“Brickin’ It” was a client evening held (at the time) in the construction site of Ed Le Quesne House to celebrate Jersey’s first all brick development in decades.

The evening took us on a journey back to Jersey’s lost brick making industry and the story of a brick that was shipped out to Gaspé, Canada between 1832-1865, installed into a fireplace in a house, now owned by Enid Le Gros-Wise, a ceramicist, who posted the brick back to Jersey some 140 years later.

We had the pleasure of taking Professor Andres Jacque and students from Princeton University School of Architecture on a tour of offices designed by Waddington Architects. They travelled to Jersey from New Jersey, USA to research the recent history of Jersey and the role the financial industries play in the architectural and urban transformation of our island.

Working with renowned UK architects Sheppard Robson and the Le Masurier team on J1 at Bath Street in St Helier, Waddington’s local knowledge was vital in analysing the streetscape and establishing optimal massing, height and site yields.

Mike Waddington worked in London for several years during a very fertile period of Sir Nicholas Grimshaw & Partners as a senior architect leading the design on a number of projects including the Western Morning News HQ in Plymouth, North Woolwich Sewage Pumping station and the RAC Regional HQ and Control Centre near Bristol.

The RAC headquarters has an almost entirely glazed façade, concentric triangular floor plates and a central atrium. Access to the three-storey offices is via the mid-level, facilitating a sense of connectivity and communication between departments. Proximity to the junction between the M4 and M5 is an operational necessity, but also offers high brand profile for the RAC, which is further enhanced by the boardroom perched on top of a dramatic blue steel tower.

The building is highly energy efficient, with external walkway shading, heat recovery and beautiful exposed concrete floor soffits which offer excellent thermal mass.