Construction has started on a rooftop extension at The Oracle Shopping Centre, Reading to provide new management and marketing offices.
The Oracle Shopping Centre is a prime retail facility in the heart of Reading, and is the foremost shopping and leisure destination in the Thames Valley region. It opened in 1999 and has 110 tenants over 70,500sqm with an annual footfall of 15 million people.
The existing Management and Operations facilities were split between two locations, sited at opposite ends of the basement service yard, with very poor internal environments – hardly conducing to the efficient management and promotion of the retail spaces.
Our new rooftop extension will provide 4500 sqft of brightly lit office and meeting space, behind a translucent façade, and will be more accessible for the public and visitors alike.
The Rodeca cladding comprises two skins of multi-cellular polycarbonate sheets which lock together and are held by powder coated aluminium profiles. These will provide a soft glow of daylight as a background to the open plan office areas, with integrated clear windows providing panoramic views over Reading Minster.
During daylight hours, the choice of materials has lessened the impact of overlooking the heritage buildings on Gun Street. At night, the subtle glow effect is reversed, so that the new extension will be visible from the surrounding area of Reading.