education further and higher

education further and higher

Northumbria University Law, Business and Design School The new Law, Business and Design School buildings are built on a contained urban site to the East of Newcastle city centre. The sweeping curves of the façade help to create a unique landmark form and they are just one aspect of a project that fuses together the whole team s passion for innovation, design and sustainability. Atkins has produced an inspiring and iconic design by working very closely with the University, its stakeholders and Sir Robert McAlpine. The new buildings make a confident contribution to the urban fabric of the city. In addition to a complex geometrical design, it includes flexible office and teaching spaces, raked and flat floor lecture theatres and hospitality suites. The new buildings incorporate numerous innovations, both on the exterior and the interior. To the East and West a solar veil is created by a stainless steel mesh frame. This shades the buildings against 50% of the sun s radiation and reduces air conditioning, without adversely affecting interior lighting. The mesh panels are attached to the building s bowstrings and provide optimal shading throughout the day as the sun moves through the sky. To minimise fabrication costs, the angles of the tubes and stainless steel mesh panels create a faceted repeating pattern. This means only a handful of standard components are required. Hot water, for use in toilets and hand washing is, in part, heated by the sun. This is achieved by a solar tube hot water system sited on the roof of the Law and Business School Building. The design is column-free and the structural spans are placed at the extremes of the building. The deep plan form of the Law and Business School has an inverted 7.5 metre glazed cone lightwell. This penetrates all four floors allowing natural daylight to flood though the centre of the building. The Kalwall to the courtyard elevations provides excellent diffused light which is ideal for a teaching and learning environment. Client / University of Northumbria Location / Newcastle Value / 50 million Status / Completed in 2007 49

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University of East Anglia The refurbishment and extension of the central catering facilities at the University of East Anglia aims to provide an inviting, modern environment to enhance the popularity of the venue and to integrate the building with the masterplan for the university. Facilities comprise three separate floors for refreshments and a main food preparation and distribution centre in the lower basement area. The student refectory is accessed from the main campus square and has been designed as a cool, modern environment. The coffee shop on the first floor offers snacks on a self serve basis and provides a focus for informal student meetings. A staff restaurant and bar is located on the second floor. This space is adaptable to host private lunch events, seminars and conferences. The brief gave Atkins the opportunity to introduce a minimalist glass pod that serves as the main entrance and provides access to a new stair and passenger lift. At night the transparent new entrance building acts as a beacon for students on campus. Client / University of East Anglia Location / Norwich Value / 2.3 million 55

Kingston College The Bittoms Development The Bittoms development was a public private partnership scheme with the primary objective of providing a major new sports facility for the College. The photographs show how we developed three new blocks on this tight urban site. It includes a 7-storey block of 85 flats, a cedar clad sports hall and the extension of the podium for the student accommodation and other new teaching spaces. A private health club which provides essential secondary income is located on the ground floor. The 56-room block of student accommodation was built directly over the original engineering podium block. This now incorporates two floors of teaching space above a hair and beauty department, including spa facilities with full public access. The 8-court sports hall, which the local county basketball team use as their base, is on the second floor. The first floor includes sports classrooms, a dance studio and changing rooms. Client / Kingston College with PPP partner Mount Anvil Construction Location / Kingston Upon Thames Value / 18 million Status / Completed in 2003 56 57

Kingston College Richmond Road Following the success of the Bittoms PPP sports faculty building, the College commissioned the detailed design of another large mixed use scheme. The sale of air rights will provide a large portion of the required funding for the regeneration of the College s Art and Media Faculty. The existing accommodation is a typical Edwardian school and the former playground in front of the building is now covered by temporary buildings. In order to get the commercial value and the accommodation needed for the College the proposal is to use the first 3 storeys as college accommodation, with a development of 95 flats above. The new and retained school buildings will be linked by a new atrium to provide the social hub of the College and it will allow access to all the primary public spaces including the café, the Learning Resource Centre (LRC) and main lecture theatre. This scheme is a good example of how complex mixed use urban planning can successfully address a number of diverse objectives and incorporate an exciting design. Client / Kingston College Location /Richmond Road, Kingston Upon Thames Value / 30 million Status / Detailed Planning 58 59

