This pioneering project marked a step-change in volumetric construction, showing that it is the most efficient method for delivering sophisticated high-rise architecture.
Scape Wembley, also known as Apex House, was the tallest volumetric building in Europe, and the tallest volumetric student building in the world, when it was completed.
Rising to 29 storeys and occupying a prominent site on the corner of Empire Way, the building has quickly become a local landmark on the approach to Wembley Stadium, and has won a string of awards including Building magazine’s Offsite Project of the Year.
It is formed of two wings, clad in terracotta tiles and aluminium infill panels, and a dramatic white tower wrapped in polished glass-reinforced concrete.
The building provides 580 student rooms in a variety of types and sizes, including wheelchair-accessible units, studios and cluster apartments. It also contains a range of shared spaces including a café and secluded lower ground-level courtyard.
It was one of the first volumetric buildings to secure a BREEAM Excellent rating, with sustainable features including a combined heat and power system in the basement and photovoltaic panels on the roof. The overall construction period was only 12 months from foundations to handover.
As Europe’s tallest volumetric building, this was a groundbreaking project, requiring new levels of precision to deliver the tightest of tolerances both in manufacture and in the construction of the slender 7.5m2 slip-formed core.
Whilst not a planning restriction, Apex House was subject to a CABE Design Review Panel. This was expected given the significance of this project in order to ensure the highest possible quality of development under the National Planning Policy Framework. This review both informed and endorsed the design of Apex House.
By building using the volumetric system, the development programme can be drastically reduced. Although volumetric units account for most of the total building area, they can be installed much more efficiently as per the diagram below:
