Louvered Shell
High Street, Southampton

This project proposes a cafe and restaurant unit to the south of the archaeological excavations, the utilisation of the existing vault and a wide span structure to protect the excavations from the effects of weathering. A louvered steel cladding unites the elements.

The area to the south of the vaults is excavated to create a submerged structural box housing a two storey cafe and restaurant. Double height volumes are used to create visual linkages between street and basements levels, utilise daylight and create unique and engaging spaces. Sheet piling is installed around the perimeter of the site with reinforced concrete walls cast in-situe to form the internal layout and provide stability for the roof and cladding structures.

Structural analysis carried out to ascertain the likely performance of the existing vault structure suggested that additional loading would be detrimental to its integrity. The proposed concrete slab above and pedestrian walkways are hung from the primary roof beams to avoid additional load being placed on the vault .