WestQuay Watermark.

The centre of Southampton’s transformation.

Phase 1 of Watermark WestQuay is the first part of a major redevelopment within Southampton’s town centre. The building’s soaring cantilevered box wrapped in a skin of curving silver tubes projects out over the new square. With a state-of-the-art 10-screen multiplex cinema, bowling alley, 24 restaurants and cafés, and a new public plaza and esplanade, it made for a large-scale dynamic project.

Complex considerations.

Working with both the client and contractor teams in a monitoring and construction design role, we were thoroughly engaged in the design and delivery of the scheme. Stand-alone fit out arrangements were needed for all tenants, the mix of uses presented acoustic separation issues, and we also had to carefully consider the plant space planning – in particular, the acoustic and air-quality considerations. One of the biggest challenges presented to us came from ‘The Long Room’; a vast food-hall space,
the client wanted it to have a tempered and naturally ventilating environment. To provide this, we crafted a solution that incorporates underfloor heating coupled with active louvres to the perimeter glazing.

Exceeded regulations.

We also worked collaboratively from the early stages to ensure the development achieved its sustainability goals and secured a BREEAM Excellent despite the building’s challenging environment. We designed a specification of high-performance services, a photovoltaic array, and a heat-efficient building fabric. Our thermal comfort modelling demonstrated how, together, these designs would maintain a comfortable environment throughout the year. Added to this, they helped us reduce the development’s CO2 emissions by an impressive 25% compared to building regulation levels.