South Bank Tower, (Formerly Kings Reach Tower) Redevelopment | Southwark | 127m | 34 fl | U/C

[TheWalker]

I think I prefer the original scheme.

[potto]

Well the trouble with the previous reclad scheme is that the heavy colour and pathetic height increase meant that all planned proposals in the area including Beetham sort of merged into one big blob. Incredibly ungainly from important views from Westminster, Waterloo and Jubilee bridges.

I despair at planning and EH and their concepts of beauty!

It still has the pathetic height increase creating this awkward blobby mass, but at least with the housing plan the cladding will now be the much lighter all glass so that the overall mass may appear a bit more subtle and transient, a key positive quality of glass in large buildings.

[dutchsnookerfan]

What was the orginal height?

[ferge]

Thank God they've gone with a refined, near unchanged cladding system to this tower. The previous design with bolt on blue fins or whatever they had looked garish at best, keep this tower looking how it does but with a subtle modernisation and, along with the height increase, you've got a very nice proposal indeed. Pity we won't have Beetham just up the river from it, mind

[Jim856796]

The King's Reach tower will be converted into residential with offices on the lower floors? Because of the addition of a residential conversion to the renovation plans, I don't think the King's Reach tower should be used for offices anymore.

[mogwai83]

Surely changing it to residential would be cost prohibitive? In order to bring the accommodation in line with building regulations the fire/sound proofing alone would cost a fortune. A simple office refurb would be much more cost effective.

[Rational Plan]

Originally Posted by mogwai83

Surely changing it to residential would be cost prohibitive? In order to bring the accommodation in line with building regulations the fire/sound proofing alone would cost a fortune. A simple office refurb would be much more cost effective.

The tower would probably require a full rip out refit anyway for modern offices anyway. The tower is quite narrow isn't it? The current floor plate is probably to small to get high rents. The new blocky podium is ideal as an office block.

[Frankus Maximus]

Originally Posted by dutchsnookerfan

What was the orginal height?

Its current height is 110m.

[Skyline95]

Here's some official pictures off the King's reach website,
personally I think it's a vast improvement upon previous schemes.

[london lad]

Its a bit wishy washy from the North & West elevations and looks incomplete without some sort of crown as if they have added these extra floor but then forgotten what to do on top.

Shame as KPF are supposed to be good at high risers.

[dutchsnookerfan]

It needs an orange color. It looks a bit uncolerd now.

[potto]

The subtlely coloured Beetham tower will sit right next door so I think the subdued latest proposal is a good thing in my opinion

[Jim856796]

Originally Posted by Rational Plan

The tower would probably require a full rip out refit anyway for modern offices anyway. The tower is quite narrow isn't it? The current floor plate is probably to small to get high rents. The new blocky podium is ideal as an office block.

How about the new podium can be used for offices and the original tower can be used for residential?

[Rational Plan]

http://www.bdonline.co.uk/news/kpfs-...021875.article

Work on south London scheme set to start next year

KPF’s plan to turn the Kings Reach tower on London’s South Bank into a residential block has been given planning permission by Southwark Council.

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

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

Last night’s decision now means that KPF will add another six storeys to the building taking it up to 132m, with 177 flats planned including penthouses. The first 11 floors will be given over to office space while retail space will be built on the ground floor.

Work is set to start on the scheme early next year.

[delores]

I really like this, it's a refurbishment that actually makes the building far more attractive yet still retains some elements of the original design KPF will undoubtedly do a good job.

[Jim856796]

Can any portion of the King's Reach Tower (only the tower, not the lowrise building) still be used for offices after the renovation project is finished even though most of it will be used for residential?

[siberian dreamer]

Ah, this is excellent news now it's going ahead and will really improve it's current 'dingyness'.

[rjgibb]

Previously blank hoardings have recently been updated with the latest renderings (as above) and promotional blurb. No obvious activity on site although you do see the odd hard-hatted-fluorescent-jacketted chap wandering around.

[Emir of Ketir]

This is a very impressive developement. I hope it goes ahead as planned.

[Black Friar]

I work in front of it.
They say works are to start in early 2012, but so far nothing has been happening.
The actual abanoned tower looks ever more derelict and I'm dying to see workers there soon!