Properties Group
Click to view an animated video flyover of Fletcher Priest's city projects.
press:
WAN - Townshend completes landscape scheme linking the City to the Thames Walkway July 2011; Telegraph - The biggest commercial property deals of 2010 January 2011; TopBox November 2010; Reuters October 2010; Oxford Properties buyout WMP October 2010; Free Office Search October 2010; Bloomberg October 2010; Property Week July 2010; The Guardian July 2010; Building May 2010; more » New City Architecture Award April 2010; World Architecture News April 2010; BD Online April 2010; WCOCA April 2010; BD Online April 2010; Architect April 2010; Architect April 2010; Architect April 2010; Architect April 2010; Architect April 2010; Building April 2010; Building March 2010; Estates Gazette February 2010; Building Design February 2010; Black Rock Gazumps Macquarie February 2010; Black Rock Gazumps Macquarie February 2010; Estates Gazette August 2009; Construction News July 2009; Property Week July 2009; Financial Times July 2009; Building February 2009; Building December 2008; Building Design November 2008; NSC June 2008; Property Week May 2008; Architectural Review March 2008; FX Design December 2007; Building Design November 2007; e-Architect October 2007; Architects Journal October 2007; Estates Gazette July 2006; Estates Gazette July 2006; Second Quarter June 2006; Property Week January 2006; Architects Journal November 2005; Estates Gazette September 2005; Property Week February 2005;
"Oxford is excited to have entered the London market with a development as unique and distinguished as Watermark Place. The building combines efficient and inspiring indoor and outdoor spaces with environmentally conscious design, and will be an impressive addition to the City waterfront."
Michael Mayville, Vice President, Oxford Properties Group
Click to view an animated video flyover of Fletcher Priest's city projects.
press:
WAN - Townshend completes landscape scheme linking the City to the Thames Walkway July 2011; Telegraph - The biggest commercial property deals of 2010 January 2011; TopBox November 2010; Reuters October 2010; Oxford Properties buyout WMP October 2010; Free Office Search October 2010; Bloomberg October 2010; Property Week July 2010; The Guardian July 2010; Building May 2010; more » New City Architecture Award April 2010; World Architecture News April 2010; BD Online April 2010; WCOCA April 2010; BD Online April 2010; Architect April 2010; Architect April 2010; Architect April 2010; Architect April 2010; Architect April 2010; Building April 2010; Building March 2010; Estates Gazette February 2010; Building Design February 2010; Black Rock Gazumps Macquarie February 2010; Black Rock Gazumps Macquarie February 2010; Estates Gazette August 2009; Construction News July 2009; Property Week July 2009; Financial Times July 2009; Building February 2009; Building December 2008; Building Design November 2008; NSC June 2008; Property Week May 2008; Architectural Review March 2008; FX Design December 2007; Building Design November 2007; e-Architect October 2007; Architects Journal October 2007; Estates Gazette July 2006; Estates Gazette July 2006; Second Quarter June 2006; Property Week January 2006; Architects Journal November 2005; Estates Gazette September 2005; Property Week February 2005;