Ground work is getting underway

Mossessian and Partners Get The Red Flag Flying

Published on 25-09-2007 by Skyscrapernews.com
Ground work is getting underway on the first building of Merchant Square that overlooks Paddington Basin in West London.

Building E, known more properly as 1 Merchant Square, has been designed by Mossessian & Partners, the first of their two buildings for the development. Once built it will contain 32,500 square metres of office space spread over 15 floors plus ground floor retail and reach a height of 63 metres.

It's been inspired by the nearby Richard Rogers penned Waterside building that is technically two halves. Drawing on its neighbour, 1 Merchant Square is also split into two with a colourful red portion slicing through the middle giving it a vibrant look and revealing itself on the back with an entirely red façade.

The massing turns it into a trio of acute triangles bunched together that not only respond to the neighbouring buildings but provide a clear entrance point overlooking the basin at the point of the red section whilst addressing a new public plaza that will be built to the east.

This particular project has been much delayed. Previously it was known as Paddington basin and had a mixed use scheme called the Grand Union Building by Richard Rogers planned for it but changing market conditions and other delays saw this dropped and the site sold on to the current owners, the Paddington Development Corporation.

Five other buildings have now been approved by local council, Westminster, including a tower that reaches 150 metres to the tip and will have a public observation platform near the top.

Completion of this first building is set for 2009.

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