South Bank Tower, (Formerly Kings Reach Tower) Redevelopment | Southwark | 150m | 34 fl | U/C

[rjgibb]

Demolition hoardings complete around podium and significant amount of internal stripping-out occurring, apparently including the tower itself.

Also, this (interesting to me at least) notice is posted on the podium hoardings:

"Archaeological investigations are currently being undertaken by Pre-Construct Archaeology Ltd on behalf of Kings Reach Estates Ltd at Kings Reach in advance of proposed redevelopment.

[…]

The site would have been situated in marginal land, probably at least partially wooded, into the mediaeval period. Efforts may have been made to manage the area with banks and streams but it would nevertheless have been prone to flooding. In 1420 John Duke of Bedford built Paris Garden Manor House, a moated building, immediately to the east of the site. In the 16th century William Baseley was granted the manor, and he then rebuilt Paris Garden Manor House and turned it into a gambling house.

The area of the site changed dramatically with the construction of Blackfriars Bridge on 1760. Stamford Street had been built, probably following the construction of the bridge, and a terrace built on the southern part of the site. The marshland of the area was reclaimed, probably by the dumping of some 4m of soil, and neat terraces built. To the east open ground was still marginal. During the 19th century the whole area became heavily urbanised and the site was occupied by an engineering works, yards and houses. By 1894 a timber yard lay on the eastern part of the site. Some bomb damage occurred in WWII and the site was cleared for the present buildings in the 1970s.

The archaeologists are currently investigating the site to establish if any remains actually survive below the current building. To date the findings have been in line with what we might expect, with alluvial deposits sealed by ground reclamation (presumably following the construction of Blackfriars Bridge), with a number of crudely constructed post-medieval building foundations built on top. The results of this work will be fully reported and published following the completion of the work.”

[london lad]

I wonder if the new owners are going ahead with the approved plans or will be working up new plans to submit as they will have to do internal soft stripping regardless of what they do.

[mitosan]

http://www.cit.co.uk/news/68

and theres a couple of renders at:-

http://www.makearchitects.com/#/projects/0010/

[wjfox]

A snippet from the SE1 forum:

http://www.london-se1.co.uk/forum/read/1/128305

I'm on the estate and have just received further information from the developer. The original plans (link here: http://www.london-se1.co.uk/news/view/1650) are still being carried out. The empty shops (the florist and the chinese restaurant) have now been borded up and as part of the planning permission they have a duty to do up Milroy walk. There will be a meeting with the residents of the estate early October which I am planning to go to and I shall report back here!

[mulattokid]

Excellent!

[delores]

looks like KPF are designing it....thank god.

http://www.architectsjournal.co.uk/n...605705.article

[OMG!WTF!]

Originally Posted by wjfox

The original plans (link here: http://www.london-se1.co.uk/news/view/1650) are still being carried out.

Originally Posted by delores

looks like KPF are designing it....thank god.

Huh?.....surely then, a new architect will come up with a new design....

[delores]

I've no idea because I cannot access the story, I would assume it's a better design because the one by make was horrid.

http://www.kingsreachtower.com/ seems to have some interesting options for demolition of the tower and it's replacement. I haven't seen any of these renders before either but they are not by KPF.

[BorderBoy]

This need a radical re-think. Not a superficial cladding job. I think the Stock exchange tower shows what could be done. Ten extra stories on top would help.

[delores]

It's unclear what they are actually doing apart from knowing what they wrote in the AJ article which might clear things up.

[Everyday grail]

Has anyone seen the conceptual images on the tower's website?

FYI

Make loses King's Reach Tower job to KPF
9 September, 2010 | By Merlin Fulcher

KPF has replaced Make on a project to redevelop the Richard Seifert-designed King’s Reach Tower on London’s South Bank

In 2005 (AJ 17.02.05), Make won planning permission for the 37,000m² project to reclad the 31-storey tower and add four new floors.

But new owner CIT, which plans to invest £500 million in UK property in a joint venture with Riyadh-based Jadwa Investment, appointed KPF last month.

CIT refused to comment on its decision to ditch Ken Shuttleworth’s practice. However, a spokesperson said: ‘CIT can confirm that it has appointed KPF to advise on King’s Reach Tower… CIT will be working closely with local residents and the London Borough of Southwark to ensure the redevelopment of the existing building makes the most of the opportunity for Southwark and south London more widely.’

The 111m-tall structure was sold with planning consent for £60 million in June. Make’s design (pictured, above) included plans to replace an adjoining podium building with a cluster of towers ranging from six to 12 storeys in height.

