bere:architects are pleased to announce that one of the longest running projects in the office, our scheme for the new Savoy Pier has recently been awarded planning permission.
The scheme which sits on the Victoria Embankment between Cleopatra’s Needle and Waterloo Bridge, has been designed to be sympathetic not only to the surrounding historic fabric but also to the environment. The building has been designed to be low in scale, the cantilevered roof providing a protective shelter from rain while the sides of the paired buildings, a river-crew rest area and passenger waiting room, taper back to meet the recesses of the historic pier berths. A humble palate of materials: charred timber, muted zinc and a wildflower meadow roof ensures it is subservient in stature to the monument behind. Setting a precedent against recent developments on the river, access is provided within the original access slots that were also used by the Victorians instead of ungainly industrial ramps over the Embankment balustrades. The structure has been designed with Passive House (or passivhaus) levels of insulation in mind and could ultimately become the world first floating Passive House building!