Bermondsey residents were invited to learn more about free construction training opportunities at an Open Day on the site of the former Thorowgoods department store on Southwark Park Road. Local people who may have recently been made redundant, are looking to retrain, return to work following furlough or just an
AES Engineering Ltd has announced the launch of the AES Engineering Reliability Group (AES Reliability). The new group brings Rotherham-based AES Engineering’s range of asset management and plant reliability companies under one banner, offering one of the most comprehensive services on the market. The launch of the new group follows
The Princess Alexandra Hospital NHS Trust is working on an exciting project to create a new healthcare campus as part of the government’s Health Infrastructure Plan. When opened, the campus will transform how care is delivered across the Hertfordshire and West Essex Integrated Care System; to enable this transformation the
Plans have been submitted for more homes to be potentially added to a scheme called Gibson Park, centred around a landmark building on the banks of the Mersey with views across to the Liverpool skyline. Andrew Gibson House in Wallasey, which was built in 1906 for the widows of retired
Leading construction and fit-out company, Gilbert-Ash, has announced work is underway on the Grade II listed, seven-storey commercial office building The Kodak. The Gilbert-Ash team has been appointed by Clearbell Capital to undertake extensive internal and external repair, refurbishment and reconfiguration alterations to form a new CAT A office. The
Junction 32 Yorkshire Outlet Shopping has partnered with Castleford’s Siobhan Murphy, finalist in the BBC’s Interior Design Masters, to create a unique pop-up window display at its centre. ‘The Junction 32 Edit by Siobhan Murphy’ will see the flamboyant star of Interior Design Masters designing a pop-up display in a
Nationwide Building Society will now be offering a cashback incentive for buyers purchasing a home with an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating of A or a high B. Research by Online Estate Agents Emoov shows that 33,824 homes in England and Wales qualify for a grade A rating, with 2,177,807
Apprentices at the Southwark Construction Skills Centre have been supporting Surrey Docks Farm, a working community farm and education charity in South East London, in building a shelter for its animals. The Skills Centre, which has trained more than 10,000 local residents and helped create more than 3,000 jobs in
Adelaide’s newest apartment development in Whitmore Square, designed by Enzo Caroscio, promises to be a sophisticated addition to the city’s southwest. Called 58 IPARRITYI, the Kaurna name for Whitmore Square, the boutique mixed-use building will sit on the southwest corner and will have 11 residences and a retail and hospitality
DMWR Architects has made two senior promotions and a new appointment within the Practice. Paolo Di Gennaro, who is based in the London office and Chris Lenehan, based in the DMWR Manchester office, have both been promoted to Director. In addition, Adam Blacker has been appointed to the role of Director.
Bermondsey residents were invited to learn more about free construction training opportunities at an Open Day on the site of the former Thorowgoods department store on Southwark Park Road. Local people who may have recently been made redundant, are looking to retrain, return to work following furlough or just an extended work break were invited to come along to find out about the training available. Up to 500 Bermondsey residents were offered free construction and digital skills training at the Southwark Construction Skills Centre for the coming months, thanks to a partnership between The Skills Centre, The Blue Bermondsey, Big Local Works and Southwark Council. Those taking part in the training will have direct access to job opportunities at the £500 million redevelopment of the former Peek Frean biscuit factory, as well as at ongoing works at Canada Water and Old Kent Road developments. “Here at SCSC, we have trained hundreds of people from all over London since opening in 2016, and have helped them start their new careers in construction,” said John White MBE, Director of Southwark Construction Skills Centre (SCSC). “With so many big construction projects going on in and around Southwark at the moment, we think it’s important that the local community benefits from these job opportunities as much as possible and so we are looking to help secure local training and jobs, for local people. The range of opportunities in construction may surprise some people – come along to find out. No previous experience is required as we have a programme of pre-employability training to get people started on their new career in construction.” The Southwark Construction Skills Centre also includes a community digital classroom at the site of former high street department store Thorowgoods on Southwark Park Road. This facility will be open to all Southwark residents and offer digital skills training, again to help those who might find themselves out of work because of the pandemic, or in need of digital refresher courses.
