Interiors Case Study:
London Development Agency

Thrown for a Curve: A government agency’s sinuous new office challenges straight lines as well as nonrenewable energy sources.

By - Penny Bonda
Penny Bonda is the founding chair of LEED for Commercial Interiors and the eco-editor of Interior Design magazine.

Fluidity is a quality that defines all aspects of the london Development Agency’s (LDA) new offices, from the playful Will Alsop–designed building in which they’re housed, to the character of the agency itself, to—not incidentally—the river Thames that runs through the city the organization serves.

LDA moved its offices into the Palestra building in late September, not only as a reflection of the agency’s values but because it wanted to lead by example. The Palestra exemplifies the city’s commitment to the regeneration of its Southwark neighborhood and offers an irresistible renewable energy system that combines photovoltaics and building-integrated wind turbines. The design also includes the potential for fuel cell technology that will make the offices the first in London to incorporate this kind of energy. Carpeting and other materials were chosen for their sustainability. As the mayor’s agency for sustainable economic development, LDA wanted to be a responsive, inclusive, and ambitious organization that would help to position London as a sustainable world city.

Renewable energy generated by a roof-installed system—a combination of a 63 kW photovoltaic array and 14 wind turbines producing 21 kWp—will provide electricity to the LDA’s three floors, specifically for the computer and data rooms and the IT closet. The combined technologies will generate 3,397,000kWh of renewable electricity and reduce CO2 emissions by 3,300 tons during the building’s lifetime. The project was funded and implemented by the London Climate Change Agency, which was set up by London’s mayor in 2006 to tackle climate change by promoting renewable and sustainable energy.

LDA and its design firm, ID:SR (the interior design group of Sheppard Robson), wanted to provide a dynamic environment for employees and visitors and to support LDA’s nonhierarchical business structure, goals that were facilitated by the building design. The dramatic street level entrance features a “wave wall,” sculptural seating, and floor and wall graphics, establishing the agency’s presence in London while providing a lively interactive space.

Lighting, color, motif, and form delineate the large rectilinear floor plates. Curved “river walls” flowing from the core into the office spaces around the perimeter take advantage of abundant natural daylight. Bubble lights, curved bench seating, and leafy panels define the breakout areas and continue the fluid flow, linking the formal and informal spaces. Planted hedges and fabric acoustic wall panels in the quiet rooms carry on the themes. Even the LDA stationery is tied to the graphics and artwork, creating consistency and a sense of ownership for the staff.

“The client-designer relationship was exemplary,” say the designers. “They worked closely to match the business ambitions of the LDA and to show how design could make an impact on how they work, encourage staff retention, interpret their vision, and create a landmark project for London.”

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