Located on a lock island on the River Kennet, this uniquely positioned project for the Environment Agency required an unusual solution. Though compact in size, the position and need for robust materials to withstand the elements made for an interesting project brief and required us to think bigger than this simple green box might imply.
The enquiry for this compact building, to be situated at Blake’s Lock in Reading, came through the Crown Commercial Services framework, meaning that the Environment Agency already understood our capability.
We approached this project as a completely bespoke build – and while the end result appears simple, great consideration was given to using materials that would stand up to any issues arising from flooding, given the waterside location. The external finish was selected to complement the building’s surroundings, whilst offering a robust, low maintenance finish.
The location also required a specialised approach to delivery: rather than our usual method of manufacturing modules in our factory, this building was delivered in panels so that they could be easily transported onto the site via the lock bridge.
But the most notable aspect was the access to the lock island, which required the use of floating pontons towed by a barge to bring the plant to site – and to house the welfare unit.