Further Primary/Secondary Research - Building + Materials

Further Primary/Secondary Research - Building + Materials - Project Development

- May 15, 2023

For further primary research, I visited the John Lewis Center in highcorss. I walked around outside of the building to see the glass structures of the exterior and the bridge that connects the two spaces.

The John Lewis Center in Leicester started being built in 2006 and finished in 2008, it was designed by FOA (Foreign Office Architects Firm). The transparent exterior is eye-catching and was built with double-layered glass with a lace-like pattern on the glass that was based on a fabric pattern by Stead McAlpin. By applying the patterned layered glass, it provided shading from direct sunlight while giving a lot of natural lighting and it gives some privacy to the interior while having glass walls that connect to the outside at the same time. There were other main materials used like red and brown bricks for construction as well as metal that helped create a unique and modern look for the building.

Another fact about the pattering is that it was created in 2005 by visiting the textile archives. In the center of Leicester, the design might look modern but it dates back to 1803 when a similar design was used to decorate the structure of an homage to Leicester's illustrious textile history,

This construction is a 240,000-square-foot store with sustainable features like solar panels and a green roof that demonstrates the company's commitment to minimizing its environmental impact. There is a rooftop restaurant, a community space, and a public park.

The location of the building is also an important part of the building itself since there are surrounding public parks and community spaces that provide opportunities for locals to gather and engage. But it is also located next to the cinema which has a metal mirrored material so the pattern on the glass was something that helped separate the similarities a bit and make them both stand out in their own way in the process.

Another thing that is eye-catching with this structure is the glass bridge with the metal skeleton showing through, which connects one part of the center to the second one across the road.

Here are some of the photos I took when I visited the location. In some of these, you can see the glass exterior, the bridge, and at the very end the cinema building next to it to show the difference.