Big Yellow Storage Chiswick

The Project

Big Yellow's landmark storage facility, in Chiswick, was designed by architects Mountford Piggott to make maximum use of the space available, the sculptured building was designed from the outset to respond to the curves of the adjacent M4.

With a multi-coloured external façade, formed from 2500m² of engineered panels and Euroseam aluminium standing seam, the building features a rectilinear glass box at the 4th and 5th floor. This exciting architectural statement is a step above the conventional storage shed. The glass box is designed to create maximum impact when viewed from the M4 and to give passers-by a glimpse into the workings of this landmark storage facility.

Technically, the building itself is rather interesting. Working with a 40 week build programme, the six-storey western elevation covers part of the two-storey high service yard. This elevation is hung from three 24m long, 4m deep steel trusses within the roof, each weighing 20 tonnes. The service yard in front of the building is designed to be large enough to manoeuvre heavy goods vehicles.

The opposing east elevation was constructed with only the second and fifth floors in place, allowing the client to install their own mezzanine flooring system. The third element is an eight-storey core which contributes to a designed total floor area of 115,000m².