Budmouth Technology College Atkins was appointed to produce a masterplan to bind together a disparate group of existing buildings. Careful planning allowed us to propose a compacted footprint which incorporated simple shapes, minimised maintenance and simplified construction. Our masterplan proposed a series of work phases which removed the need for temporary accommodation and expensive decant arrangements. Landscape design helped us reduce wind speeds across the site caused by the coastal location. The stakeholders wanted a new face for the college, which represented its aspirations and ethos. Indoor courtyards will provide an inspirational space at the heart of the buildings. These spaces bring natural light deep into the building and allow return air paths for passive ventilation systems. The following environmental design options are being considered against financial viability: Natural Ventilation and Daylight Building orientation and large areas of glazing will improve daylight to most classrooms. Reduced Energy High insulation levels, extremely airtight construction, natural ventilation and a high efficiency heat recovery plant. Wind Wind turbines could generate 10% of the school s electricity. Solar Energy The sloping south face of the roof could house photovoltaic or solar thermal panels. Biomass Wood chip boiler could be introduced. Combined Heat and Power (CHP) A small scale gas-fired combined heat and power unit to supply the electrical base load. Rainwater Collection Rainwater would be collected from the roof structures, pre-filtered and used to feed WCs and landscaped areas. Ground Source Heat Pumps These can be used to reduce cooling energy in server rooms and IT suites etc. Adaptability Clear spans mean the building can easily be adapted and changed. Client / Dorset County Council Location / Weymouth Value / 16.8 million Status / Stage E - Planning application submitted 61

Middlesbrough College Site Plan Level 2 Site Plan Level 1 The illustrations shown were submitted to Middlesbrough College when they were selecting their design team. The site was a large, empty, dockside brownfield site, and our scheme reflects our philosophy that on an urban regeneration site, the first buildings needs to set a scale suitable for other future development. Atkins was appointed by Middlesbrough College to provide technical services covering the design and project management of a range of projects over several years. The technical services provided include Project Management, Architecture, Civil/Structural Engineering, Building Services Engineering, Quantity Surveying and Building Surveying. Within each project Atkins was required to develop the brief using a series of meetings and consultations with members of the College staff. Site Plan Level 0 Client / Middlesbrough College - Detailed competition submission Location / Middlesbrough Value / Projects range from 3k to 250k 63

York University Atkins has recently been appointed under a framework agreement as one of the consultants who will provide architectural, mechanical and engineering, civil and structural, building surveying and quantity surveying services. The University s existing campus (Heslington West) is undergoing significant refurbishment and a major expansion project will create the new Heslington East campus. This ambitious project represents the single largest development phase of the University s estate since the existing campus was built in the 1960s. It will be one of the largest capital developments in UK higher education during the next decade. The new development will include sustainable architecture and building systems, with an emphasis on designs which are appropriate to the University, the community and the surrounding landscape. A commitment to the campus wildlife, biodiversity, and the inclusion of woodland, lake and associated wetlands is providing an inspirational springboard for our designs. Building work on the first academic and residential buildings began in May 2008. Client / York University Location / York, North Yorkshire Value / 500 million (over 10-15 years) Status / Building works commence May 2008 65

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Northbrook College Atkins has been appointed to bring its ambition plans for Northbrook College to fruition. A landmark main entrance to the campus will be one of the key features of the new campus, which is sited at a major crossroads in Worthing. A new theatre located on Carnegie Road will act as a focal point for the College, reflecting a strong focus on performing arts, and transparent street frontages including a cafe will showcase student work and lift the College s profile in the community. As well as meeting the expanding functional needs of the College and the wider community, Atkins is creating an aspirational environment in which students can thrive and enjoy the new buildings and spaces on the campus. Client / Northbrook College Location / Worthing, East Sussex Value / 42 million Status / Detailed planning stage 68 69

Durham University Research institute The extension to the Geography building was part of four projects to celebrate 175 years since the founding of the University of Durham. This provided Atkins with an opportunity to illustrate their commitment to innovative and good design. The new Institute for Natural Risk Research building incorporates design ideas for the use of natural light and ventilation, combined with high insulation levels to create an excellent internal environment for users. The new building will give the Geography department a high profile as it is immediately adjacent to the campus entrance. The building includes a sunken floor, environmentally stable laboratories and a green roof and raised lawn area which will restore the landscape. Client / Durham University Location / Durham Value / 3.5 million 70 71

Durham University Centre of sports excellence Atkins was commissioned to design a new build sports academy for Team Durham. It will create a world class high performance training centre focussing on the key sports of rowing, fencing and cricket. The design creates a dramatic, elegant and functional building, which will flank the existing Graham Sports Centre at Maiden Castle. The scheme includes: Hawkeye technology and ergo training area 4 fixed and 10 competition pistes. The scheme has been designed specifically to integrate the requirements of these hugely varied sports. Integration is achieved by providing access to the river and a connection with existing landbased facilities through a continuous colonnade link. Sustainable technologies have also been incorporated, including: Our early involvement with this project has given us the opportunity manage our proposals to reflect the limited budget whilst maximising the potential quality of installations. Client / Durham University Location / Durham Value / 6 million 72 73

