Harton Staithes, will be home to the BT Business Centre, a Grade A, market-leading office development built to the highest industry standards as defined in the British Council for Offices Best Practice Guide (2009). The building will incorporate a range of energy efficiency measures which will enable it to achieve a BREEAM Excellent rating, making it one of the most sustainable developments in the North East region.
The building consists of a structural steel frame on CFA piled foundations. The envelope is predominately curtain walling, clad with a mixture of glazing, anodised panels and stone. The two stair towers and retaining walls to the underground parking are clad with slate to contrast with the modern aesthetics of the curtain walling.
Harton Staithes is 5,500m² of predominately open plan office space with under croft parking for 40 cars. The split level building has utilised the topography of the site with pedestrian access into the main reception off the existing footpath onto the ground floor, and the vehicle access straight into the basement at the rear of the building.
The building comprises two main blocks which are connected by link bridge sections on each floor. This layout and massing profile ensures that Harton Staithes and its adjacent courtyard benefit from excellent early morning solar penetration, offering a degree of free solar heating in the early morning period.
The layout and the location of the building capitalise on the huge opportunities of this unique waterside location and acts as a catalyst for the ongoing regeneration of the wider area.