Under guidance from the Architects Registration Board, architectural students are set for a change in curriculum. Karen Trigg of Allegion UK explores this decision and why industry collaboration is central to improving fire safety education and paving the way to a safer future. In an evolving construction industry, the approach
Relentless today announces a Joint Venture (JV) with renowned national property developer Salboy, enabling the final phase of the iconic St Michael’s scheme to be delivered in Manchester city centre. The 40 storey tower, designed by Hodder + Partners, will comprise a five star, world class 191-bed hotel, 181 serviced
A leading UK construction, facilities management and property developer has been confirmed as the construction partner for phase one of Nuneaton town centre’s Abbey Street development. BAM Construct UK, part of the Royal BAM Group, was recently appointed to create Nuneaton and Bedworth’s Physical Activity Hub in Miners’ Welfare Park,
LEADING national framework provider Pagabo has today, 08 June, issued a prior information notice (PIN) for the second generation of its popular Medium Works framework, which will be valued at £1 billion. The current Medium Works framework is one of Pagabo’s most popular and active construction offerings for clients, with
The Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland (RIAS) has announced eight exceptional buildings as winners of Scotland’s national architecture awards. The James Jones & Sons Lockerbie site is the largest single site sawmill complex in the UK and the most technically advanced. As such, Lockerbie receives a high number of
Independent West Country house builder Devonshire Homes has exchanged conditional contracts for the acquisition of approximately 36 acres of land for a new build homes development in Trannack near Penzance, Cornwall. The West Cornwall site is located close to the A30 where c 300 architecturally-designed homes are planned for this
Under guidance from the Architects Registration Board, architectural students are set for a change in curriculum. Karen Trigg of Allegion UK explores this decision and why industry collaboration is central to improving fire safety education and paving the way to a safer future. In an evolving construction industry, the approach to building design is ever shifting. Yet, as the complexity of projects intensifies, safety and sustainability remain fundamental areas of focus, and according to architects, have been the most common of issues presented to them over this past five-year period. In response, the Architects Registration Board (ARB) – as the professional regulator responsible for setting the standards for architect registration – in late 2021, posed significant changes to architectural training and educational guidelines. The new guidance, published by the ARB and sanctioned by the reformed Building Safety Bill, is considered a way of modernizing the teachings of architectural schools and will address the key challenges and opportunities facing the sector by introducing revised module guidelines on ‘Fire and Life Safety’ and ‘Sustainability’. Under the new ‘Fire and Life Safety’ guidelines, the expanding architecture curriculum will examine: The science of fire, smoke generation and spread Design principles to minimise the risk of smoke and fire Means of escape in case of fire and the appropriate access to buildings and facilities for emergency services The significance of product specification to fire safety and performance as part of a construction system Protecting building users from hazards during use and maintenance Fire safety is paramount to a building’s success but is a complex subject with a variety of layers, as is defined by these modules. However, following the call for the revised curriculum, both future and present professionals must collectively recognize its importance, and through better education and collaboration, aim to deliver a fire safe infrastructure, with higher levels of quality and building performance. Better by design Between the reformed Building Safety Bill and the Fire Safety Act 2021, fire safety has been a subject of increased scrutiny over the past few years. Evidently, occupant safety must always remain the top priority throughout any construction project, regardless of its size or scope. Fire and life safety design plays an integral role in this, not only as a compliance obligation but as a practice that can improve project output. As a result, and as outlined by the ARB, every architect must be educated on the basics of fire safety and its role in building design, keeping in mind the latest codes, regulations and hardware required for a project. One area to consider under the revised curriculum’s ‘means of escape’ is the required number of fire door exits per room and per floor. Fire doors are often the first line of defense against fire and thus are meticulously tested to British Standards BS 476: Part 22 or BS EN 1634-1 to certify their resistance to fire for a minimum of 30 minutes (FD30) or 60 minutes (FD60). As a project moves through to specification, decision makers must also identify the required door hardware – which are designed to facilitate the compartmentation of smoke and fire and so must comply with UK Construction Products Regulations. Specification is critical when a project’s materials are being considered and can be the difference in a building failing to meet its functional and necessary safety standards. Inadequately specified door furniture can result in blueprints and specifications changing at a later stage of the project to comply with the correct standards, adding preventable time and costs to development. By understanding the role