SIA House by Sansome Hall Architects

SIA House in Milton Keynes was presented at the AT Awards live finals on 20 September 2023 to a jury comprising Sunand Prasad, Marion Baeli, Chris Bicknell, Heather Topel, Hanif Kara, and Chair Catherine Burd. Read about how the project has stood the test of time.

Photo: Sansome Hall Architects

Completed
2005

Designed by Sansome Hall Architects, SIA House is the national headquarters of the Spinal Injuries Association. Sited in Milton Keynes, the single-storey building is predominantly open plan with large areas of curtain walling to maximise daylighting and views out. Repeating structural units support a series of inclined sedum roofs that bring daylight deep into the floor plan via clerestory rooflights. Height-adjustable toilet and kitchen installations aid accessibility and inclusivity.

Conceived 20 years ago, the scheme incorporates a wide range of environmental technologies, including roof-mounted solar tubes, rainwater harvesting, thermally-efficient roofs employing insulation made from recycled waste materials, high levels of daylighting, and low-maintenance cladding. The pioneering and widespread use of photovoltaics was funded by the Energy Saving Trust, a division of the Department of Trade and Industry, and includes 148 wall and roof-mounted panels generating 34.42kWp.

Photo: Sansome Hall Architects

The building has recently been modified in response to changing workplace needs, but remains as originally conceived and built – a testament to the flexibility and appropriateness of the design concept. The architect reports that “no changes have been made to the structure or layout, but new furniture and finishes have been introduced in response to the requirement of working in the digital age.” Elsewhere, the original light fittings have been fitted with energy-efficient LED luminaires.

Reflecting on lessons learnt from the project, the architect says, ‘The use of a green roof incorporating solar tubes was successful, although the tubes had to be partially covered as the original installation generated excessive hot water. The least successful element of the design was the rainwater harvesting, which suffered technical problems and had to be isolated. Internally, the accessible toilets and kitchen were seen as exemplars of their type at the time.’