Project of the Year – Commercial/Industrial
Recognising and celebrating the new build that most effectively demonstrates high levels of user satisfaction and comfort while delivering outstanding measured building performance. Creating this type of exemplar building is demanding and the BPA recognises the work and dedication of the team.
Winner: Amorepacific HQ – Arup
Crowning their Commercial/Industrial Project of the Year winners, judges praised the stunning Amorepacific HQ in Seoul for incorporating an impressive range of features that address both local challenges and the global climate agenda.
Over 29 storeys and 216,000m2, the landmark new HQ for South Korea’s largest cosmetics company includes company facilities as well as a public atrium, museum, auditorium and conference centre.
The brief for consultants Arup was to create an exemplar for low energy and sustainability and this influenced design decisions from the macro scale – around volume, height and shape – to the micro scale – with controls, metering and custom luminaires.
The result is a building that has the form, materials and systems to provide an excellent working environment that is low energy in use. This is borne out by the operational energy performance, 50% below South Korean benchmarks for commercial buildings.
The light and delicate brise-soleil cladding on the façades contribute significantly both to the aesthetic and the environmental performance. Wind loads on the façade generate high pressure on the louvre blades, and extensive wind tunnel testing was used to minimise the thickness of the blades and to control vibration, deformation and noise.
The natural ventilation, shading and underfloor air conditioning are integral to the low carbon approach and a departure from conventional Korean commercial office solutions. They needed careful detailing and mock-up testing to gain client and contractor approval, and the efforts were rewarded with LEED Gold (Core and Shell 2009) by the USGBC.
Judges commended the project for its contribution to the quality of life for the building’s occupants and visitors. Indeed, the impact of the building on its workforce, and on the broader community was a key focus in the design process.
In an Amorepacific occupant satisfaction survey, 70% of employees felt that their workplace environment had improved since relocating to the new office. The most satisfactory feature of the new office was found to be the views and ambience.
Project Team
Building Services Consultant: Arup
Building Owner, Occupier, Developer and Facilities Manager: Amorepacific
Project Manager: Kunwon
Quantity Surveyor: Langdonseah
Architect: David Chipperfield Architects Berlin
Interior Designer: Kesson
Mechanical/Electrical Engineering Contractor and Main Contractor: Hyundai Engineering & Construction
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The Jack Copland Centre – BuroHappold
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