of fire safety from the earliest stage, and in this case, the functional aspects of fire doors and their hardware, professionals can deliver better projects with enhanced safety and performance. Project collaboration The onus to deliver fire safe buildings doesn’t lie solely with architects, however. Although architects are the only professional body that has a statutory obligation to partake in Continuing Professional Development (CPD), industry wide education is crucial if we are to maintain the necessary standards associated with fire safety. Fire safety is an expansive subject that touches many areas of a building’s lifecycle, from the design stage right through to maintenance, and the ARB’s newly formed curriculum serves as a reminder to all professionals on what they must remain educated on. To assist industry education and collaboration, today’s associations, professional bodies and manufacturers are supporting all professionals to ensure there’s a greater understanding towards these key themes. Hardware manufacturers for example, as part of the Building Safety Bill’s Golden Thread of Information regulatory framework, are providing more detailed product information in the form of comprehensive product datasheets, installation guides and training portals. In doing so, manufacturers are offering greater transparency on product performance and testing, improving product discoverability and traceability. Accordingly, it’s imperative for industry professionals to remain informed on hardware options and the role they play in fire safety, as this collaborative approach can lead to better and more consistent design choices that continue to deliver on fire safety post-project delivery. Wellbeing, accessibility and performance will always remain unremitting themes in our built environment. At a time where information is at our fingertips, professionals across the supply chain possess a real opportunity to develop a sustained education on these key themes, and through improved collaboration, can reform the project delivery process in a bid to deliver true fire safety. How Allegion UK can Help Allegion UK has a wealth of resources to help professionals undertake product selection, installation and maintenance checks on fire doors and hardware. For information on product selection and installation, please speak to our experts or head to our download centre for technical fitting instructions. For post-installation support, Allegion’s simple toolkit provides information and tips on detecting potential faulty doors and poor installation, a guide to the EN classification system and a safety checklist. There’s also an option to order a free door gap tester or download Allegion’s general guide to service and maintenance for free. Allegion also offers RIBA approved CPD presentations,
Relentless today announces a Joint Venture (JV) with renowned national property developer Salboy, enabling the final phase of the iconic St Michael’s scheme to be delivered in Manchester city centre. The 40 storey tower, designed by Hodder + Partners, will comprise a five star, world class 191-bed hotel, 181 serviced residences and a multitude of design-led amenity and leisure spaces for residents and guests. With the ambition of setting new standards in design, quality, service and experience, St Michael’s has become one of Manchester’s most anticipated projects. Phase 2 will front onto the new public square, which will become a hub for food, drink, music and entertainment. Incorporating the best in local, national and international cuisines along with a fully refurbished Sir Ralph Abercromby public house, the square at St Michael’s will be the heart of this new City Centre destination. The transformational project will see the reanimation and revitalisation of the underused streets surrounding the scheme and, by completion, is expected to have brought significant investment to the City and created an additional 1,800 jobs. Supporting Relentless and Salboy in the delivery of Phase 2, will be contractor Domis Construction, Salboy’s dedicated construction partner. Domis has developed over 2,500 homes across 10 development sites over the last 5 years. Initial works are expected to start in January 2023, just 12 months after the commencement of Phase 1, the commercial element of the development. The scheme in its entirety is expected to be completed in 2026. Gary Neville of Relentless said: “The Relentless team have been on this project for 15 years and we’ve never diluted our ambition on what has been an incredibly long journey to build this complex and challenging project. Thank you so much to the Salboy Team, to Fred and Simon in particular and for all their support over the last few months. I would also like to thank Manchester City Council and the Reform Synagogue for the faith they’ve shown over the years. It’s now time to deliver. “Our aim with St Michael’s has always been to create a world class destination in our city that celebrates our local passion, spirit and hospitality that delivers to a 5 star international standard.” Simon Ismail, Managing Director of Salboy, said: “Gary and his team have worked incredibly hard to drive the St Michael’s project forward over the last few years and we’re excited to be on board to help them deliver this hugely ambitious and long-awaited scheme. We would like to thank Relentless for giving us an opportunity to be involved in this scheme. St Michael’s is already raising expectations for what Manchester has to offer. Now it’s time for Salboy, Domis and Relentless to work together to make this development a reality and deliver a destination at the sorts of international standards that all of Manchester can be proud of.” Anthony