Rock Townsend

We’re excited to share our recent transformation of one of the Financial Market Suites at the University of Westminster's Business School. Designed to immerse students in a real-time market-driven environment and delivered together with the University of Westminster and the bluum group, the space replicates the feel of a trading floor while maintaining a contemporary academic setting. Green timber battens shape dynamic ‘trend lines,’ echoing the movement of financial markets, while several large screens display live market data—enhancing the authentic trading experience. At the front of the room, an oak batten backdrop frames the main AV screen, bringing warmth and structure to the space. This refurbishment ensures that business school students have an inspiring, functional, and cutting-edge environment to develop essential financial skills. #Architecture #InteriorDesign #EducationSpaces #FinancialMarkets #TradingRoom #UniversityDesign

Mark and Lauren from Rock Townsend are looking forward to attending the FX Design Awards tomorrow evening with the University of Westminster client and project team, where we’re thrilled to be nominated in the Public Sector category for two fantastic projects: • 𝗣𝗵𝗼𝘁𝗼𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗽𝗵𝘆 𝗗𝗲𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁, 𝗨𝗻𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗼𝗳 𝗪𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗺𝗶𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿 • 𝗚𝗮𝗺𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗘𝗺𝗲𝗿𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗠𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗮 𝗗𝗲𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁, 𝗨𝗻𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗼𝗳 𝗪𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗺𝗶𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿 These projects, designed to inspire creativity and collaboration reflect the collaborative efforts of an exceptional team, including McBains, Beveridge Associates, Hoare Lea, and Borras Construction Ltd. It’s an honour to see these transformative spaces recognised, and we’re proud to have played a part in their realisation. Good luck to all the nominees tomorrow! #FXAwards #PublicSectorDesign #UniversityOfWestminster #RockTownsend

Richard and Peter are looking forward to attending The Concrete Society Awards this evening, where The Quadrangle Building at King’s College London has been shortlisted. We are proud to have acted as Executive Architects for Farrans Construction on this transformative project, designed by Hall McKnight. Wishing the project team the best of luck for tonight’s awards. #ConcreteAwards #Architecture #KingsCollegeLondon #RockTownsend Photo (c) Johan Dehlin

We are delighted that the new ‘Pumphandle’ Social Space for the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, U. of London has been successfully completed and delivered. Designed by Rock Townsend in conjunction with the LSHTM Estates team, PMP Consultants Limited, Mortimer Isaacs Consultancy, Troup Bywaters + Anders, Integral Engineering Design, BDP (Building Design Partnership Ltd), Ion Acoustics, Terra Measurement Limited and delivered by T&B, the project transforms a previous underutilised subterranean refectory within their Grade II listed campus into a brand new student hub providing a wide variety of flexible catering, social and informal learning spaces. The brief required a place to foster a renewed sense of community among students, staff and visitors that had been lacking in the previous facility, which was delivered through a new catering provision plus a wide variety of spaces including versatile breakout and study areas, communal spaces and individual work zones, all designed to support flexible working, informal meetings and team collaborations. The existing central space has been given a new lease of life with the provision of a series of ‘Big Steps’ to allow town hall meetings, lectures, ad-hoc gatherings and events in order to enhance the sharing of the school’s world class research, teaching and learning and further provide the much needed sense of community.

Rock Townsend will be at Education Estates in Manchester this week. Richard Sharp and Sally Thompson will be attending the conference tomorrow and Mark Gabbey will be there on Wednesday. Do get in touch if you would like to meet up! #educationestates

A big well done to the team for the completion of the London Luton Airport (LLA) International Departure Lounge mezzanine. We're proud to say that the design has been shortlisted for Best Retrofit Project at the Building Innovation Awards 2024. The completed project will form part of the future redevelopment of the international departure lounge, as the airport transitions into a global destination fit for the passengers of today. The construction of the new mezzanine added circa 600m2 of floor space within the existing volume of the departure lounge. The striking design features a custom feature stair, a new lift with glass lift shaft, a curved timber batten facia, baffled ceiling and bespoke glass balustrade. The solution will create a comfortable space for passengers to relax and have a pre flight refreshment. A big thanks to Ryebridge Construction and the whole team for their collaboration throughout a complex project. We now look forward to seeing the fit out completed. #LLA #Architecture #Retrofit #BIA #BuildingInnovationAwards #RockTownsend

