The 170 000m² Westfield London Shopping Centre is the largest in-town shopping and leisure destination in Europe, with more than 350 tenancies. There are five retail anchor stores, a luxury precinct of 40 premium retailers, 50 eateries, a 14-screen cinema complex, a gym and a spa.
A vast, gently undulating, glazed roof is the defining design feature of the development, atop a "figure 8" layout with two principal levels and a full mezzanine level. Malls are wide and generous, with larger nodal spaces in front of each anchor store. Large, elliptical voids above the nodes allow natural light to penetrate deep into adjacent spaces and the lower mall level.
At the heart of the centre is The Atrium. This is a major venue for special events and provides a central meeting place. The Atrium incorporates a high quality food hall and overlooks balconies and transitional spaces to restaurants and the cinema complex at the upper levels. The wave form of the glazed roofthe four principalsweeps down dramatically to each of the four principle. Restaurants adjacent to the entries complete the offer and are a focus for activity well into the evening hours.
The Buchan Group provided Executive Architectural Services for the client, Westfield Shoppingtowns Limited, acting as lead consultant for the project and delivering its scope of services from Schematic Design through to Construction Support services and final contract completions. The project opened on October 30, 2008.
