Strata SE1 facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Strata SE1 |
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| General information | |
| Status | Complete |
| Type | Residential |
| Location | Elephant & Castle London, SE1 England |
| Coordinates | 51°29′34″N 0°05′59″W / 51.49278°N 0.09972°W |
| Construction started | 2007 |
| Completed | 2010 |
| Cost | over £113 million |
| Height | |
| Roof | 148 m (486 ft) |
| Technical details | |
| Floor count | 43 |
| Floor area | 306,000 sq ft (28,400 m2) GEA / 255,000 sq ft (23,700 m2) NIA |
| Lifts/elevators | 4 |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect | BFLS |
| Developer | Brookfield Europe |
| Structural engineer | WSP — Structural, M&E Engineer, Acoustic Consultants and Fire Engineer |
| Main contractor | Brookfield Multiplex |
Strata SE1 is a tall, 43-storey building located in the Elephant & Castle area of London. It stands 148 m (486 ft) (about 486 feet) high. Designed by BFLS, it is one of the tallest residential buildings in London. More than 1,000 people live in its 408 apartments.
Contents
About the Strata SE1 Building
When Strata SE1 was being built, some journalists tried to give it nicknames like "The Razor" or "The Electric Razor." Boris Johnson, who was the Mayor of London at the time, called it "The Lipstick." He said it was a building "with a bit of oomph about it," meaning it was exciting. However, these nicknames did not become popular with the people living nearby.
Strata SE1 was built where an older office building, Castle House, used to stand. Castle House was built in the early 1960s and was well-liked back then. It was one of the first big commercial buildings in the newly rebuilt Elephant & Castle area.
Apartments and Features
Strata SE1 has 408 apartments. About 25% of these flats were sold through a "shared-ownership" plan. This means people could buy a part of the flat and pay rent on the rest. These shared-ownership flats are called "Esprit Apartments" and are on floors 2 to 10. There are also nine more flats in a smaller building next to the tower, called the "Pavilion." These were for people who used to live in the nearby Heygate Estate.
- The shared-ownership floors (2-10) have 10 flats each. These are a mix of one and two-bedroom apartments.
- Floors above the 10th floor have 11 flats each. These include studios, one-bedroom, two-bedroom, and three-bedroom apartments.
- Only the flats sold on the open market have access to the underground car park.
- On the 39th floor, there is a "Sky Lobby." This is a small hallway that offers amazing views over central London.
- The very top of the building has a large, expensive three-bedroom apartment called a duplex penthouse.
- The ground floor has two shops, and the Pavilion building has another shop and a small "kiosk."
The top of the building has three wind turbines. These were meant to help power the building. However, they are not used very often. The building also has a basement with a secure car park and space for 437 bicycles.
How Strata SE1 Was Built
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Plans for the Strata SE1 tower were first made in 2005. Construction started in 2007 and was finished in June 2010. The building cost more than £113 million to build. The highest point of the building was reached in June 2009. Important people like Sir Simon Milton, who was the Deputy Mayor, and Simon Hughes, a Member of Parliament, attended a special ceremony to mark this milestone. The wind turbines were put in place in May 2010.
During the demolition of the old Castle House, a construction worker was involved in a serious accident. This led to fines for the companies involved, highlighting the importance of safety rules on building sites.
Being Eco-Friendly
Strata SE1 was one of the first buildings in the world to have wind turbines as part of its design. The company Rambøll, which also worked on the Bahrain World Trade Center (another building with wind turbines), helped with this project.
The three wind turbines at the top of Strata SE1 are 9-metre (30 ft) (about 30 feet) tall. They were expected to produce enough electricity to power 8% of the building's needs. This would be enough for all the shared areas of the building. However, some people have criticized the turbines, saying they don't move much and are an example of "greenwashing" (making something seem more eco-friendly than it is). Reports in 2010 and 2014 said the turbines rarely moved.
In 2010, the building was designed to be more sustainable than the rules required. It was expected to produce 15% less carbon emissions than other buildings. The developers hoped it would meet future carbon emission goals.
The building also has a special system to create heat and power at the same time. It can also collect rainwater to reuse. These features were expected to make energy costs for residents up to 40% lower than average homes in Britain. The outside of the building is designed to keep heat in, which helps save energy.
Awards and Recognition
Strata SE1 has received several awards for its design and construction:
- Considerate Constructors Scheme:
* Bronze Award 2010 * Gold Award 2011
- 2010 Concrete Society Awards: Strata SE1 was the overall winner in 2010. Judges praised its unique design and how it was built on a difficult site.
- Structural Steel Design Awards 2010: It won three Bronze Awards.
- City of London Sustainable City Awards 2011: It was "Highly Commended" for saving resources and being a sustainable building.
- ICE London Civil Engineering Awards 2011: It was a finalist for this award, which celebrates great engineering projects in London.
- The Green Apple Awards 2011: It won for "Environmental Best Practice" in building and construction.
- RICS Awards 2011: It was a runner-up in the "Regeneration" category.
- London District Surveyors Association 2011: It won "Best Sustainability Project" for its high standards of building.
- ACE Engineering Excellence 2011: It won in the "Building Services" category.
The website for residents, Strata Inhabit, also won "Website of the Year" in 2011 at the News on the Block Property Management Awards.
However, Strata SE1 also received the 2010 Carbuncle Cup. This award is given each year by Building Design magazine to the "ugliest building in the United Kingdom" completed in the last year. In 2012, The Daily Telegraph newspaper also listed it as one of the world's 21 ugliest buildings.
Despite these criticisms, a poll in 2014 found that Strata SE1 was Londoners' fifth favorite tall building. It was ranked behind famous buildings like 30 St Mary Axe (The Gherkin), The Shard, The Leadenhall Building (The Cheesegrater), and One Canada Square (Canary Wharf).
See also
In Spanish: Strata SE1 para niños
