As the UK's leading sustainable engineered timber specialist, B&K Structures is creating ground-breaking award-winning structures with outstanding green credentials. Their progressive approach reduces environmental impact and improves build quality.
Orsman Road - A Flagship Commercial Space B&K Structures once again collaborated closely with timber advocates, Waugh Thistleton Architects to offer an innovative solution for this challenging commercial build. The project called for a structural solution which would maximise space and achieve a rapid construction process.
6 Orsman Road, or as it is now known OR6, is a six-storey building which effortlessly showcases the sustainable benefits of engineered timber technology combined with innovative light steel framing systems. Designed by timber advocates, Waugh Thistleton Architects - this flagship commercial space has been developed in line with the borough of Hackney's timber first policy. The project brief called for a sustainable structure which would maximise the space available and would allow for a speedy construction process so that the client could maximise their return on investment by letting the space as early as possible. Not only was reducing the timeframe of the construction process vital to allowing tenants to move in sooner, also central to the brief was creating a premium office space that would enable the client to attract a high calibre of tenant.
In a site-specific structural system, the building's core, walls and floor slabs are formed using 6,770m² of high grade cross laminated timber, which allowed B&K Structures to construct a lighter, better quality building more quickly, with reduced foundations and fewer deliveries to site. The material itself contributes to the acoustic and thermal insulation properties and has verifiable health benefits. The timber structure locks carbon within its fabric, an intrinsically sustainable and contemporary approach to construction that produces high quality, high performance buildings. The stepped-back upper floors create large terraces overlooking the canal to the north and the city to the south. The deep-set, ribbon-like windows minimise solar gain and the north façade features a lightweight curtain walling system with opening windows. Inside, the exposed timber floor slabs in combination with the long span cellular steel beams create a contemporary open plan industrial aesthetic.
Offsite Expo B&K Structures will have a high-profile presence at Offsite Expo, designing and building one of the two Explore Offsite Masterclass theatres, where Managing Director, Andy Goodwin will present a detailed case study of the Orsman Road development. Operating since 1974, B&K Structures has worked with some of the UK's renowned clients to develop outstanding buildings with green credentials.
