{"id":740722,"date":"2024-06-05T06:07:36","date_gmt":"2024-06-05T05:07:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.architectsjournal.co.uk\/?p=740722"},"modified":"2024-06-05T10:08:35","modified_gmt":"2024-06-05T09:08:35","slug":"case-study-roco-by-soda-studio","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.architectsjournal.co.uk\/specification\/case-study-roco-by-soda-studio","title":{"rendered":"Case study: Roco by SODA Studio"},"content":{"rendered":"

Located in central Liverpool, Roco\u2019s apartments have been created within the shell of a former office block that once housed HMRC offices. This adaptive reuse project has transformed a tired 1970s building into much-needed homes in the city centre, with a community focus for both residents and the wider public. It was paramount to the client, Livingway, that the project was integrated into the surrounding urban life and activities.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

The building\u2019s robust structure provided a strong case for adaptation, rather than demolition, with large floorplates altered and upgraded to offer 120 new residences and hotel rooms. SODA Studio took a light-touch approach that celebrates the existing architecture, including the original cast-concrete waffle slabs, which have been exposed and left uninterrupted throughout the floor plate, while sensitively inserting contemporary elements to form shared amenity spaces.<\/span><\/p>\n

A social core has been created at ground level, thanks to a focus on designing warm and welcoming shared spaces. A key feature of the community spaces includes a floating timber Activity Wall, which is inserted within the unbroken floorplate, creating a central spine that divides the functions of the ground floor for flexible and evolving uses.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

On-site amenities include residents\u2019 lounges, screening rooms and communal kitchens, as well as co-working spaces and a gym for wellbeing.
\n<\/span>Russell Potter, director, SODA Studio<\/i><\/span><\/p>\n

\n

\u00a0<\/span>\"\"<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Project data<\/b><\/h3>\n

Start on site <\/b>January 2023
\nCompletion <\/b>June 2023
\nGross internal floor area <\/b>1,280m\u00b2
\nConstruction cost<\/b> \u00a32 million (amenity space only)
\nConstruction cost per m2<\/sup><\/b> \u00a31,562
\nArchitect <\/b>SODA Studio
\nClient <\/b>Livingway
\nStructural engineer<\/b> WB Engineers
\nM&E consultant<\/b> WB Shiels
\nQS<\/b> Quantem
\nPrincipal designer<\/b> SODA Studio
\nApproved building inspector<\/b> Assent Building Control
\nMain contractor<\/b> Hebs Group
\nCAD software used <\/b>AutoCAD
\nPredicted design life <\/b>20 years\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

\u00a0<\/span>\"\"<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Architect\u2019s choices<\/b><\/h3>\n

Celebrating the existing building structure through light-touch interventions was a key priority during the design process. In the shared amenity spaces, the existing concrete waffle slab, once exposed, provided a uniform grid from which the lighting specifications were set out.<\/p>\n

Pared-back, muted finishes were chosen for the light fittings to ensure the waffle slab was not visually interrupted in the open plan amenity space. A refined range of discreet surface-mounted can lights were selected to provide soft ambient lighting throughout the social spaces. More prominent feature pendants were chosen to be hung from the existing slab to up-light and illuminate the waffle slab itself.
\n<\/span>Russell Potter, director, SODA Studio<\/i><\/span><\/p>\n

\n

\u00a0<\/span>\"\"<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Specification<\/b><\/span><\/h3>\n

All high-level services were left exposed and surface-mounted onto the exposed waffle slab. Associated brackets and fixtures were carefully chosen for their discreet appearance and painted to complement the textures of the existing concrete soffit.<\/span><\/p>\n

To consolidate the appearance of the exposed soffit, can lights were recessed into the centre of the concrete waffles, and the associated painted steel conduits carefully moulded to the curved profile of the concrete waffles. Recessing the can lights centrally to the waffles ensured the fittings are not immediately visible from eye level and do not detract from the horizontality
\nof the slab.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

A variety of floor and wall-mounted lights provide ambient lighting to the feature joinery pieces at regular intervals, including the timber Activity Wall and screening room panelling columns.
\n<\/span>Russell Potter, director, SODA Studio<\/i><\/span><\/p>\n

Selected products<\/h3>\n

Feature pendant light
\n<\/b>Santa & Cole
\nTeki\u00f2 Circular
\nCommunal lounges
\nsantacole.com<\/a><\/p>\n

Recessed can light
\n<\/b>Astro
\nKos Round 100
\nCommunal lounges
\nastrolighting.com<\/a>
\n<\/i><\/p>\n

Surface-mounted track light
\n<\/b>Lightforms
\nNova Large 92
\nCommunal lounges
\nlightforms.com<\/a><\/p>\n

Feature wall light
\n<\/b>FLOS
\nFlauta H100 Riga
\nScreening Room
\nflos.com<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Located in central Liverpool, Roco\u2019s apartments have been created within the shell of a former office block that once housed HMRC offices. This adaptive reuse project has transformed a tired 1970s building into much-needed homes in the city centre, with a community focus for both residents and the wider public. It was paramount to the …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":740979,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_oasis_is_in_workflow":0,"_oasis_original":0,"ep_exclude_from_search":false},"categories":[721],"tags":[5914,4073,1521,1290,1736],"yoast_head":"\nCase study: Roco by SODA Studio<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"This adaptive reuse project has transformed a former Liverpool office block into 120 new residences and hotel rooms plus on-site amenities\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.architectsjournal.co.uk\/specification\/case-study-roco-by-soda-studio\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_GB\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Case study: Roco by SODA Studio\" \/>\n<meta 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