> Co-op Subway Tunnels 📍

The new Co-op building ‘One Angel Square’ has a network of tunnels beneath it to regulate temperature, using the heat differential to hear or cool depending on conditions.

There are three main tubes, 3m in diameter, running from precast intake “chimneys”. These are situated at ground level some distance from the building (see box, overleaf). Formed from in-situ concrete, the tunnels suck air deep below the basement levels before releasing it up vertical shafts for distribution throughout the building.

… when we factored in programme and cost considerations, we decided against smaller complex tunnels and went for large, simple ones. And they are big. You can easily lose a dumper truck in them. In fact the tunnels can bring in 50,000 litres of air per second, heating or cooling it by up to 4ºC, depending on the differential between internal and external temperatures.

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