The White Building, Reading

This project involved the refurbishment of a prominent seven-story office building in the commercial district of Reading into an inspirational modern workplace.

Perega was appointed as structural and civil engineers to undertake the design in transforming this 1970s concrete building into 93,000 sq. ft. of prime office space.

Existing stair and lift core areas within the building were relocated to new external structures to increase the office net internal areas at each floor level. The voids left within the building were infilled with new slabs; 14m pre-cast, pre-stressed concrete units were designed to match the original slab profiles.

This created large, open floorplates which modern occupiers now demand.

New columns and walls for the re-located stair and lift cores were extended to basement car park level, built from new piled foundations which were formed following an extensive temporary ground water de-watering exercise.

In addition to the new stairs and lifts, a large communal roof terrace, changing rooms, showers and WCs have been added. The entrance and reception areas have also been totally re-configured.

The building has excellent environmental credentials with a host of features to improve energy efficiency, including thermal upgrades to the roof and walls; new cladding; a new heating and cooling system and floor-to-ceiling glazing that provides excellent natural light.

The White Building has achieved a BREEAM rating of Excellent.