Architects Studio RHE has unveiled its designs for Republic, a major office development at East India Dock, E14.
The designs for the Trilogy Property and LaSalle Investment Management scheme will transform the existing 1990s postmodern office complex into a collaborative workspace campus with 650,000 sq ft of affordable offices and complementary shops and restaurants.
From June: A tour of East India Dock’s Republic
The first phase of work on Building R1 started on-site in October and will see the building updated with the recladding and extension of the facades at ground and first floors.
Modern engineered timber and black steel will continue inside the building with an extended atrium over 10 storeys, built entirely from a glulam timber grid.
The design is centred around wellbeing at work, with increased daylight, better levels of ventilation, direct connections with nature and planting in the biodiverse central gardens. A plan layout encourages the use of the central staircase over the first three floors, with extensive undercover local cycle parking, a large gym and planted roof terraces.
Collaborative working is encouraged through the provision of shared work and meeting space inside the atrium at ground level, which connects directly to the external communal terraces and water gardens.
Designed to appeal to the next generation of creative and tech businesses, Republic aims to create an attractive work and leisure environment, becoming a new neighbourhood in what the joint venture partners describe as a “previously overlooked” corner of London’s Docklands.
A 10,000 sq ft co-working space, event space and rooftop bar on the ninth floor is set to launch in January 2017. Off-Quay, a temporary cultural hub, and Quilombero, a restaurant launched by East End food stars Missy Flynn and Gabriel Pryce, are already operating on site.
Completing in phases over the next five years, the development is expected to compete on price with key locations in the South East and major UK regional centres, coming in at half the price (around £35 per sq ft) of current rents in Shoreditch and one-third of West End rents. The first building is set to complete in October 2017.
CBRE and Allsop are joint leasing agents on Republic.
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