Architect:
MacFarlane Associates
Contractor:
RI-Works
Project details:
45 Millharbour is a residential development of two 14-storey towers and a 7-storey linking block on the west side of Millwall Inner Dock, in the heart of London’s Docklands. Between the north façade of the new development and its neighbour building a public walkway has been created to connect the dockside and the Millharbour road. Within this space an exciting new playground has been created, incorporating innovative interactive play elements set within a mosaic of different paving materials and soft landscape. The architects sought visually interesting, colourful and robust concrete seating for the area, making Mesa the ideal choice. The Mesa modules previously allowed just straight line configurations though, but the architect was seeking more dynamic arrangements. This led to the development of an additional angular module used as an ‘elbow’ in plan, to connect straight modules to at different angles. Five seating assemblies have been created from 18 individual modules, cast in a common red concrete mix, but all unique in their configurations and designed to encourage social use of the seating. Stainless steel armrests were fitted to selected concrete modules, primarily to aid people standing up from a seated position, but also serving to visually accentuate the angularity of the assemblies and to create physical obstructions as deterrents to skateboarding. In addition to the Mesa products, 12 standard Blyth concrete cubes were supplied to the site in a contrasting terracotta-coloured mix, and placed in groups of three for the dual purpose of individual seating provision and for children to use as stepping stones as part of the play experience.
Visit the Furnitubes International website for more information on 45 Millharbour, London Docklands