Imagination Headquarters, Store Street, London – Tensile Fabric Atrium Roof by Herron Associates

Description

Imagination's headquarters in Store Street, London, designed by Ron Herron of Herron Associates for the design company Imagination, is one of the landmark buildings of its era and an early, influential use of tensioned fabric to roof an atrium. The scheme converted a six-storey red-brick former school building and a five-storey building behind it, and enclosed the narrow gap between them with a translucent tensile fabric roof.

The result is a dramatic five-storey atrium and penthouse gallery. Steel and aluminium walkways bridge the atrium at each level, linking the two buildings, while the fabric overhead diffuses daylight into a soft, even glow. By day the atrium is a working space; after dark, lit from within, it becomes a serene and theatrical space, and the glowing roof became a symbol of Imagination's approach to design.

The contrast between the restored brick façade and the lightweight membrane roof shows how tensile fabric can bring new life to historic buildings without overwhelming them. The building won the UK's Building of the Year Award in 1991, and Sir Norman Foster described it as one of the most interesting places he had seen in a long time: a magical blend of old and new hidden behind a traditional façade. It also stands as a lasting reminder of Ron Herron, a founding member of Archigram.

Client/building owner: Imagination. Architect: Herron Associates (Ron Herron). Engineer: Buro Happold. Membrane: Diolen polyester fabric. Membrane fabrication and installation: Architen Landrell.

Description of the environmental conditions

Atrium roof between two buildings in central London, temperate climate. The translucent fabric roof keeps the atrium weathertight and diffuses daylight; internal lighting turns it into a glowing feature at night.

General comments, links

www.architen.com/projects/imagination-headquarters/

Deutsche Bauzeitung 1/1990
Le tensostrutture a membrana per l'architettura
Tensile Architecture in the Urban Context
Fabrics & Architecture 9/1991
DOMUS /1990


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