Durham University The Photonics Research Institute Atkins vision was to create a unique series of closely related spaces that reflect the importance of ideas and stimulate the senses. This will inspire researchers to push back the boundaries of their work. The building s unique characteristic will be that it appears to float over the landscape. This impression will be equally strong when viewed from the inside or the outside. It will be like working in a forest glade. As it is built into a hill, everyone will enter the building upstairs. They will instantly have the impression of being on a hill top looking down and through the building to the landscape beyond, creating a sense of awe. Entering further into the building will involve stepping down the terraces and each level will have its own spaces and views. Our aim is to create a timeless design that is genuinely inspiring as well as sustainable and energy efficient. Client / Durham University Location / Durham Value / 5-7.5 million 74 75

Northampton College The College provides a broad range of classes for the whole community, including basic Adult Education, English for speakers of other languages, courses for students with learning difficulties, British Sign Language, GCSE s and A-Levels. The project brief requirements included an ICT Learning Centre as part of a vision for social inclusion. Interactive workshops were highly successful in achieving stakeholder engagement and ownership of the final design. The Atkins design team overcame spatial restraints and sloping ground to produce an innovative design, which enhanced the streetscape and came within cost and time constraints. The site has been laid out to allow for a further building to be built alongside the College. Client / Northampton College Location / Northampton Value / 3.2 million Status / Completed in 2005 77

Oxford Brookes University The New Business School The New Business School Postgraduate Centre is a fine example of Atkins responding to the specific challenges of higher education. The primary purpose of the new building was to house a new lecture theatre with a capacity of 122 students. We were also required to create a series of break out rooms holding 50 people and half a dozen offices for course managers. The building also needed to be a new focal point which would begin a process of renewal for existing Business School buildings. The exceptional modernist design has a purity of form and purpose that is totally in keeping with its role as a centre for business learning. It incorporates a triangular atrium and its use of brick relates it to other campus buildings. Client / Oxford Brookes University Location / Oxford Value / 1.1 million Status / Completed in 2005 79

Exeter University Biophotonics Building Atkins were commissioned to do a feasibility study of a new biophotonics building by the University of Exeter. The building would house a new genetic engineering project looking a bio markers within blood samples. The process uses screens and light rays to look at samples and the records are left on spot pictures (similar to a Damien Hirst spot painting). These images are the inspiration for the design of the front elevation. The site for the new building is on a steep slope between the Geoffrey Pope Building and Physics faculty. There are listed trees to the front and rear of the building. The front façade was designed around the canopy of the listed tree and a 5 metre circumference was allowed for the roots so that the new construction would not impact on the tree s health. The café space is at the centre of three engineering facilities and would form a natural meeting place for the lecturers and scientists to mix and cross-fertilise ideas. The building was designed to achieve a Very Good BREEAM rating. Client / Exeter University Location / Exeter Value / circa 4 million Status / Stage B/C - Feasibility 80 81

Grimsby Institute of Further Education The design concepts shown here were part of Atkins competition submission. We took the masterplan prepared by the incumbent architects and further developed it. Our aim was to provide a generous amount space between the fingers of the teaching blocks and to link them with an atrium which runs along the full plan. Client / Grimsby College Location / Grimsby Value / 80 million 83

University of Reading The refurbishment and re-modelling of four existing halls of residence buildings at Reading University is a good example of the multidisciplinary practices within Atkins working closely together. The disciplines were architecture, building services and project management. Extensive consultations by the design team were key to the success of this project. Childs Hall Childs Hall has 375 study bedrooms with full catering and 84 self-catered rooms, all with data points. There is a library, a computer room, a bar, two TV rooms and a snooker room. Bridges Hall Bridges Hall is an existing purpose-built hall, built in 1970. The refurbished building now provides 302 rooms in the main hall which are fully catered for as well as selfcatered accommodation in the new wing with 156 rooms. The aim of the re-furbishment was to increase the usability of the space and allow the students to interact and socialise and work together. The hall now incorporates a computer room, a library, a laundry room, a bar, common rooms, music room and TV room. There are also squash and tennis courts. Wantage Hall (below) Wantage Hall has two parts. Wantage Old Court is a Grade 2 listed building opened in 1908. It now accommodates more than one third of the 247 students. Wantage New Court was added in 1970 to the north end of Old Court and half of Wantage s students live here. There are 233 single study bedrooms and 7 large shared rooms, most of which now have washbasins and all have data points. The halls also house a bar, a common room, TV room and music practice room. Client / Reading University Location / Reading Value / 2.5 million Status / Completed in 2002 85

