07 Sep 2024

Arden Square: A Design And Build That’s Out Of This World

Client: Radius Payment Solutions
Budget: £15,000,000
Completion: February 2024
Location: Crewe Business Park
BREEAM rating: ‘Excellent’

At a glance

Arden Square is a 44,000 sq. ft, high-spec grade A office at Crewe Business Park and a landmark scheme for Caddick Construction Group. Designed to house Radius’ telematics and EV Charger division and rapidly-growing workforce, the design, build and subsequent fit-out came with an added cinematic element of architectural and interior design, which took the commercial development to a whole new level.

The client’s unique brief saw Caddick incorporate a Star Wars-inspired rooftop terrace and ‘sky bar’, and a millennium falcon-influenced meeting room. In addition, an elliptical conical glass atrium stands proudly in the centre of the build - the apex of which reaches up through the fourth floor into a roof light. The ground floor atrium area hosts a distinctive metal sculpture and planting, surrounded by a specially commissioned halo light feature. The main stairs incorporate a lightsaber inspired lighting sculpture where sensors follow the individual along the stairs, changing light from floor to floor.

The build itself comprised two wings of workspace which flank a central area, where amenities include a barista coffee station and pizza bar, vertical circulation and break out spaces.

The build process

Delivered in partnership with AEW Architects and Space Invader Architect, alongside lighting designers, this distinctive project required meticulous preparation, planning and close collaboration between all partners. The development’s largest feature, the striking full-height, glazed central atrium, required each individual piece of the 72 glass panels to be uniquely designed to decrease in size to create a steeper angle as they reached the glass roof ceiling. Actualising such a phenomenal design required Caddick’s project team to work through the plans with a consultant structural engineer and specialist glazing designers in order to facilitate the architect's true intentions and bring the vision to life.

Situated on the corner plot of an existing business park, tight footfall was a key obstruction to the build and with no room for excessive storage, Caddick needed to ensure the programme and delivery of materials ran to a strict schedule.

Life beyond the build

The Arden Square scheme also backs onto both woodland and wetland areas. Throughout the build, Caddick was responsible for restoring a neighbouring pond and delivering wider habitat enhancement works. With an emphasis on creating a more stable environment for amphibians such as frogs, toads and great crested newts, Caddick’s specialist team dredged the pond water for debris. Once complete, the contractor maintained the surrounding areas to create a more diverse habitat to attract the amphibian species that had recently left the area.

Elsewhere in the community, Caddick donated £500 to Chance Changing Lives’ Community Pantry and an additional £500 to a local charity supporting people living with disabilities, Seahorses Swimming Club. The regional contractor also funded the replacement of Crewe Vagrants Sports Club’s astroturf floodlights, enabling local residents to enjoy the facilities all year round. The Caddick team was also responsible for funding the necessary NRSWA Streetworks’ Training courses for Wistaston Community Council’s volunteer traffic marshals, securing the future of the village processions, which have been a well-loved feature of village life for more than 40 years.