🟩 GreenBricks Building of the Week 🟩 Here East

Game-changing green

A playful example of post-Olympic East London regeneration. Here East provides an XL setting for large and small, tech giants to craftspeople, to work and experiment.

📍Location

Hackney, London

🏢Building Details

• Retrofit of London 2012 Olympic Games media hub into 1.2m sq. ft. dynamic office space, across 3 buildings (area could fit x6 Boeing 747s)

• Community campus for 3,700 people: innovative start-ups, scientists, artists

• Winner of RICS Social Impact National Awards 2020 – Project of the Year

👷🏾‍♀️Developer & Contractor

• Gavin Poole – CEO of Here East

• Daniel Dawe – Director of Investment at Delancey

• Corley + Woolley Ltd

✍️Architects & Engineers

• Nicola Rutt – Former Partner at Hawkins\Brown

• David Bickle – Partner & Creative Director at Hawkins\Brown

• Dr Sarah Prichard – UK Managing Director & Partner at Buro Happold

• Simon Jughard – Associate Structural Engineer at Arup

• Kath Kok – Former Senior Consultant at LDA Design

• Steve Cook – Former Managing Partner, now Consultant, at Cundall

• Dusty Gedge – President of European Federation of Green Roof and Green Wall Associations (EFB)

🌱Sustainability

• BREEAM Excellent + powered by 100% renewable electricity

• Bio-solar roof = combination of solar panels + green roof – plants help create atmosphere for solar panels to function optimally

• Extensive reuse of existing structure + materials

• Energy-saving measures: connection to local district heating system + 8m digitally printed dots provide solar shading to façade

• Set within 45 hectares of Biodiversity Action Plan habitat

🥦 Wellbeing

• ‘The Gantry’ – 3-storey external steel frame (former air conditioning units) – now a “cabinet of curiosities for the 21st century” providing space for artist studios

• ‘The Yard’ – facilities for outdoor cinema, markets, public events, even a retro video-game bar – strong social focus

• Home to Global Disability Innovation Hub – driving new ways of thinking about disability innovation

🎈Bonus feature

It used WikiHouse technology: an open-source construction system and global design commons for high-performance, low-energy buildings. It means buildings can be customised, printed, and self-assembled. The mission of WikiHouse is decentralisation – empowering local communities to build the infrastructure they need.

🔗 Check it out https://www.hawkinsbrown.com/projects/here-east