Kilbride, Relentless said: “With the initial phase of the development now well underway it allowed us to focus on finding our delivery partner for the final phase of the project and to complete the masterplan we set out to achieve for St Michael’s. We are delighted to enter into this partnership with the Salboy team, agreements were concluded quickly, with a clear aligned vision & ambition to deliver what we consider to be step change in development for this city. “With our delivery partners our focus is on the execution phase of St Michael’s and the future announcements to make as we progress further.” Danny Savage, Trustee of the Manchester Reform Synagogue said: “The trustees of the synagogue are delighted that their 15 year partnership with Relentless has successfully come to fruition. The development has overcome many challenges over the years and we have found Gary and the Relentless team to be both supportive and enthusiastic throughout that time. With the proceeds of the synagogue sale, the trustees will now be able to source a more suitable base in the city centre that will cater for the needs of our congregation in 2022 and beyond.” Joanne Roney OBE, Chief Executive of Manchester City Council, said: “This is an ambitious development in an area of the city with huge potential. The significant level of investment, working partnership and the high-quality design of this development will bring forward a new standard and mix of uses. The scheme will further help our recovery from the pandemic, while demonstrating our ability to deliver transformational regeneration projects in Manchester.” Building Design and Construction Magazine | The Home of Construction & Property News
A leading UK construction, facilities management and property developer has been confirmed as the construction partner for phase one of Nuneaton town centre’s Abbey Street development. BAM Construct UK, part of the Royal BAM Group, was recently appointed to create Nuneaton and Bedworth’s Physical Activity Hub in Miners’ Welfare Park, Bedworth. It has now also started work on creating a 145-bedroom Hampton by Hilton hotel in Nuneaton. BAM has already completed initial works involving fencing, ground investigations and remediation. The company is the contractor behind the acclaimed redevelopment of Birmingham’s Paradise Circus, where it created some £250 million of new buildings within a half mile. Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council is the developer for the new scheme, with its strategic development partner Queensberry. The project will see enabling works, preparation work for new leisure developments and public open spaces completed, together with the building of the town centre’s first hotel. The appointment of BAM ensures the next stages of the project following the acquisition of land and property, demolition and some enabling works which have already been completed. The phase one work has been funded with a grant from the Future High Streets Fund as part of the Government’s plan to renew and reshape town centres – making them a more attractive place to live, work and visit. The West Midlands Combined Authority has contributed £775,000 to the cost of phase one of the scheme supporting the groundworks necessary to enable construction to go ahead. Phase two of the Abbey Street project will include new buildings for leisure operators, a food hall, a town centre campus for North Warwickshire and South Leicestershire College and a multi-storey car park. Cllr Kris Wilson, leader of Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council, said: “This is a critical step in the work we need to do to improve Nuneaton town centre, and we are pleased to confirm that BAM will be the people to work with us on this. “They have an impressive track record and their contribution to breathing new life into Nuneaton is going to make a fantastic difference to the town. “Abbey Street has always been a crucial part of our town that makes Nuneaton so distinctive. This work will literally cement its place as the refreshed heart of this town. The town centre will benefit from a new future in which leisure, food and drink and visitor facilities sit hand in hand with the market and town centre shops.” David Ellis, Regional Director for BAM Construction Midlands, said: “This will be a significant and multi-faceted development. It will touch so many local people and businesses across the area in a positive way. We will work sensitively and respectfully with those around us while delivering this major improvement in Nuneaton’s built environment. “What BAM brings is our outstanding experience in place-making developments, plus industry-leading sustainability and technological capabilities. Above all, we are a highly collaborative team and will work closely with our partners and we are really looking forward to bringing positive change to Nuneaton.” Sean Farnell, board director at Coventry and Warwickshire Local Enterprise Partnership (CWLEP) and chair of the My Town Nuneaton board, added: “It is fantastic news that work is underway on creating the first hotel in Nuneaton as part of the Abbey Street mixed-use development. “The aim of CWLEP’s Strategic Reset Framework is to help make Coventry and Warwickshire a safe and highly attractive place to live, study, work, and invest and this initiative will help to encourage visitors to Nuneaton which will, in turn, boost the local economy.” Rob Hughes, Development Manager at Queensberry, said: “BAM’s involvement marks an important milestone and it’s fantastic to see that work on site has now started. We anticipate that Hilton by Hampton will take approximately 20 months to build, with completion expected in Autumn 2023.”
