Decoding Design Collaboration
Decoding Design Collaboration is a series of conversational forums envisioned by the Sustainability team at WSP to explore how effective collaboration can lead to visionary, ambitious buildings that are both environmentally responsive and attuned to the user experience.
In June, designers and engineers from Pilbrow & Partners, Bourne Group and WSP Structures came together to discuss their close working partnership on The Kensington Building, a striking mixed-use retrofit project in central London. The project has achieved both BREEAM Excellent and WELL Gold certifications as well as the 2023 BCO award for Best Refurbished/Recycled Workplace – showcasing how effective collaboration can deliver high quality, sustainable outcomes.
Located on Kensington High Street, the four-storey 1970's block was transformed into a six-storey mixed-use building that now offers next-generation office space and a new retail arcade. By reusing 60% of the existing concrete structure and introducing a new steel frame to support the core, the team was able to expand the building’s capacity while achieving significant carbon emission reductions.
The conversation captured the project’s journey from inception to practical completion, highlighting the distinct yet interconnected roles of the collaborators. Nello Petrioli (WSP Structural Engineer) was involved from early design meetings all the way through to completion, while Elizabeth Dailey (Pilbrow & Partners Architect) joined in the later design stages to completion as well as the client monitoring role. Craig Galway (Bourne Group) came on board during construction phase, ensuring that the realised steelwork design truly reflected the architectural vision – right down to the detailing of the exposed structural bolt connections.
The exposed structure – both concrete and steelwork – serves as a defining feature of the building’s core and office spaces, making close collaboration between architects, engineers, and fabricators critical to the project’s success. The lively discussion between the three speakers delved into the design and construction challenges they faced, providing insight into the decision-making and problem-solving processes that shaped the project – truly decoding design collaboration in action.
