| Project | Tower Vaults |
| Client | Spectrum Alpha Property Partners |
| Size | 165 sq m |
| Location | Tower Hamlets London |
| Value | £285K |
| Procurement | Traditional |
| Status | Complete |
| Sector | Retail |
With such a prominent and sensitive site, the project involved extensive consultation with a high number of key stakeholders, including the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, the City of London, the Greater London Authority, English Heritage, Historic Royal Palaces and the Diocese of London. Obtaining a detailed planning consent was a challenge.
Designed for restaurant accommodation, the proposal comprises a single-story, fully glazed unit that adds vibrancy and a modern feel to the surrounding areas, complementing the contemporary ticket hall adjacent whilst minimising the visual impact upon the historic built fabric that surrounds it. Thermal efficiency has been maximised through the use of double-glazing with applied low-E coating and white fritting on the glass roof. Structural glass is incorporated to maximise transparency and to minimise the obstruction of views to the Tower of London and to the All Hallows Church, whilst respecting the old façade of the Tower Vaults building and its more modern-fronting Tower Hill.
The design allowed the construction of the glazed pavilion to be undertaken without impacting on the operation of the shopping centre below or the adjacent ticketing facilities for the Tower of London.
The proposal effectively draws tourists, shoppers and the general public further into the Tower Vaults shopping area, and in particular the open spaces on the upper level. It provides a significant improvement on the connectivity of the public spaces that surround it, creating an active, intelligible link space between the Tower Vaults centre and the existing courtyard fronting the All Hallows Church.
