ARC Uxbridge
ARC Uxbridge is an innovation business campus set in 70 acres of green belt that sits between the Sands River and the Grand Union Canal in Middlesex. Spratley & Partners were tasked to carry out a full Category A refurbishment of the headquarters building, the central hub of the campus. The existing building had been extensively sub-divided and mechanical and electrical services had reached the end of their shelf life resulting in a poor EPC rating of D.
Our brief was to completely reconfigure the building and raise standards to meet and exceed market expectations. The main challenge was to extend the core of the building to increase facilities, while retaining as much floorspace as possible and keeping the full height curtain wall glazing, which it was not possible to replace.
The design team had to think innovatively to improve the building’s credentials to future standards. All mechanical and electrical services were stripped out and replaced with high efficiency water based Air Source Heat Pumps (ASHPs) and ventilation systems with heat recovery units, removing all refrigerant gases from the building. This was supplemented with significant solar panels on the extensive flat roof. Floors were fully stripped back and upgraded with new modern sustainable ventilation and heating/cooling systems. Lighting was upgraded throughout to LED panels slotted into bespoke bays of perforated hybrid ceiling planks.
We also sub-divided areas on all floors into smaller and more efficient units to meet post-covid demands. All new materials have high fire and surface spread of flames ratings and are responsibly sourced. Floors are brighter and lighter and there is a sense of greater height with soffits and semi-exposed services viewed through the hybrid ceiling planks.
The building now has a BREEAM Very Good rating and an EPC rating of B. There are a number of electric car charging points and new covered storage for 50 bicycles. We also obtained planning permission for a large rooftop extension on the second floor, now refurbished as an outdoor space overlooking the river.
