Administrative Building 5 Merchant Square

Foster's "gherkin" in London has interconnected floors with a spiral atrium almost throughout the entire height of the building. A similar uniqueness has also been achieved in the new administrative building designed by architect Michel Mossessian, in a 15-story building that is part of the regeneration process in the Paddington Basin district in northern London.

The area, which was recently characterized only by an elevated transport overpass and a dilapidated water canal bay, once used as a transportation artery for goods, is gradually transforming into a distinctive center. The developer of the project, European Land Ltd, has subordinated the urban concept strategy to the presence of the water element. The Merchant Square administrative building is one of six buildings in the newly established Paddington Basin administrative district, covering a total area of nearly 180,000 m².

The realization also involved Terry Farrell, Richard Rogers, and small architecture by Thomas Heathervick. The uniqueness of the project we are describing lies in the uninterrupted 15-story atrium (the highest free-standing atrium in Europe), which is central to the overall design concept. The atrium is the result of a deliberate compositional play of triangular masses creating a functional and aesthetic unity. The exterior appearance of the atrium is highlighted by a wine-red color. Each floor contains 2,300 m² of commercial space. External terraces fill the corners of each floor, offering views of the city.

The exterior design of the building is executed with a suspended facade system of aluminum profiles. The creative play and treatment of the facade are in mutual harmony of color combinations and proportional ratios. Glazed areas of the facade make up 40% of the envelope. The roofs of individual masses are mono-pitched in an opposing arrangement, on which solar panels are installed. The building meets the requirements for BREEAM Assessment certification.

The mass of the entire building is enhanced by its reflection in the calm surface of the canal and the color scheme of the internal semi-public space of the square. In addition to administrative spaces, it includes retail spaces and a sports club. The administrative complex at 5 Merchant Square is a magnificent and functional building that reveals the connection of cultural, urban, ecological, and technological aspects of today's time.