AES Engineering Ltd has announced the launch of the AES Engineering Reliability Group (AES Reliability). The new group brings Rotherham-based AES Engineering’s range of asset management and plant reliability companies under one banner, offering one of the most comprehensive services on the market. The launch of the new group follows a two-year period of expansion and acquisition and includes: AVT Reliability Ltd, which has bases in Cheshire, UK, and County Cork, the Republic of Ireland; Van Geffen Reliability, based in the Netherlands; and AVT Reliability Inc, based in Tennessee, USA. The companies offer more than 45 years of expertise, delivering plant asset management and reliability improvement services and solutions, with in-depth knowledge of the most advanced condition monitoring technology. “Every company in the group shares one key attribute – it has reliability in its DNA. Very few, if any, companies can deliver the comprehensive, 360° service that the AES Reliability group offers. In addition to on-site services, our Remote Diagnostics Centres are staffed by certified engineers 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, providing on-demand support to clients requiring instant or routine problem diagnosis,” said Technical Director of AES Reliability, Lee McFarlane. “Our aim now is to continue to expand the AES Reliability group, with the simple goal of improving the reliability of our customers’ assets and operations, to save them time and money,” he added. The company’s consultancy and on-site services encompass troubleshooting support, condition monitoring, structural monitoring, pipework vibration compliance, rotor dynamics/reciprocating services, energy assessment and pump reliability.
The Princess Alexandra Hospital NHS Trust is working on an exciting project to create a new healthcare campus as part of the government’s Health Infrastructure Plan. When opened, the campus will transform how care is delivered across the Hertfordshire and West Essex Integrated Care System; to enable this transformation the trust’s board has stated that ‘it wants to be the most digitally advanced hospital in the UK’. To help form a business case to achieve its ambitions, the trust has been working with Gemserv Health. The Princess Alexandra Hospital NHS Trust serves a population of 350,000 people living around the M11 corridor just north of London. It provides general acute, outpatient and diagnostic services from three sites, including its main hospital in Harlow. Princess Alexandra Hospital is a classic ‘hospital building programme’ facility opened in phases from 1958 to 1966. In August last year, the trust confirmed exciting plans to create a new healthcare campus, supported by the government’s Health Infrastructure Plan (HIP) to build or refurbish 40 hospitals. The Department of Health and Social Care’s outline for the HIP makes it clear that “it is not just about bricks and mortar” but about making sure that the “digital technologies and data sharing capabilities” are in place to provide better care to the public. Digital agency NHSX has developed a blueprint for what these might mean; and it is very ambitious. So, as Helen Davis, the deputy programme director for the new Princess Alexandra Hospital explains, it will use elements of the blueprint to make sure it is one of the most digitally enabled in the country. “We have the advantage of being one of the few hospitals in the programme to be working on a complete new build,” she says. “So, we are able to plan to transform all elements of the patient journey using digital. “That means everything from the moment people arrive at the hospital to the way they move through the building, to how their treatment is provided, to the way in which the building itself is managed. All of this will be supported by new technology and digital solutions.” Significant work has been undertaken by the trust in developing its business case and roadmap for achieving its ambitious goal, and this has been shared with the HIP’s New Hospital Programme executives, NHSE/I and NHSX, with positive feedback. As such a project is vast and complex, the trust has engaged specialist expertise from Gemserv Health to create a commercial case for the digital elements. The Gemserv team helped the trust to think through how it wanted to deliver the technology, taking account of the resources available to support different delivery options. Then, it helped the trust to work out how best to procure the preferred delivery options. One of a number of ideas that was explored in some detail was whether the trust could collaborate with national digital and procurement bodies and other HIP hospital trusts to create a specific set of framework arrangements for any of the 40 organisations in the HIP to use. Although carefully considered, the timing and a limited capacity within the organisations to bring this all together meant it was not viable for the trust to pursue this option. In the end the key issue became whether the trust should look to work with many suppliers on the different elements of the blueprint, or whether it should look to work with one or two lead contractors to secure them. “A lot of what is in the blueprint is very new technology,” Entwistle says. “Most of it is in use somewhere in the world, but no organisation is using all of it anywhere. That means the trusts in the HIP are going to need to find the right suppliers; the people who don’t just deliver the component parts but make it all work together in an integrated way. “In the end, we produced a commercial case that took account of the trust’s capacity to manage its suppliers and its appetite for risk.”