Mid Kent College New Art and Media Building Mid Kent College Lower Lines Campus The brief was to design a new building for the study of arts and media, as well as creating a new entrance to the whole College in a place that is at the cross-roads of all activity on the campus. Thus it forms an extension to the robust 1960 s tower and library wing of the original buildings with a glazed ground floor lobby under a bridge link, linking new to old. The building is planned with conventional teaching space and extended LRC through the bridge on the first floor, and on the ground floor there is a range of fine art, print making and sculpture studios, TV and photography studios with control room, a suite of dark rooms and other teaching space. All spaces, including the dark rooms are fully DDA compliant, which was in interesting challenge. This project lead on to master planning their new campus at the Lower Lines in Chatham. This scheme will replace two existing campuses in Chatham with one site and make the College a component of the Multi-Versity of Chatham. It will be a major education site near the historic dockyards, shared by the University of Greenwich and the Kent Institute of Art and Design. The site also abuts the Lower Lines, an ancient monument. A successful detailed planning consent was negotiated with English Heritage and Chatham Council, as well as a number of public consultations. Full support was given to the project by the LSC in view of the deteriorating state of the existing mid 20 th century building stock. The work also involved obtaining outline planning consents for the 11 hectares of the existing sites in order to generate the highest value for the disposal of this land within the Thames Gateway area. Client / Mid Kent College Location / Oakwood Park, Maidstone Value / 3 million Status / Completed in 2004 Client / Mid Kent College Location / Chatham, Kent Value / 40 million Status / Construction to 2007 86 87

Selby College The proposed re-development of Selby College aims to redefine the image of the school for the benefit of staff, students and the wider community. There is an opportunity to rationalise the College s facilities within the existing site footprint and create a campus which would strengthen the its reputation as one of England s top performing colleges. The proposals include both building design and masterplanning of the campus, including extensive landscape design. The main design focus is to consider the site in its entirety, as opposed to individual buildings. There is a clear need to open up and rethink access into and around the College site, creating a campus atmosphere. A recognisable and welcoming gateway will be defined by the two sugar cubes at either end of the building arc. These mark both the entrance to the site and the main entrance reception for the College. By defining these two points a framework is established for circulation around the site as well as creating a landmark feature for the College. Pedestrian routes follow the edge of the buildings, facilitating clear wayfinding and defining the landscaped area in the heart of the campus. The central heart space creates a focus for the entire development. Each building has been orientated to provide a constant reference to the space from within. The landscaping includes a mixture of spaces from quiet sitting areas to busy circulation routes. These spaces extend around the edge of the buildings and into the atrium space, creating an internal street frontage. This opens up the façade of the main building, providing a shop frontage for the College and a link between the interior and exterior. By providing both private and communal areas, the campus will encourage social interaction from all students, staff and visitors and create a strong sense of community. Client / Selby College Location / Selby North Yorkshire Value / 28 million Status / Stage D Planning application imminent 88 89

UNN Sports Centre After the completion of the Law, Business and Design School Campus East development at the University of Northumbria (see page 49), Atkins was challenged to apply the same degree of innovation and architectural flair to a new sports facility. The new facility will house three joined sports halls, a training hall, a 25m pool, 40m sprint straights, high performance training facilities and a gym. There is an opportunity to combine Sport Northumbria with the Division of Psychology and Sport Science in one facility. The resulting synergies from this co-location will mutually benefit and enhance both faculties. Architecturally the building takes its compact form from two simple elements of sports hall on one side and ancillary accommodation on the other, edged by a garden. These two elements are connected by a bank of fixed seating that runs between them. The clear layout allows the visitor to navigate and quickly understand the functions of the building and its facilities. The three sports halls are sized to accommodate 3 Netball courts, 3 basketball courts, 1 indoor hockey court, 4 volleyball courts, 1 tournament netball court and 7 badminton courts. A further aim is situate the new facility close to the existing PSS facilities within Northumberland Building to further strengthen the links within this part of the campus. Client / Northumbria University Location / Newcastle Value / 20 million Current status / Stage D 90 91

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Our legacy This diagram illustrates the circular nature of acquiring knowledge during a project and feeding it back into the design process. Atkins is currently producing cuttingedge, sustainable architecture and creating inspiring buildings and campuses. We are responding directly to the needs of students and teachers and extending high quality facilities to communities and businesses. The Government is committed to re-energising both further education and higher education and Atkins is responding with appropriate design innovations and a proven ability to deliver on programme. Delivering the vision for each institution requires design of the highest calibre supported by strong leadership, and a senior team who can draw upon extensive experience. Atkins has the experience and is comfortable with the responsibility of uniting, informing and involving the stakeholders involved. Above all, we believe that we can be trusted to deliver a positive legacy. One which creates an enduring sense of place and a renewed identity that will inspire staff and students in each institution we work with. New buildings can play a major role in attracting new students, new income streams and additional corporate funding and they can create a platform for sustainable growth and for raising educational standards. Working with colleges and universities, Atkins aims to play a valuable part in ensuring that education in Britain has a bright future and is held in high esteem by our society. PROCUREMENT FEEDBACK BRIEF EXPECTATION DESIGN 94 95

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