Indescon Court 2

Indescon Court 2 is located at the heart of the Isle of Dogs. It embodies a vision of modern, urban life. Spread over 31 floors, it houses 576 apartments, a hotel and a leisure centre.

Lincoln Plaza consists of two main apartment towers – Franklin and Greenwich – and a 12-storey international branded hotel with 100 suites, which is incorporated into the two towers and offers residents access to a range of lifestyle amenities. Adjacent to this, there is a 10-storey round apartment building, which complements this striking new landmark against the dazzling backdrop of Canary Wharf. Each apartment was carefully designed to create the perfect balance between luxury, quality and style. Lincoln Plaza also has an extensive health club with a spa, pool and fully equipped gym, an opulent foyer with a 24-hour concierge service, a business lounge, a private cinema and a four-storey sky lounge with a glass extension.

The challenge lay in creating a genuine mix-used building that was bigger than intended in the master plan. To achieve this, the public space had to be expanded even further and a typology had to be found to enable all the requirements to be met within the site: hotel, retail, leisure amenities, three types of apartments and a new public piazza.

The design process involved analysing the local streetscape and performing an impact assessment, as well as developing a very technical solution to allow sunlight and daylight to enter, to allow for wind movements and to find a spatial solution for all accommodation types. The office’s preferred S-plan shape was identified as a response to all these challenges.

The architecture was a simple, non-directional cladding system that would incorporate all types of windows and balconies for all residential units. The only deviations from this approach are the community spaces and glass extensions, which cut through the entire mass.
(Source: https://oclfacades.com/case-studies/residential/lincoln-plaza-indescon-court-phase-2)

Special features of the facade

The design concept focused on creating an irregular facade pattern, which doesn’t feature the typical end-to-end vertical and horizontal lines normally associated with a panel facade. This was achieved by using different sized panels and configurations to ultimately divide the facade up asymmetrically. However, this presented the on-site assembly teams with countless logistical challenges, which required close attention to be paid to the sequence of delivery and assembly.

The idiosyncratic architecture (facade design) has received a range of critiques. The building firm Galliard Homes writes: “The London borough of Tower Hamlets commissioned a planning committee to assess the architectural plans for this location and the planning committee was excited by the project and its design. Lincoln Plaza was designed to complement the existing architecture in London Docklands and the striking mosaic design was created to generate a fresh, bold contrast. Architectural design is art and, like all art, it is a matter of personal taste.”

GU solution:

Projecting Top-Hung hardware with ALU-JET 6 locking system, opening restrictor (with detachable key), outward-opening dummy-mullion sash with ALU-JET 6, outward-opening balcony-doors with ALU-JET 6, inward-opening dummy-mullion sash with ALU-JET 6 and concealed 300kg-hinges, inward-opening balcony-doors with ALU-JET 6 and concealed 300kg-hinges, outward-opening curved balcony-doors with ALU-JET 6, outward-opening special door with ALU-JET 6 and special stainless steel barrel hinges