We are delighted that two of our recent projects for the University of Westminster — the 𝗚𝗮𝗺𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗘𝗺𝗲𝗿𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗠𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗮 𝗗𝗲𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 and the 𝗣𝗵𝗼𝘁𝗼𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗽𝗵𝘆 𝗗𝗲𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 — have been shortlisted for the 2024 FX Design Awards. Both projects combine extremely 𝗳𝘂𝗻𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 and 𝗮𝗱𝗮𝗽𝘁𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 spaces delivering high quality learning environments together with informal break-out and collaboration areas to foster shared knowledge. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗣𝗵𝗼𝘁𝗼𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗽𝗵𝘆 𝗗𝗲𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 is a unique space centred around a large central table for teaching and collaboration, with an overhead lightbox providing the necessary lighting for analysing prints, editing and illuminating the space. Curtains and sliding screens allow the main area to be subdivided easily into smaller flexible workspaces. The colour palette is both functional - '18% grey' in the studio to meet strict functional requirements for printing and editing, and fun – a contrasting pop of yellow highlights areas of soft seating, providing students an obvious space to take a break from work and to relax, resulting in a functional and welcoming studio that supports both technical work and creative projects. Team | McBains, Beveridge Associates, Hoare Lea and Borras Construction Ltd

𝗥𝗼𝗰𝗸 𝗧𝗼𝘄𝗻𝘀𝗲𝗻𝗱 has transformed the University of Westminster Harrow Library into a dynamic space for the new 𝗚𝗮𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗗𝗲𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗘𝗺𝗲𝗿𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗠𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗮 𝗦𝗽𝗮𝗰𝗲, supported by McBains, Beveridge Associates, Hoare Lea, and Borras Construction Ltd. The 𝗘𝗺𝗲𝗿𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗠𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗮 𝗦𝗽𝗮𝗰𝗲 supports technological innovation and is designed for 𝗺𝗮𝘅𝗶𝗺𝘂𝗺 𝗳𝗹𝗲𝘅𝗶𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 to accommodate the developing media curriculum, such as VR headsets and projection mapping . The design features a neutral, warm palette, complemented by a sage green power track that adds a vibrant touch. Sliding partitions offer additional adaptability, allowing the space to be divided into two smaller working areas as needed. A stainless-steel clad storage room is visible from both areas, fostering a sense of connection and enhancing the clean, contemporary aesthetic. This stainless steel feature wraps around a hatch, enabling staff to efficiently provide students with necessary equipment.

Some of the Rock Townsend Residential team enjoyed a summer inspection visit to our timber frame housing project in St Albans last month. It was great to see the progress that has been made on site, with the benefits of the prefabricated timber frames clear to see in both construction time and wider coordination for the associated trades.  The timber frames are one element of the wider sustainability strategy being utilised on this project to reduce the overall environmental impact. Air Source Heat Pumps (ASHP), Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS) and an increase in biodiversity are all positive contributions to a greener site. Our close working relationship with Neilcott Construction Limited as main contractor has enabled the project to progress successfully and efficiently on site with attention to detail and quality at the forefront - working together to provide these homes for St Albans City & District Council has been great! Once completed, the 14 homes will all be for affordable social rent, responding to St Alban’s City & District Council’s identification of the need for larger family homes to meet the demands of their housing waiting list. This Rock Townsend inspection visit also provided further experience for one of our architectural assistants who is starting their Part 3 qualification this month. Rock Townsend pride ourselves on our mentoring and are looking forward to supporting a number of our colleagues through their Part 3 qualification this year!

We’re excited to announce that All Saints Church and The Oval Community Centre have received detailed planning permission as part of the broader Oval Neighbourhood masterplan. This new church and community centre will play a vital role in supporting a vibrant, mixed-use neighbourhood, acting as a critical link between the built environment and the well-being of the community. https://lnkd.in/eNH5xEpg Congratulations to Stevenage Borough Council and the Stevenage Housing Development team, and a big thank you to our wider design team: Beacon Partnership LLP Smith Jenkins Planning & Heritage Stomor Ltd fabrik Whitecode Consulting Ltd   #Regeneration #Community #Church #Housing #AffordableHousing #RetirementLiving