Industria | Haworth Tompkins

Industria is a multi-story light-industrial scheme in the UK. It was designed by Haworth Tompkins for Be First, the regeneration company of the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham. The scheme offers over 11,400 sqm of floor space, with 45 small and medium enterprises spread across four levels. The spaces range from 20 to 450 sqm. It was designed to accommodate various light industrial uses and has the potential to provide employment for up to 300 people once fully occupied.

Concept Of Industria

The building has two linear wings on each side of three levels of 26m-wide service decks. There is a spiral ramp with a diameter of 30m that allows direct vehicle access to the decks. The units in the building are 7m high and have natural light and ventilation. They can also have mezzanine levels for customized layouts. One of the wings has an additional floor for smaller-scale tenants, start-ups, and incubator units. The building was designed in collaboration with Ashton Smith Associates, an industrial specialist.

The multi-level design goes beyond the norm for low-rise developments. It includes 2,000 sqm of photovoltaic solar panels that can produce 297,198 kWh of electricity per year, which is sufficient to power around 100 homes. It is also expected to receive BREEAM Excellent certification due to its long lifespan and excellent thermal insulation.

The focus of the scheme is employee well-being and community. The amenities include a ground-floor café with a business hub, breakout spaces, cycle parking, and changing and shower facilities. Industria is conveniently accessible by public transport, such as rail and buses, and it also offers EV charging points. Haworth Tompkins collaborated with DNCO, a branding agency, to create visually striking elevations that reflect both the building’s industrial function and the scheme’s wayfinding and graphic identity. The interior deck façades showcase corrugated metal paneling with a whimsical silver and yellow checkerboard pattern, which takes inspiration from the building’s helical vehicle ramp logo.

The building has pigmented precast concrete panels on the ground floor and black metal cladding on the upper stories. High-quality MMC panel systems were used for the entire façade. Outside, there are green walls and planting at deck ends and alongside street frontages, which provide biodiversity, shading, privacy, and visual interest. The construction was efficiently done by McLaren Construction Group, which specializes in the industrial and logistics sector, ensuring high-quality finishes.

Industria’s design addresses the issue of the decreasing industrial spaces in London. Between 2001 and 2020, London lost around 1,500 hectares of industrial land, which is equivalent to over 2,000 football pitches. This loss has resulted in many urban areas needing help to support a mixed economy, making it difficult for businesses to find space to serve their local community.

It is located in the River Road Employment Area, which is home to numerous businesses that contribute to London’s economy. Haworth Tompkins, the design firm, also created a master plan for the Employment Area, which includes plans for further industrial intensification and the combination of industrial and residential uses. This plan builds upon the pioneering industrial spirit of the Borough, which includes notable companies like Ford Dagenham.

Architects: Haworth Tompkins
Area: 11400 m²
Year: 2023
Photographs: Fred Howarth
Manufacturers: Euroclad, Metal Technology, Poundfield / Rekli
Lead Architects: Graham Haworth, Hugo Braddick
M&E Engineer: MBA Consulting
Landscape Architect: Landscape Projects
Transport Engineer: Steer
Main Contractor: Mclaren Construction (South)
Director: Graham Tompkins
Associate Director: Hugo Braddick
Senior Architect: Tatiana Vela Jara
Architect: Jonnie Rees
Collaborating Architects: Ashton Smith Associates
Structural And Civil Engineer: Pinnacle Consulting Engineers
Graphics And Wayfinding: DNCO
Fire Consultant: Astute Fire
City: Barking
Country: United Kingdom