Schlumberger Cambridge Research Centre Phase 2

Hopkins Architects, Cambridge, 1992

 

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North west elevation 

Tim Soar (website)     Download Original

  • North west elevation    
  • North facing entrance facade    
  • Phase 1 and 2 side by side    
  • South east entrance elevation    
  • Main entrance and internal courtyard    
  • View from the first floor looking south east over the entrance    
  • The heavily moulded ferro-cement ceiling     
  • View of the air cushion roof over the entrance    
  • Site plan    
  • Ground floor plan    
  • First floor plan    
  • Cross section    
  • Part long section    
  • Nervi    
  • Slab soffit ground floor plan    
  • Pouring cement into the coffers    
  • Cross section showing the ferro-cement construction    
  • Ferro-cement formwork with reinforcement    
  • Ferro-cement waiting for finishing    
  • Eaves detail    
  • Foil cushion & canopy junction at end truss    
  • Foil junction detail    
  • Foil frame junction plan    
  • Detail BB plan at perimeter casting    
  • Detail CC plan at perimeter casting    
  • External wall elevation    

Hopkins' second building for Schlumberger, with ferro-cement floor decks and an air cushion roof, consisting of laboratories, offices, conference rooms together with a new reception and administration department

The design provides a new broadwalk between the car park and the existing building. A central reception space, located abreast of the broadwalk and the new accommodation on either side.

The first floor has been cantilevered over the ground floor to create an appropriate form for the two pavilions and ground floor shading. An additional strip of accommodation at first-floor level has been created for toilets, storage areas and top-lit discussion areas.

The height of the two-storey building has been minimised by lowering the ground floor 600mm below the existing car-park level and including the structural zones in the floor to ceiling height.

The requirement for a thermally efficient and lightweight transparent roof led to the adoption of foil cushions. The pavilion buildings are cooled using fan coil units to the perimeter offices and central air-handling plant for the internal spaces

Data

  • Begun: Aug 1991
  • Completed: Aug 1992
  • Floor area: 2,402m2
  • Sector: Office
  • Total cost: £7.7M
  • Procurement: JCT Management Contract
  • Address: High Cross, Madingley Road, Cambridge, CB3 0EL, United Kingdom

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