STF#9 - 2025: Presentations
Crafting a Jewel: A Collaborative Journey Through Design and Delivery of the Old War Office Pavilion
DaeWha Kang Design
Octatube
Octatube
The Crafting a Jewel presentation highlights the design and delivery of a sculptural pavilion at the Old War Office in Westminster, London. Led by DaeWha Kang Design and Octatube, the project blends innovative design with precision engineering.
Section 1: Project Origins
Exploring the conceptual vision, design drivers, and challenges of creating a contemporary structure within a heritage site.
Section 2: Design Process
A deep dive into the collaborative approach, computational design tools, and Pre-Construction Services Agreement (PCSA) that shaped the pavilion.
Section 3: Detailed Design and Delivery
Showcasing the technical journey of crafting the pavilion's complex geometry, integrating glass and steel, and overcoming challenges like stainless steel panel reflections and polishing.
This presentation captures key lessons, demonstrating how creativity and collaboration brought a bold architectural vision to life.
Crafting a Jewel is Presented by:
Michal Wojtkiewicz - Michal is an accomplished architect with over 15 years of experience designing and delivering innovative, highly impactful projects. After ten years at Zaha Hadid Architects, he joined DaeWha Kang Design in 2019, where he leads design and technical development.
His portfolio includes wide-ranging projects such as the Black Gold Museum in Riyadh, Paju Farm City, and the Climate Change – All Change initiative, as well as the iconic dining pavilion at the Old War Office in London. Michal’s expertise lies in blending conceptual creativity with technical precision, with a focus on poetic geometry, fine detailing, and sustainable design.
In addition to his professional work, Michal contributed to the architectural community through guest teaching at The Bartlett School of Architecture and participating in international panels and talks, including the London Design Festival and World Architecture Forum.
Maria Meizoso - Maria is a well-rounded and experienced façade designer and manager of international projects, with large experience on projects in UK. She joined Arup Façade Engineering back in 2005 as a graduate and after 15 exciting years she moved to the Netherlands and joined design and built company Octatube where she is a design manager and environmental lead.
She feels lucky to have worked with great multidisciplinary design and engineering teams lead by architectural studios such as Foster and Partners, Renzo Piano Building Workshop, Heatherwick Studio, Isozaki & Associates, Zaha Hadid and DaeWha Kang among others. During early stages, design development, specifications, tender and construction phases.
She combines her passion as a designer with teaching and sharing knowledge as a building technology teacher at TU Delft University, at the faculty of Architecture and the Built Environment.
Daniel van Kersbergen - Daniel loves to be challenged as an experienced façade engineer with over 10 years in the field, designing and engineering international projects. As lead engineer at Octatube he is specialised in delivering projects with innovative use of materials and complex geometries.
He takes pride in delivering projects with minimal concessions to the architects design intent. His portfolio consists of prize-winning projects such as the Diamond Exchange in Amsterdam, the Cherrywood Campus Canopy in Dublin and the Old War Office in London.
Websites
DaeWha Kang Design
Octatube
The Old War Office Pavilion Project Team
Client: Westminster Development Services
Design: DaeWha Kang Design
Engineering and Lighting Design and Sustainability and Acoustics Consultants: Arup
Main and Façade Contractor: Octatube
Extended team:
Heritage Consultants: Donald Insall Associates
Planning Consultants: Gerald Eve
Main Building and Quadrangle Team: EPR/Aecom
Landscape Design: Marcus Barnett Studio
Accessibility Consultants: Butler & Young Consultants
Fire Consultant: Jensen Hughes
IT/AV consultants: PTS Global
Security Consultant: QCIC
Access & Maintenance Consultant: Orsa