LEADING national framework provider Pagabo has today, 08 June, issued a prior information notice (PIN) for the second generation of its popular Medium Works framework, which will be valued at £1 billion. The current Medium Works framework is one of Pagabo’s most popular and active construction offerings for clients, with 148 projects having been procured through it to date. The issuing of a prior information notice sets the wheels in motion to the creation and launch of its successor, with prospective suppliers able to bid following the release of tender documentation later this year. The new generation of the framework will run for four years from January 2023, taking over from the current iteration, which expires in December. It provides a compliant and collaborative framework that can deliver medium-sized construction projects with a minimum value of £250,000, giving clients access to suppliers across three value bands. Jason Stapley, managing director at Pagabo, said: “This PIN marks the first steps towards making this second generation framework a reality – and the best it can be based on market input. This approach to engagement with those who will apply to be on or will use the framework is an important part of our process, ensuring that every framework we launch is absolutely fit-for-purpose – solving procurement problems rather than creating them. “It’s really important that clients have access to the best providers on the market – not just the big businesses. That’s why we reserve a number of appointments specifically for SMEs. We know how important having that choice is to clients, as well as the increased levels of social value and positive impact benefit that comes from working with SMEs particularly on a local level. “Our Medium Works framework is a really popular one with our clients, providing them with the services they need to compliantly deliver mid-sized projects. Some incredible work has been delivered through the framework, such as £1.4m National Centre for Craft and Design for North Kesteven District Council and the £10m Swallowtail Place for Saffron Housing Trust, and we look forward to seeing standout built environment schemes come through the new generation from next year.” The framework will be split into three lots, with up to nine contractors allocated to each region under each lot across core and reserve supplier appointments. There are a number of these places reserved for SMEs to ensure fair access for suppliers of all sizes and to provide ample choice for clients. Lot 1 – £250k to £1m Lot 2 – £1m to £5m Lot 3 – £5m to £10m The contracting authority for the framework will be the Education Alliance, which will continue that role from the current, live offer. For more information, please visit https://www.pagabo.co.uk/ Building Design and Construction Magazine | The Home of Construction & Property News
The Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland (RIAS) has announced eight exceptional buildings as winners of Scotland’s national architecture awards. The James Jones & Sons Lockerbie site is the largest single site sawmill complex in the UK and the most technically advanced. As such, Lockerbie receives a high number of visitors – including small groups of customer visits, customer training courses, academic institutions, and industry events. The idea for the building recognised the need to provide increased office accommodation, better visitor facilities, and the opportunity to host on-site training courses and industry meetings, which previously had to be conducted offsite. James Jones & Sons held a design competition between two architectural firms and the winning team was Konishi Gaffney from Edinburgh, led by Kieran Gaffney. Konishi Gaffney did not have to look far for materials for the new offices and visitor centre at the UK’s largest sawmill: the building acts as a demonstration project, almost entirely erected from James Jones’s own products, with an approach to minimising the use of steel and maximising timber. This ode to sustainable timber construction showcases the company’s ambition as well as its operations; presenting a flagship for Scotland’s timber industry. The winners of the RIAS Awards will now become the ‘longlist’ for the RIAS Andrew Doolan Best Building in Scotland Award – one of the most significant architecture prizes in the world – which will be announced in