Woods Hardwick designs an office building in Milton Keynes, planning received

The existing building was built in 2003 for The Hobby Company, a family run business that distributes toy and hobby equipment to the UK and Ireland.It comprises a warehouse with associated office, a car park and a large external service yard that is currently underutilised.



The new development was required to maximise the development potential for the site and has been designed to integrate and enhance the existing area and reengage the currently underused site space, adding purpose and value to the development.



The proposed building is a two story office with an internal area of 685m2. Seen by its current owners, Diceminster Ltd, as a speculative development, it has been designed to be easily let as a whole, floor by floor or even split into four, depending on the commercial needs of the end user.



The building materials have been selected to continue the tone and colour palette of the existing site which features blue engineering masonry, a variety of grey and silver metallic cladding panels, facias and soffits as well as glass curtain walling.



Woods Hardwick chose smooth blue engineering brick with recessed black mortar joints to achieve the desired monolithic appearance. Woods Hardwick stated: “In keeping with the look of the surrounding buildings, the development was designed to have an inclined roof and a clear-story glazing design which will give both internally and externally an impression of a floating roof over the building.



The appearance will be highlighted at night with the inclusion of strip perimeter lighting that illuminates the underside of the soffit, allowing this aesthetic to be continued at night.”



The project start date is planned for Sept 2014.



-End- Notes to editors Interviews with the architects are available on request. Woods Hardwick has considerable experience of designing for the business, retail, residential and leisure sectors and has completed a number of projects in the past two years.



For further information, press enquiries and images, please contact Samantha Dawe or Jana Pavelkova at The Think Tank, samanthad@thinktank.org.uk; jana@thinktank.org.uk; Tel: 020 7831 2225



About Woods Hardwick

Bedford-based Architects, Development Consultants and Civil Engineers, Woods Hardwick are specialists in commercial, office, residential architecture and civil engineering. www.woodshardwick.com