HDR has completed works on The National Gallery’s ‘One Accommodation Hub’ in London.
Located within Trafalgar Square, the gallery required some much needed office accommodation within the Trafalgar Square Wilkins building.
The project work saw a full remodelling of the north-east part of the Grade I-listed National Gallery building, creating office space for 250 existing staff members in the form of a seven-floor internal courtyard office development. The new office spaces are located in the section that formed part of the original Barry extension 1876 building.
HDR devised the construction of a new seven storey tower in one of the building’s last existing light wells, converting the tiered ground floor and carrying out a wholesale remodelling of the historic E M Barry north building. What has resulted from the work is a new, modern office space that has provided substantially improved facilities that offer enhanced capability for flexible working and collaboration, proving to be a great benefit to the gallery’s existing workforce. The firm was involved in the surveying and redesign of all MEP services through to completion.
Part of the project work required HDR to assess the impact of the new CIBSE Covid-19 ventilation guidance. The design – which was put forward in 2017 – proved so robust it allowed the firm to keep all the installed ventilation, with no need to suspend the use of any item of plant or components. It could be said that HDR’s plant design was already Covid-19 compliant before the CIBSE guidance was published.
HDR’s review of the world-famous gallery also looked at fresh air improvements. As the atrium spaces are fresh air ventilated, it enables surrounding offices to have additional fresh air movement, making the new building light, airy and fully Covid-19 compliant.
Photos: © The National Gallery, London
