The first of five buildings on the Tribeca development for developer Reef Group, all by Bennetts, The Apex provides 10,450m2 of office and laboratory space across six floors.Situated on the site of the former Royal Mail sorting office (previously dubbed the ugly brown building by Bennetts), the scheme has an open reception and ground-floor caf that sits beside the Regents Canal. Support facilities are also arranged on ground and basement levels, commercial and laboratory space across all floors and a roof terrace.Over 4,800m2 of the building will be occupied by world-famous The Francis Crick Institute, while The London BioScience Innovation Centre is taking over 35 per cent of the space.AdvertisementThe design allows for flexibility, with a hybrid base building offering a variety of lab and office configurations.The scheme is also the UKs first large-scale building to use site subsoil in its construction. About 13,000 unfired earth blocks were created from excavated clay mixed with sand and straw and used for the perimeter walls of the buildings basement instead of cement blocks.Unlike standard blockwork, which has limited recycling potential, earth blocks can be broken down and reused or returned to nature at the end of their lifespan and emit 10 per cent of the CO2 emitted by a medium-density cement block.Brickwork has been used throughout in keeping with the materiality of the Regents Canal, with a variety of tones chosen to complement that of nearby Kings Cross Conservation Area.Following its completion in 2026, the 55,700m mixed-use Tribeca development will provide nearly one million sq ft of workspace, laboratories, retail and residential space in the heart of Londons Knowledge Quarter and biotech cluster.AdvertisementThe AJ covered the burgeoning life sciences sector last year, when it emerged that its construction pipeline would not meet demand. Read how architects can tap into this work here.Last year, Bennetts Associates was crowned AJ100 Practice of the Year for its ambitious and detailed sustainability approach and its industry-shifting willingness to share knowledge and demand positive change.Practice associate Nikolay Shahpazov, working with brick producer HG Matthews, pioneered the use of earth blocks last year.Architects viewTribeca is a significant project weve been working closely with Reef Group on for eight years. The Apex sets the tone for the campus, which sits at the centre of what is set to be Londons largest life sciences development. Once complete, Tribeca will provide a new community for occupiers to collaborate and innovate in a contemporary canalside environment.Gavin Pike, associate director, Bennetts AssociatesClient's viewIt has been a pleasure working alongside Bennetts Associates to design and complete the first building at Tribeca. Seeing our joint efforts come to fruition is testament to our innovative collaboration. The completion of The Apex brings us a step closer in delivering Londons largest purpose-built science campus to date, both supporting the UK life sciences sector to expand and compete globally as well as offering a home to life sciences businesses from start-up to commercialisation.Peter Langly-Smith, development director, Reef GroupProject dataLocation Kings Cross, LondonStart on site February 2021CompletionJanuary 2025Gross internal floor area 7,550m2Gross (internal + external) floor area 10,400m2Form of contract Design and buildConstruction cost UndisclosedArchitect Bennetts AssociatesClient Reef GroupStructural engineer GD PartnershipM&E consultant KJ TaitQS Gardiner & TheobaldFire consultant ORSAFaade consultant FMDCLandscape consultant Fabrik/CamlinsAcoustic consultant Sandy BrownProject manager Gardiner & TheobaldPrincipal designer Bennetts AssociatesCDM co-ordinator David M EagleApproved building inspector Meridian ConsultMain contractor VolkerfitzpatrickCAD software used Revit