SPPARC has completed its latest signature building; a new mixed-use home for the London College of Creative Media (LCCM) on Union Street in Southwark.The distinctive cube-shaped building consists of four floors of bespoke rehearsal rooms and performance spaces, a ground floor café, a basement bar and music venue, topped by ten storeys of premium residential accommodation in a mix of affordable and private tenures.

Designed for specialist bespoke developer Taylor Wimpey Central London and
LCCM in consultation with the London Borough of Southwark, the building has
been conceived as an urban marker to create a new distinctive cultural
corridor between Southwark Station and the southern entrance to Tate
Modern. Geometric pointers are fused into the architecture to support the
wayfinding concept.

The building is conceived as a perfect cube, with the different uses visually
defined by a longitudinal line which is modelled on Phi’s Golden Section.
Collaborating closely with the acoustic engineer, The Equus Partnership,
SPPARC created bespoke music ‘pods’ which float free of the main structure
and prevent sound travelling between the college and the residential units
above. These innovative pods were rigorously tested during the construction
process to ensure that they produced minimal acoustical disturbance.
The base of The Music Box is created using oversized Flemish Bond white
glazed bricks, which provide a human scale to the largely solid mass whilst
responding to the weight of the surrounding context and the railway
viaduct. The 15m high base is punctuated with a series of long and deep
recessed windows, carefully placed to reassert this solidity whilst considering
the elevational composition. A recessed apron, at the same height as the
railway viaduct, establishes a relationship with the strong form that separates
the east and west side of Union Street to give the appearance of a floating
structure that hovers over the tracks when viewed from the east.
Sensitive to its context, sustainable use of masonry materials and the use of
brick reflects the weight and character of the surrounding area whilst
allowing the building a distinct identity. 

In a playful nod to its occupiers, the three-dimensional projecting pattern on
the façade reads like a sheet of musical notes which resemble guitar
tablature. If it were to spin on its axis, the building would ‘play’ Eric Clapton’s
riff to the song ‘White Room’ by Cream.

A structurally complex 8m cantilever enables light to flood into the college and
offers spectacular views from the main working space as well as glimpses into
the only contemporary music college in the country from the outside. This
feature simultaneously invents new space for public seating outside – which
double up as ventilation outlets. The upper section of the building is
articulated vertically with external ventilation shafts in textured enamel that
characterize the serrated qualities of the buildings appearance conceived to
resemble the keys of a piano. In maintaining the appearance of a clean
engineered façade, the glazing is fixed, whilst the external fins allow fresh air
to be distributed throughout the building and contribute towards the
building’s ‘Excellent’ energy rating.

Inside, each floor of the college is defined through its colour scheme, with
vibrant orange, blue and green effectively juxtaposed against raw concrete
finish. In the penthouse apartments, convention has been flipped on its head,
with bedrooms on the lower floors and living areas on the top – allowing easy
access onto the terrace and access to spectacular views across the London
skyline.

Trevor Morriss, Principal at SPPARC, said: “The inspiring brief for the new
LCCM campus called for a unique creative environment; a space which
welcomes artistic and intellectual exploration in order to advance the
philosophies of modern music whilst successfully combining the educational
facilities of the building with mixed tenure residential accommodation. The
concept and architectural approach was derived through the desire to reflect
the creative energy that is generated inside the college onto the streets
outside to engage both its users and the public. SPPARC is delighted to have
conceived and delivered the Music Box; a place for living and a space for
learning – a genuine mixed-use development.”

Darius Khwaja, Founder and Principal of the London College of Creative Media
says: “We love our new home, around every corner and at every turn there are
recording studios, mac labs, practice booths and performance rooms buzzing
with the creative talent of the future. The design of the building is fantastic,
inspiring and creative in every way. To put it simply – it’s very cool!”