Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios (FCBStudios) has completed Paradise SE11, a revolutionary six-story mass timber office development in Lambeth, London, that represents the UK's lowest embodied carbon office building to date. Commissioned by Bywater Properties, this 7,700-square-meter project establishes a radical new precedent for sustainable urban architecture and serves as a prototype for truly regenerative cities.
The fully demountable mass timber structure embodies the principles of circular economy and whole-life design philosophy. Engineered specifically for disassembly and future reuse, Paradise delivers 35% lower embodied carbon compared to typical office developments while sequestering over 1,800 tonnes of CO₂ - equivalent to building 24 homes. The project exceeds RIBA 2030 climate targets by an impressive five years, demonstrating the potential for sustainable construction practices.
Named after the adjacent Old Paradise Gardens, Paradise SE11 reimagines what an inner-city office building can be: low-carbon, human-centric, and deeply rooted in its local context. Natural light pours across open floor plates, offering expansive views to the city and direct access to green spaces. The exposed timber interiors feature generous ceiling heights and maintain a quiet, textural honesty in materials that creates a healthier and more inspiring work environment for occupants.
The design prioritizes flexibility and adaptability, with the ground floor specifically intended for makerspaces and workshops, while upper floors can easily adapt to changing workplace needs. A strong emphasis on designing out complexity led the team to avoid adhesives entirely, instead using mechanical fixings throughout the construction. This approach allows for future reuse of every component, from structural beams to façade tiles, preserving the building's material value for decades to come.
Achieving this unprecedented level of circularity required extensive collaboration between architects, engineers, and consultants. The design team, led by Alex Whitbread and Simon Richardson, worked closely with structural engineers Webb Yates and various specialists including Buro Happold for MEP services. Every junction and interface was carefully reimagined to support eventual disassembly, with alternatives developed for conventional materials like grout or screeds. The team implemented dry-fix solutions, stone wool insulation, and reversible fixings that protect the carbon value stored in the timber structure.
Human well-being is woven into the fundamental DNA of the project. Openable façades allow for natural ventilation throughout the building, while biophilic views to the surrounding gardens offer moments of respite in the dense urban landscape. The building features a self-cleaning terracotta façade that was co-designed with local schoolchildren, drawing inspiration from the site's rich Royal Doulton ceramic heritage. This distinctive façade system is designed to last over a century, further supporting the building's longevity goals.
Paradise SE11 represents more than just an individual building - it serves as a replicable blueprint for a more hopeful urban future. Through its commitment to simplicity, transparency, and dedication to both people and planet, the project offers a new paradigm for cities that are circular, low-carbon, and regenerative by design. The building demonstrates that sustainable architecture can be both environmentally responsible and commercially viable, setting a new standard for office developments across the United Kingdom and beyond.
