The local planning council for London’s Vauxhall district has recently given the green light for an adaptive reuse scheme to transform a disused Costa Coffee roastery into a six-story, net-zero carbon office development. Designed by British architectural design firm Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios (FCBStudios), the project — named Paradise — will replace a neglected site with 60,000 square feet of work and maker space housed within a landmark cross-laminated timber structure. The sustainably minded building will follow WELL standards, passive design principles and quality place-making values to benefit both the local and citywide community.

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Located on Old Paradise Street, the Paradise project aims to catalyze job creation in Lambeth and attract creative industries in this part of London. The timber-framed office development will feature a flexible, open-plan layout with tall ceilings and large windows that not only maximize natural light and ventilation but also frame views of the passing trains and the neighboring Old Paradise Gardens. In a nod to the site’s location as a “key link” in the “green chain” that joins Waterloo to Vauxhall, the architects plan to wrap the building in a green, extruded terracotta facade that takes cues from the former Royal Doulton Headquarters.

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industrial office space with white tables and orange chairs

“Paradise was born of a collective approach to sustainable design, humanistic values and quality place-making, but also the desire to make a healthy and innovative workplace that people would love to use,” said Alex Whitbread, partner at FCBStudios. “Paradise is designed to be part of its local and citywide community and to make a responsible contribution globally. With this scheme receiving planning permission, we hope it will set the standard for office design that is net-carbon-zero and has the wellbeing of the user at the fore. We are looking forward to bringing it to fruition.”

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Bywater Properties has proposed allocating up to 13% of the total floor area for non-office use, such as light industrial and maker spaces, 68% of which will be made affordable with priority given to local businesses. The adaptive reuse proposal is also on target for almost 60 years of a negative carbon footprint.

+ Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios

Images via Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios