29 Seaton Place
Construction of a four storey office building with a lettable area of 12,200 sqft for a Category A fit-out.
Morris Architects, upon being commissioned by Comprop CI after the acquisition of a site with planning permission, undertook the task of revising the previously approved scheme. This involved making modifications to the floor plate layouts, roof form, and materials. The architectural scheme was developed and detailed up to the tender stage for Comprop before the design team was novated to the main contractor.
The resultant new building was constructed as a Category A fit-out, featuring four floors of open plan office space. With a lettable floor area of 12,200 square feet, the design adhered was based on the British Council of Offices recommendations. The building employed a steel frame with cellular beams to accommodate services, supporting a concrete floor along with a raised access floor system. The floor plates, approximately 16 meters deep, were designed with windows on three sides to optimize natural daylight penetration. Each floor had dedicated facilities such as toilets, shower changing areas, and kitchens. Additionally, two escape staircases were integrated into the floor plate layout.
Access to the building was provided through the main entrance, located on Seaton Place, which featured a distinctive circular tower. This tower housed a central lift that was enveloped by a gracefully curved staircase. Clad in honed limestone rain screen cladding, the tower was adorned with a black polished granite base plinth, while its conical roof boasted a zinc standing seam finish.
The roof design, also incorporating a zinc standing seam finish, echoed the neighbouring office building's geometry, facilitating the concealment of rooftop plant equipment behind the top ridge. Notably, the southwest corner of the floor plate showcased a projecting semi-circular turret, adorned with a Jersey random granite stone feature wall. The turret's mass was artfully broken up by a zinc pitched roof.
