Orchard Gardens is an emerging new neighbourhood which is set to re-energise and enliven the historic central London district of Elephant & Castle as part of the wider Westgrove redevelopment project. CoxGomyl’s reputation as a leading supplier of practical, efficient, and cost effective building access systems for a wide range of needs made them a natural choice for the unique tall buildings, which form key parts of the Westgrove project, both at <a href=”/?p=15847″>Highwood Gardens</a> and here at Orchard Gardens.
A central guiding consideration throughout the planning, design and execution of the bold Westgrove redevelopment was that each element of the built environment across various neighbourhoods should express its own unique character, rather than creating an unremarkable and homogeneous aesthetic across every building and communal space. This commitment to thoughtful variation in design made CoxGomyl responsible for delivering building access solutions capable of dealing with irregular forms and building geography as a vital ingredient in the success of the redevelopment. The project also called for a single, static Building Maintenance Unit to be parked at roof level which was capable of delivering comprehensive coverage of all facade surfaces whilst also navigating a number of building features.
With 98 apartments spread over 19-storeys and 67 metres, Orchard Point is the tallest building in the neighbourhood, and the biggest access challenge in terms of both scale and architectural complexity. Designed by architects Panter Hudspith, the vision was for a modern, tall building which would also express a sense of individuality and character. The architects were keen to include a degree of deliberate variation to reflect the variety which becomes the hallmark of a city like London over hundreds of years. The building is formed by six slender cylinders housing apartments, with additional duplex homes at the highest levels. Variation was also important in the facade surfaces, with varying brickwork tones complementing the architectural features to provide an arresting sculptural form to the building, overall. All-important views of the stunning cityscape are provided by large windows, balconies and terraces.
The solution that CoxGomyl provided is installed in a permeant position on top of a lift overrun structure. In this location, the BMU can be parked between two higher level roof areas. Utilising a combination of a telescoping mast, two-stage telescoping jib and luffing capability, this highly versatile Building Maintenance Unit manoeuvres the cradle safely and reliably over and around the higher parts of the roof to access the main facade. In addition, a maintenance platform was also installed to help ensure that the BMU will continue to perform at optimum levels for its entire life and will continue to contribute to the ongoing success of this new, vibrant London community.
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