15 Clerkenwell Close
A Stirling Prize shortlisted six-storey building with a loadbearing stone façade in Clerkenwell, London. The iconic building provides a series of residential apartments about ground floor workspace.
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Client
15CC
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Architect
Groupwork
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Photography
Agnese Sanvito
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Stone Mason
The Stonemasonry Company
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Value
£4.6m
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Size
2,045m²
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Completion
2017
The stone columns are designed to minimise the size and required workmanship as far as practical. An iterative approach to the design allowed each column to be designed and sized for the specific load carried by the column. In addition, the finish of the stone is left largely as it was when it was cut from the quarry — split naturally along the bedding planes of the stone to provide a contrast between the natural rough edges and lightly worked smooth edges. The six above ground floor plates consist of thermally broken flat slabs perched on the stone columns, with the stability largely provided by the concrete core.
The sequence of construction was key to the success of the project, for which our team provided the structural and civil designs. The limited access, proximity of adjoining properties and small working space meant that it was not safe for the concrete slabs to be installed whilst the stone workers were installing the columns. A construction sequence was developed to allow the concrete frame to be fully constructed on props prior to installing the load bearing stone facade.
Settlements and movement analysis were undertaken to ensure the expected movements both during construction, during the striking of the temporary works and in the permanent condition did not unduly stress the building fabric, adjoining properties and in particular the stone columns.
The building serves as precedent for impressive explorations of structural form and the dynamics of contemporary stone construction.
Awards
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2021
RIBA Stirling Prize
Shortlisted
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2021
Civic Trust Awards
Winner
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