21 May 2009
Lincoln’s newest innovation in striking and sustainable construction, Think Tank, has just been confirmed on the shortlist for the LABC East Midlands Building Excellence Awards, celebrating the best construction has to offer.
Nominated alongside four others in the Best Commercial Building over £1m category, the winners will be announced at a gala dinner on Friday 12th June - just two days after Think Tank’s official launch on Wednesday 10th June.
Commenting on news of the nomination, John Latham, Director of Development and Environmental Services said: “The Think Tank has attracted a great deal of very positive coverage and the news that it has been shortlisted for this prestigious award is absolutely fantastic.
“I believe that the Think Tank is one of the most exciting new buildings to come to Lincoln in a long while – it’s a bold statement about the future of the City whilst reflecting its distinguished engineering past. Moreover, the investment made by the Council and our partners is a very clear statement of confidence in the local economy.”
Backed by the City of Lincoln Council, East Midlands Development Agency, Lincolnshire County Council, Lincolnshire Enterprise, Innovation Lincolnshire and the European Regional Development Fund, Think Tank provides managed workspace for innovative businesses, boasting 21 offices and nine workspaces, along with conference and meeting facilities available for hire.
Designed by Marks Barfield Architects (designers of the London Eye), it is a low-carbon footprint, £7.1M complex that incorporates the latest environmental technologies and a high-tech specification (VOIP, wi-fi, video conferencing, etc).
The building design was initially inspired by the rich history of the site, as the location for the prototype testing of the original military tank, invented and produced by William Foster and Company of Wellington Street Foundry, Lincoln. Elements of that significant innovation are reflected in the building’s name and design: one elevation has track-like staggered walls replicating tank treads, whilst the main entrance elevation’s curves and rivets emulate a tank turret.
Perhaps the most dramatic element of the design is its unique Rockpanel Chameleon cladding. This low-maintenance panel material is made with a very hardwearing crystal-effect layer, which gives an iridescent, camouflage effect. This means the building actually changes colour, from greens to bronzes and blacks, depending on which angle it is viewed from and the time of day. Additional cladding to north-facing facades is provided by natural larch from FSC sources.
Internally much of the concrete superstructure has been left exposed to express the ‘industrial’ aesthetic of the building form. Any wall decoration is eco-friendly, using water-based paints, and the reception desk is made from recycled carrier bags!
As well as the dramatic building aesthetics, both inside and out, Think Tank is also being held up as a flagship of sustainable design. Heating for the Think Tank is provided by a ground-connected heat pump system feeding underfloor heating circuits, providing 70 per cent of the building’s heat energy; water is heated by solar power; and natural air ventilation uses mono draught units that are assisted by solar-power-driven fans to provide air movement… just a sample of the building’s wealth of eco-credentials.
Think Tank is as innovative as the businesses it has been built to house, who will find the complex an inspirational yet practical place to base themselves. Plus, with flexible tenancies from one month, Think Tank can cater for businesses at every stage of their development, and even for one-off innovation projects.
Businesses interested in moving into the Think Tank should contact Tracey Footsoy on 01522 873236 or visit http://www.lincolnthinktank.co.uk. For more information on Innovation Lincolnshire call 0800 848 8840.
For further information on LABC regional awards please visit http://www.labcawards.org
For further information on Marks Barfield please visit http://www.marksbarfield.com
For further information please contact: Caroline Ashman – Senior Communications Officer – 01522 873443 – (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) Alternative contacts: Julian Havenhand or Rachel Shaw – 01522 522773