Our design for the City of London Information Centre, located next to St Paul’s Cathedral, makes a distinctive visual impact. The RIBA award-winning building has become an iconic landmark in its own right, its juxtaposition of old and new a nod to London’s unique combination of heritage and modernity.
We designed the structure in close collaboration with the client, community groups, English Heritage, St Paul’s Cathedral and CABE following a detailed study of pedestrian movement around the site. The compact, low-level steel structure is oriented to interact sensitively with the South Transept of St Paul’s, and landscaped to redefine the adjacent public space – part of the pedestrian route between the Millennium Bridge and the Tate Modern.
We paid particular attention to ensuring the building is thermally efficient and able to accommodate future developments in technology. The glazed frontage means the front-of-house area receives generous levels of natural daylight, while its north-east orientation minimises solar gain. There are also ground-source heat pumps and a rainwater collection system for greywater and irrigation.
The structure is a striking illustration of contemporary design – one with a history all of its own.
One of the most exciting things about this building is the radical effect it has had on the site and its surroundings. It’s as if London has suddenly discovered a new public place.
