Work starts on Merchant Square
Ground preparatory work on Mossessian & Partners’ scheme for Merchant Square at Paddington
Basin has begun. This major scheme by Michel Mossessian, former Design Lead at SOM London and
his first since starting his own practice, forms the commercial element of phase one of European Land’s
development plans for the site and is due to complete in November 2009.
Design principal Michel Mossessian said; “We are delighted that our first major scheme in London forms
part of the prestigious Merchant Square development. This marks a significant milestone in the ongoing
regeneration at Paddington Basin and in the development of our practice.”
Building E, Merchant Square is a slender, elegant and sculptural building comprising 260,000 sq ft of
office space, with public lobby areas, retail on the ground floor and a health club in the basement.
mossessian & partners led the design with Perkins + Will as executive architects.
Composed of three contrasting triangular elements, its dynamic form presents an animated façade on
all sides, enlivening the canal frontage, addressing the existing office buildings to the west. The building
envelope features varied textures and patterns, including bold use of colour, to emphasise lightness and
improve energy efficiency.
mossessian & partners have also designed an adjacent building at Merchant Square - a residential
scheme of 226,000 sq ft which also has planning approval.
The Merchant Square development
comprises six architecturally diverse buildings in total, accommodating a mix of retail, restaurant,
leisure, commercial and residential functions spread over a total area of 1.8 million sq ft. The scheme
includes 559 residential units, 30% of which will be social housing. The buildings are set within a high
quality public realm with a major new canal side square as its focal point.
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Breaking News - Perkins + Will Launch UK Practice
Perkins+Will has today announced the launch of its UK Practice in London to support its work on the Merchant Square development at Paddington Basin.
The offices are located in the West End and will be run by Associate Principal Taidg O’Malley.
Raymond S. Clark, Managing Principal of the Chicago Office, said: ‘We are delighted to have launched Perkins+Will in the UK. The genesis of this launch lies with our Chicago Office winning the Design Competition for Merchant Square Paddington. With the development gearing up to start on site, we have been building up the office, not only to service Merchant Square, but to service further projects in the UK, Europe and Middle East.’
Taidg O’Malley, appointed to head up the London office, brings more than 25 years of experience in the design and delivery of a wide range of commercial, residential, hotel and mixed use developments in the UK and Middle East.
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