Building Design
The Quadrus Centre is an extraordinary £5 million managed office development symbolising a new spirit of confidence and enterprise in South Tyneside. Opened in May 2005, this distinctive five-story lakeside building represents the Borough's spirit of prosperity and confidence.
The unique design of the centre has been recognised by the cream of the region's property industry who voted Quadrus runner-up in the office development category of the prestigious Landmark of the Year Awards run by the region's leading newspaper, The Journal, in October 2005. The centre followed up this success by scooping the Overall Winner and New Building Category Winner awards at the South Tyneside Good Design Awards in 2006. Further recognition was also received in 2006 when Quadrus beat off stiff competition from 200 entries to be judged “Highly Commended” by the Society of Chief Architects in Local Authority (SCALA) at their awards ceremony. Most recently, the centre was awarded a prestigious Hadrian Award at a ceremony in September 2007. Presenting the award, President of the Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland, Arnie Dunn, described Quadrus as “a marvellous scheme that creates a real sense of place.”
The original brief was for a purpose-built managed office building offering small to medium-sized businesses the rich business support environment and facilities they need to succeed. South Tyneside Council also wanted the building to act as a symbol of transformation in South Tyneside.
Designed by architects Ryder HKS and taken to the construction stage by Parr Architects, The Quadrus Centre consists of a vertically stacked model of twin cubes of private space above a shared entrance resource area, linked by a glazed structure and floating over an amorphous/curvilinear floor housing the communal facilities. Quadrus achieves the appropriate balance of private and communal space as a dramatic, iconic form elegantly poised in the landscape. Dramatically illuminated at night, this spectacular building dominates the skyline whilst promoting a sense of community and joint endeavour amongst the small businesses within.
The interior decoration is based on a modern, stylish feel and the Quadrus logo colours (blue, purple, pink, orange and gold) are blended through the interior design and into the furniture, signage, branding and promotional literature.
The project is the result of close collaboration between South Tyneside Council, TEDCO and Parsons Brinckerhoff (all engineering), Insite Environments (landscape architect), Currie & Brown (cost consultants and project managers), Bowmer & Kirkland (building contractors) and Howarth Litchfield Partnership (interior designers).
Before developing the design concepts, Ryder HKS took a close look at what lay behind the written brief to identify what TEDCO really was, and identify its values, brand and aspirations. An analysis followed of TEDCO's two existing centres in Jarrow and South Shields, plus time was spent with TEDCO staff to identify the use, feel, ambience and internal layout required. Hunter Johnstone, a Newcastle-based marketing company, carried out research with typical 'Quadrus' clients to identify expectations of the building, whilst further customer research was carried out by TEDCO to interview stakeholders and identify the 'customer journey' and service requirements. The marketing, positioning and future needs/priorities were fed back to Ryder HKS who came up with the final design concept based on sustainability in approach, flexibility, adaptability to changing requirements and responsiveness to user needs in terms of range of office sizes, provision of effective security and acoustic privacy, plus technology and support facilities.
The building plan was further developed by Parr Architects to ensure that it was fully inclusive, from the main entrance into the site through the integrated landscape design which anchors the building into its surroundings, to the signage and finishes. The design has already received an 'excellent' environmental performance index award and 'very good' BREEAM rating for its sympathetic use of natural materials including cedar cladding, slate, glass, stainless steel, and striking maple fittings and fixtures. The design concept embraces sustainability and flexibility whilst the involvement of TRADA, the UK's experts in timber cladding and construction, ensures the longevity and sustainability of the cedar cladding which is such a striking feature of the project.
With artificial cooling in just one large meeting room, the theme of the building revolves around natural ventilation and lightweight internal partitions which allow for future adaptation. Ecologically responsible design has been employed, with simple environmental management systems and low maintenance requirements.
Construction Gallery