November. Recipients of the 2022 RIAS Awards are also eligible for the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) Awards. Drawn from all across Scotland, the winners of the RIAS Awards 2022 include a new secondary school that places students’ mental health and well-being at the heart of its design, the rescue and restoration of an iconic Modernist house, and an exquisite rural office building on the edge of the Balmoral Estate. RIAS president Christina Gaiger PRIAS said: “This year’s awards show how Scottish architects are rising up to today’s challenges – from the climate emergency to the nation’s mental health – and prove the fundamental role that architecture plays in society.” The jury for the 2022 RIAS Awards were Murray Kerr (founder, Denizen Works), Christina Gaiger PRIAS (President, RIAS), Audrey Carlin (CEO, Wasps Studios) and Tony Chapman (former head of awards, RIBA). In addition to this latest award, the Lockerbie visitor building has also won the 2021 EAA Wood for Good Award and two Scottish Design Awards winning both the Architecture award for a ‘Commercial / Office / Hotel Building or Project’ and the overall ‘Architecture Grand Prix’ award. Speaking about the awards, Rob MacKenna, General Manager at James Jones Lockerbie site said “We are delighted with the recognition the new building has received. The striking design and innovative use of solid and engineered timber products are a great example of how timber can be used to deliver high quality office and meeting areas. Konishi Gaffney architects were able to articulate this in the building’s design and its fantastic their efforts, and those of the project team, have been recognised”. Building Design and Construction Magazine | The Home of Construction & Property News
Independent West Country house builder Devonshire Homes has exchanged conditional contracts for the acquisition of approximately 36 acres of land for a new build homes development in Trannack near Penzance, Cornwall. The West Cornwall site is located close to the A30 where c 300 architecturally-designed homes are planned for this scheme. Devonshire Homes will seek to obtain detailed planning consent for the development which will offer a mix of one and two bedroom flats and two, three, four and five bedroom homes with spectacular views. The land at Trannack is one of the major sites allocated for housing under Cornwall Council’s Local Plan for Penzance to support strategic growth in West Cornwall. With amazing elevated views from the site across to St Michael’s Mount, Devonshire Homes will bring forward a scheme to deliver a new access road from the A30 and a range of homes which sit well within the topography of the site, maximising the stunning outlook and views. The award-winning house builder, which currently has active sites in St. Austell, Crediton, Bovey Tracey, Kingsbridge and Bideford, will submit a reserved matters application later this year with an aim for construction to start following planning consent. Angus Cook, Managing Director at Devonshire Homes, commented: “We are pleased to have exchanged contracts on land at Trannack for a forthcoming Devonshire Homes development. This is the first of several we have in solicitors hands, to further build the land pipeline for the business. The Trannack development will be one of our ‘anchor’ sites. “Work will now start on submitting a detailed planning application for a range of new homes on this allocated development. We are looking forward to engaging with residents, community stakeholders and councils as we finalise our plans to deliver much-needed new homes that mean prospective buyers from varying stages of the property ladder will be able to find a suitable home here.” The acquisition of land at Trannack is an important strategic milestone for South West based Devonshire Homes as the 30-year old residential home developer builds its land bank and drives its ambitious five-year growth plan forward. The Devonshire Homes team has decades of experience in building new communities across the West Country with current developments including: Tarka View, Crediton; Longston Cross, Bovey Tracey; Applegate Park, Kingsbridge; Gwallon Keas, St. Austell and The Grange, Bideford. To find out more about Devonshire Homes, visit www.devonshirehomes.co.uk. Building Design and Construction Magazine | The Home of Construction & Property News
