{"id":774538,"date":"2025-02-17T08:03:36","date_gmt":"2025-02-17T08:03:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.architectsjournal.co.uk\/?p=774538"},"modified":"2025-02-17T13:35:07","modified_gmt":"2025-02-17T13:35:07","slug":"bennetts-completes-first-building-for-tribeca-life-sciences-campus","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.architectsjournal.co.uk\/buildings\/bennetts-completes-first-building-for-tribeca-life-sciences-campus","title":{"rendered":"Bennetts completes first building for Tribeca life sciences campus"},"content":{"rendered":"

The first of five buildings on the Tribeca development for developer Reef Group, all by Bennetts, The Apex provides 10,450m2<\/sup> of office and laboratory space across six floors.<\/p>\n

Situated on the site of the former Royal Mail sorting office (previously dubbed the \u2018ugly brown building\u2019 by Bennetts), the scheme has an open reception and ground-floor caf\u00e9 that sits beside the Regent\u2019s Canal. Support facilities are also arranged on ground and basement levels, commercial and laboratory space across all floors and a roof terrace.<\/p>\n

Over 4,800m2<\/sup> of the building will be occupied by world-famous The Francis Crick Institute, while The London BioScience Innovation Centre is taking over 35 per cent of the space.<\/p>\n

The design allows for flexibility, with a hybrid base building offering a variety of lab and office configurations.<\/p>\n

The scheme is also the UK\u2019s first large-scale building to use site subsoil in its construction. About 13,000 unfired earth blocks were created from excavated clay mixed with sand and straw and used for the perimeter walls of the building\u2019s basement instead of cement blocks.<\/p>\n

Unlike standard blockwork, which has limited recycling potential, earth blocks can be broken down and reused or returned to nature at the end of their lifespan and emit 10 per cent of the CO2 emitted by a medium-density cement block.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Brickwork has been used throughout in keeping with the materiality of the Regent\u2019s Canal, with a variety of tones chosen to complement that of nearby King\u2019s Cross Conservation Area.<\/p>\n

Following its completion in 2026, the 55,700m\u00b2 mixed-use Tribeca development will provide nearly one million sq ft of workspace, laboratories, retail and residential space in the heart of London\u2019s \u2018Knowledge Quarter\u2019 and biotech cluster.<\/p>\n

The AJ covered the burgeoning life sciences sector last year, when it emerged that its construction pipeline would not meet demand. Read how architects can tap into this work here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Last year, Bennetts Associates was crowned AJ100 Practice of the Year<\/a> for its ambitious and detailed sustainability approach and its \u2018industry-shifting willingness to share knowledge and demand positive change\u2019.<\/p>\n

Practice associate Nikolay Shahpazov, working with brick producer HG Matthews, pioneered the use of earth blocks last year.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\n

Architect\u2019s view<\/h2>\n

Tribeca is a significant project we\u2019ve been working closely with Reef Group on for eight years. The Apex sets the tone for the campus, which sits at the centre of what is set to be London\u2019s largest life sciences development. Once complete, Tribeca will provide a new community for occupiers to collaborate and innovate in a contemporary canalside environment.
\nGavin Pike, associate director, Bennetts Associates<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\n

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

\n

Client’s view<\/h2>\n

It has been a pleasure working alongside Bennetts Associates to design and complete the first building at Tribeca. Seeing our joint efforts come to fruition is testament to our innovative collaboration. The completion of The Apex brings us a step closer in delivering London\u2019s largest purpose-built science campus to date, both supporting the UK life sciences sector to expand and compete globally as well as offering a home to life sciences businesses from start-up to commercialisation.
\nPeter Langly-Smith, development director, Reef Group<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\n

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

Project data<\/h2>\n

Location<\/strong> King\u2019s Cross, London
\nStart on site<\/strong> February 2021
\nCompletion<\/strong>\u00a0January 2025
\nGross internal floor area<\/strong> 7,550m2
\n<\/sup>Gross (internal + external) floor area<\/strong> 10,400m2
\n<\/sup>Form of contract <\/strong>Design and build
\nConstruction cost<\/strong> Undisclosed
\nArchitect<\/strong> Bennetts Associates
\nClient<\/strong> Reef Group
\nStructural engineer<\/strong> GD Partnership
\nM&E consultant<\/strong> KJ Tait
\nQS<\/strong> Gardiner & Theobald
\nFire consultant<\/strong> ORSA
\nFa\u00e7ade consultant<\/strong> FMDC
\nLandscape consultant<\/strong> Fabrik\/Camlins
\nAcoustic consultant<\/strong> Sandy Brown
\nProject manager<\/strong> Gardiner & Theobald
\nPrincipal designer<\/strong> Bennetts Associates
\nCDM co-ordinator<\/strong> David M Eagle
\nApproved building inspector<\/strong> Meridian Consult
\nMain contractor<\/strong> Volkerfitzpatrick
\nCAD software used<\/strong> Revit<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The first of five buildings on the Tribeca development for developer Reef Group, all by Bennetts, The Apex provides 10,450m2 of office and laboratory space across six floors. Situated on the site of the former Royal Mail sorting office (previously dubbed the \u2018ugly brown building\u2019 by Bennetts), the scheme has an open reception and ground-floor …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":59337,"featured_media":774543,"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":[706],"tags":[1558,1743,3511,2028],"yoast_head":"\nBennetts completes first building for Tribeca life sciences campus<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Bennetts Associates has completed The Apex, the first building in the high-profile Tribeca life sciences development in London\u2019s King\u2019s Cross \u2013 and the UK\u2019s first large building to use site subsoil in its construction\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" 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