King’s College London Quadrangle Building

The brief was to repurpose the disused, semi-derelict structure, creating a space for the Department of Engineering that can be easily adapted for future uses. However, the existing structure had extensive water damage from failed waterproofing.

We explored the viability of retaining the neglected structure through targeted investigations. These included thermographic surveys of the structure, to quantify the impact of water ingress on the structural frame.

Our detailed back-analysis confirmed the structure’s residual capacity was more than capable of the proposed use, allowing the space to be retained and adapted for future use.

With limited external walls, we used intelligent lightwell placements to bring daylight into the Quadrangle Building.

We introduced four lightwells, the largest pair measuring 20 meters by 4 meters. At the heart of the quad, a circular bench serves as an oculus above a striking helical concrete staircase — a nod to scientist Rosalind Franklin’s groundbreaking molecular research at King's College London in the 1950s. 

The exposed concrete lightwell inserts, thoughtfully integrated with essential services, are sympathetic to the surrounding historic fabric. We worked closely with the design team and specialist concrete subcontractors to navigate complex geometry and integrate the services into the exposed concrete frame.

The result is a learning environment that celebrates the original brick-vaulted structure by retaining its historic load-bearing integrity. The delicate layering of old and new elements adds depth and character to this architectural gem.

The Quad Building site is highly constrained — a semi-subterranean building nestled beneath a historic courtyard. The building is located between a street-level courtyard and the Thames embankment, just 9 metres below. It was further constrained by four surrounding buildings, including the Grade I listed Somerset House and King's Building. 

Additionally, site access was only available through a narrow 3.5-meter archway onto the embankment — a bottleneck that demanded innovative solutions. In close collaboration with the contractor, we developed a design that kept prefabricated parts within set sizes and weights. This allowed for their easy installation using mobile cranes that could be supported by the Quadrangle deck.  An approach that ensured efficient construction despite the spatial constraints.

We devised a strategic approach to working on an active central London campus, implementing a rigorous monitoring regime during enabling works to quantify disruption to campus life. This data-driven approach minimised disturbances and allowed the department to continue to operate throughout building works.

The benefits of retention over demolition on an operational urban campus go beyond carbon. Less demolition meant reduced dust, improved air quality and fewer vehicle movements. Most importantly, our approach minimised disruption to campus life.