Thames Tower

A landmark contemporary workspace, designed by dn-a architects, in Reading town center in the UK is ready to welcome a vibrant and diverse community of modern businesses. The 1970s commercial structure, acquired by Landid and Brockton Capital, is located on a constrained site alongside the recently expanded Reading Station. With no room for expansion of the footprint, a new four-storey structure has effectively been built on top of the existing ten storeys, while the concrete frame and internal and perimeter columns were strengthened. Flexible and easily customizable workspace, along with a rooftop sky lounge, aims to attract a range of tenants while a new colonnade at ground level improves engagement with the street, all wrapped in distinctive terracotta cladding.

The double-height entrance lobby has been conceived as a collaborative workspace as well as space for reception and concierge services. A palette of concrete-tiled flooring and bamboo paneling to the walls is softened by bespoke reception desks formed of oak beams bound by blackened steel braces. The lighting design unobtrusively underlines this design language. In the reception area XOOLUM™ was mounted to illuminate the timber paneling. A clear cover and LD25 LED tape were chosen to have a high light output. Hidden behind the panel is XOOLINE™ LD15, providing a grazing effect down onto the wall and highlighting the concrete surface. Both luminaires were chosen in warm light color of 3.000 K in order to create an harmonious overall picture in interplay with the timber paneling.