By Ben Flatman
Paul Vick Architects has completed a new 15m-long glass bridge, providing a connection within the HQ of a global telecoms firm.
The design has been achieved with a minimal number of glass joints, something that required precise rainwater management, concealed lighting, and integrated support connections that seek to blend with the existing buildings’ facades.
The bridge is 15m long, 3m high and 1.8m wide with low iron, double glazing and triple leaf glazed columns and beams. The glass also incorporates varied translucencies for privacy, diverse textures, and angles that facilitate passive sun shading.
The bridge has helped improve the efficiency of the HQ site, by allowing for a rationalisation of circulation and introduction of a single arrival and reception point. The new connection is also intended to help foster enhanced team connectivity.
A new refectory is designed to accommodate small team gatherings, entire office assemblies, self-service options, catered events, and in-person client meetings. In addition, the design team managed to create an additional office floor beyond the initial project scope.
Responding to changes in work culture that require offices to increasingly compete with homeworking, the architect describes the office as capable of offering an intimate “parallel home” experience on a larger scale. Paul Vick said: “the project seeks to create a sense of belonging so essential to staff and client retention, well-being and the formation of a ‘tribe’ working well together”.
