Context
In 2009, London Roca Gallery, a Spanish bathroom design company commissioned Zara Hadid Architects to design and build an iconic, organic multi-use showroom in London. This space intended to be much more than just a display showroom; it aimed to offer space for a range of activities such as exhibitions, seminars, debates and meetings. The showroom was located at Station Court Imperial Wharf, London, near Chelsea Habour, which was a very important location for Roca:
“For Roca it is essential to have a presence in a city like London which is a benchmark for design and innovation on a global level. London is also of strategic importance to our future business development since it allows us to be close to our top international distributors and clients”. (Miguel Angel Munar)
Since Chelsea Habour is already a central location for many prestigious showroom design brands, this location was most desirable to them. They chose to have their showroom on the 1,100-sqm ground floor of a residential building. This presented challenges to Zara Hadid Architects at the beginning of the project since the space was originally meant to be subdivided into a few different shop fronts. The client later chose to occupy the whole space, which meant that the front façade had to be redesigned completely. Nethertheless, this location was not to be faulted when creating the dramatic effect Roca and Zara Hadid architects were looking for; this corner location allowed the building to be seen immediately from all angles, when stepping out of the Imperial Warf station and also from Imperial road. It gives off the most amazing first impressions, even when seeing the building from a far because of the way the façade creates the building to stand out instan...
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...reveal the amazing interior and opens the space up to the outdoor striking visuals of Imperial Warf.
Works Cited
http://uk.phaidon.com/agenda/architecture/picture-galleries/2011/october/20/zaha-hadid-rocks-roca-london-gallery/
http://www.rocalondongallery.com/en/building
http://www.zaha-hadid.com/architecture/roca-london-gallery/
http://www.designboom.com/architecture/zaha-hadid-roca-london-gallery/
http://www.dezeen.com/2011/10/13/roca-london-gallery-by-zaha-hadid-architects/
http://www.allaboutbim.info/2011/10/roca-london-gallery-zaha-hadid.html
http://www.archdaily.com/256413/architects-eye-exhibition-discussion-panel-at-roca-london-gallery/architects-eye-03/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zaha_Hadid
Times Topics. The New York Times
Zaha Hadid (19 June–25 November 2007)"Design Museum.
http://www.uk.roca.com/news-press-room/news/roca-london-gallery
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