As recent announcements from big logistics companies such as Amazon have underlined, in the face of a fluctuating economic climate and changing user demands, a commercially successful logistics development needs to be able to flex rapidly in response to external factors.

We have been hearing from our own industrial and logistics clients that, in addition to capacities and densities, future flexibility to respond to market demand and local change is essential. We also sit on the New London Architecture (NLA) Expert Panel for Industrial & Logistics which has been highlighting the changes in trends and opinions.

Our architectural work in the UK, Germany and China includes several Industrial Intensification developments where we are evolving new typologies that recognise the importance of designing-in flexibility and adaptability for the changing requirements of owners and tenants.

Multi-Level industrial

We are one of the few architectural practices to have experience in multi-level industrial design, a building typology which is new to the UK. We are working proactively with developers and agents to develop and lease commercially viable multi-level industrial buildings.

We have designed schemes in London’s Docklands area where we have been demonstrating how pure logistics space can be increased by using ramps to create such multi-storey solutions.

Intensification studies

We have also worked with the GLA on Industrial Intensification pilot studies in London and have run advisory workshops. These pilot schemes achieved 65% plot density through multi-storey typologies that challenge traditional perceptions around integrating logistics and industrial uses into residential contexts.

Our studies look at splitting up and tailoring a mixed-use masterplan to suit its component communities, layering in new uses and co-locations, to create urban fabrics that integrate industrial, commercial, retail and residential uses with new mixed-use neighbourhoods designed and built to thrive.

Our own Industrial Intensification research has analysed different SIL types from multiple points of view, to gauge the practical, contextual and commercial potential for these new multi-use combinations in the context of the New London Plan.

Typology options case study

We were recently asked by an existing client to develop confidential proposals for a site on SIL land in east London. We had previously looked at the site and now needed to revisit the initial concept design to reflect a changing brief and circumstances from the client and the market’s perspective, developing adaptable solutions that would enhance the viability and commercial success of the scheme.

Our design teams created several options, including for multi-storey light industrial (below top) and hybrid industrial with co-location (below bottom).

The concepts explore different combinations and arrangements of uses for the site to maximise flexibility and use types while fulfilling ambitions for local community public realm enhancements. In addition to the mix of industrial and logistics uses, the concepts incorporate accessible spaces for wider recreational, educational and local activity uses.

Considerations in developing the design of this project

Multiple occupancy creates common parts, shared lifts and lobbies, circulation space and more which reduce the gross to net lettable area, therefore we needed to mitigate this as much as possible.  It is always important to model functional occupancy with circulation routes, people and vehicle flows around the site to better understand how the building will operate and how it is managed.

Multi-storey buildings also come with complex operational needs in terms of security access and circulation management, but careful design can reduce the service charge and simplify understanding in use.

With the importance of flexibility across a range of unit sizes, the ability to retrofit internal fire rated partitions in different locations to potentially compartmentalise the warehouse and office spaces was also taken into consideration.

The multi-level design allowed the extension of van access to the second floor to suit smaller unit tenants, with an underslung intermediate car parking deck and increased ground floor height to accommodate other industrial uses such as data centres.

Sustainability and technological design and site analysis

Our specialist sustainability and technology teams Chetwoods Thrive and Chetwoods Works provided enhanced levels of design analysis and construction recommendations to support the concepts.

The services they could provide included a digital survey of the existing site and investigation of the materials available, with a building simulation able to demonstrate deconstruction of the existing building materials and consider what can be reused.  We often use immersive AI and VR technology to let our clients and prospective tenants understand in a virtual environment what a design will look and feel like when built.

Our wider work in this sector

Our 35-year track record includes the delivery of more than 4.5 million sqm of logistics space that has pioneered advances in sustainability and construction, and demonstrated design innovation, sustainability expertise, and optimal partnering and delivery.

We look at logistics at different scales as part of a co-location of urban uses including residential, retail, recreational, cultural and social spaces. We are delivering ultra-urban warehouses on previously unviable city centre sites, refurbishing old industrial heritage buildings for modern day logistics and industrial use and blending existing and new buildings on SIL land.

Our projects range from single units to large multi-modal developments; from the eco-template we developed for logistics developments more than 20 years ago, to the delivery of the world’s first building verified as net-zero for construction in line with the UKGBC framework. We also designed and delivered the world’s first WELL™️ Building Standard industrial pilot building and the first BREEAM Outstanding logistics building at design stage.

Our research and development programme has evolved in parallel to the growth and changes in the logistics and industrial construction sectors and includes our pioneering ‘Warehouse of the Future’ studies that explored new ideas around multi-storey warehouses and urban logistics. We are currently collaborating on a research project into the reuse of structural steel in construction with the Universities of Cambridge and Birmingham.

We approach all these projects from the perspective of the three pillars of our business: design innovation and pushing boundaries; sustainability and wellbeing; and delivery using data, digital analysis tools and cutting-edge technology.