CIT has not confirmed whether KPF will come up with proposals for a new-build rather than a retrofit. According to a feasibility study by BFLS, the site could take a 40-storey new-build tower containing 46,500m² of office space.

The 1972 building has been vacant since 2007, when tenant IPC Media decamped to the Blue Fin building.

[tekken68]

Thanks Everyday, it's well worth a look guys (if you don't mind entering some personal info for a passcode). The stepped tower design gets my vote.

[mulattokid]

I would be dissapointed to see the tower demolished. It was always one of my childhood favorites.

[ill tonkso]

I remember modeling Kings Reach Tower back in my god-awful 'meshsmooth EVERYTHING' stage...

[s1lox]

anyone got any news on this?! (Please)

[dutchsnookerfan]

And i quote

A landmark building on London’s South Bank, King’s Reach Tower was designed by Richard Seifert and completed in 1972. For many years it was home of IPC Media, publisher of magazines ranging from Woman’s Weekly to Nuts, but has been empty since 2007. As plans for its refurbishment are now progressing, the building has been comprehensively stripped out in a five month contract by General Demolition.

Comprising a 32-storey tower plus adjacent six-storey podium building, the site has been earmarked for transformation into a mixed-use development, which will possibly include the recladding and extension of the existing tower.

General Demolition has carried out works to both buildings, stripping out all internals including the mechanical and electrical services, plant, fixtures and fittings. It has also demolished two covered link bridges that connected the podium with neighbouring 111m-tall tower.

Key challenges included removing the tower’s eight lifts, which was achieved by cutting the cables and lowering the cars slowly using a block and tackle, while stripping out the fixtures in the shafts during the descent. The cars themselves were then disassembled and removed at ground level.

General Demolition was appointed to undertake the demolition works by real estate company CIT, which owns the site in joint venture with Riyadh-based Jadwa Investment. Work was successfully completed on time and to budget. Keeping the local community abreast of developments was a priority when carrying out the works, with measures including a newsletter distributed to residents and businesses.

[DarJoLe]

Developer unveils details of KPF's Kings Reach tower refurb
3 March 2011
By David Rogers

Make’s replacement will overhaul London building rather than knock it down

The developer which owns the Kings Reach tower on London’s south bank has asked KPF to refurbish it rather than tear it down as originally planned.

The building, which is close to the Oxo Tower and Blackfriars Bridge and was designed by Richard Seifert, was home to media giant IPC for many years before it moved a few hundred yards east to the Allies & Morrison-designed Blue Fin building in 2007.

Now developer CIT has confirmed it will refurbish the current building, which went up in 1972, rather than knock it down which had been the proposal under a previous plan by Make which CIT ditched over the summer.

Make’s scheme included three office blocks, with the largest standing at 40 storeys, but the developer is proposing that the majority of the site will instead be filled with residential apartments - rather than office blocks exclusively - to ensure the area remains vibrant at night and weekends.

In all, 177 will feature with KPF adding another four storeys to the current building which rises up to 31 storeys. A number of luxury penthouses are also planned. A neighbouring T shaped building will also be refurbished and given over to residential.

Office space is not being completely rubbed out with the first 11 storeys of Kings Reach given over to offices.

The site already has outline planning from Southwark Council with CIT due to submit detailed plans later this spring. Work is expected to start on site early next year.

[potto]

Ah a nice wall effect along Blackfriars Road from the West it is then, well done everyone involved for that large cock up. We really dont get tall buildings.

[Monters]

Good news if this is being saved. A Seiffert original. Most of Seiffert's works merit listing.

[Rational Plan]

Decision on planning due next month

These are the first pictures of KPF’s plan to turn the Kings Reach office tower on London’s south bank into a residential block.

The building, designed by Richard Seifert, was home to media giant IPC for many years before it moved to the nearby Allies & Morrison-designed Blue Fin building in 2007.

Developer CIT ditched an office-led plan by Make to knock it down and replace the building with three towers last summer.

It began a public consultation on the KPF plan to refurbish the site back in April which ends next week. Nearly 500 local residents are being asked for their opinions with a further 29 other groups, including English Heritage and the Twentieth Century Society, also being consulted. A decision on planning is due to be made by Southwark Council by the middle of next month.

KPF will add another six storeys to the building taking it up to 132 m with 177 flats planned for the tower including penthouses. The first 11 floors will be given over to office space while retail space, a swimming pool and gym will be built on the ground floor. A neighbouring T shaped building will also be refurbished and given over to residential.

If it gets planning, work is set to start on the scheme early next year.

http://www.bdonline.co.uk/news/first...019928.article