Plans have been submitted for more homes to be potentially added to a scheme called Gibson Park, centred around a landmark building on the banks of the Mersey with views across to the Liverpool skyline. Andrew Gibson House in Wallasey, which was built in 1906 for the widows of retired seafarers, has been derelict for more than ten years. Works are now underway to restore the building as well as adding a new build set of apartments and houses. The site was previously owned by Nautilus Welfare Fund but was sold to the current owner, property developer Prospect Capital, who purchased the site in November 2019. “The restoration of Andrew Gibson House and the wider redevelopment of the site is now well underway, and we have been on site now for a good six months. It has been during an international pandemic, but we have managed to keep up momentum despite most of the economy being on lockdown. The construction industry has been lucky in that we could continue to work and phase 1 will be completed by the end of the summer. The project will be ready by the summer of 2022.” said Prospect Capital managing director Craig Blackwell. Prospect Capital has now also gone into planning for two more houses on the Gibson Park site to add to the current four houses currently with planning. “We are pleased to announce we have gone into planning for an additional two houses from Wirral Council. These houses will both be four-bed family homes and will be around 1,500 sq. ft in size. We feel this then gives the whole development a great mix of residents. From families to first time buyers to those downsizing homes. A mix of the grand old house restored into apartments, mixed with some new build apartments and a cluster of houses,” added Craig Blackwell.
Leading construction and fit-out company, Gilbert-Ash, has announced work is underway on the Grade II listed, seven-storey commercial office building The Kodak. The Gilbert-Ash team has been appointed by Clearbell Capital to undertake extensive internal and external repair, refurbishment and reconfiguration alterations to form a new CAT A office. The prominent corner landmark building is the former London Headquarters of one-time camera giant Kodak, built in 1911 to house offices, storerooms, dark rooms, printing rooms, a shop and warehouse. The Grade II listed Art Deco building comprises 7,360m2 from basement to 7th floor with the exterior clad in Portland stone, heather red brickwork and glazed bricks. “We are really pleased to be working on this landmark building. We have previously delivered a full range of projects across the commercial workplace sector, and we never tire of the opportunity to work on historically significant sites. We have considerable experience in this realm and relish facing down and overcoming the challenges buildings like this can often present. We will apply our usual determination and innovation when delivering this project, working alongside our partners to make the client’s vision a reality,” said Gilbert-Ash Managing Director Ray Hutchinson. Due to complete in May 2022, Gilbert-Ash’s scope of work includes creating a new entrance off Keeley Street to provide access from Covent Garden and works to a new communal roof terrace on the 8th floor, comprising CLT panels. Other improvements include enhancing the buildings EPC rating, advancing disabled access throughout the building and overseeing the addition of cycle and shower facilities in the basement. A robust damp proofing package will be undertaken in the basement. Works also include the restoration of the Kingsway reception entrance and its internal finishes, in addition to new Crittal effect windows which mirror the original windows and will be sympathetic to the building’s listed status, and the installation of WC and lift cores. Gilbert-Ash has a unique approach to construction, fit-out and refurbishment based on the belief that great buildings come about through hard work, inspired innovation and genuine collaboration. It continues to complete a broad portfolio of successful construction projects across sectors including arts and culture, workplace, hotels and leisure, science and technology, retail and residential.
Junction 32 Yorkshire Outlet Shopping has partnered with Castleford’s Siobhan Murphy, finalist in the BBC’s Interior Design Masters, to create a unique pop-up window display at its centre. ‘The Junction 32 Edit by Siobhan Murphy’ will see the flamboyant star of Interior Design Masters designing a pop-up display in a large shop window, utilising key products from the centre’s homeware, fashion and beauty brands. “I’m absolutely thrilled to be designing some of the window displays for Junction 32. I live here in Castleford and it’s great having such wonderful shops right on my doorstep. I just love being creative so expect to see some flamboyant window displays this summer,” said Siobhan Murphy. Known for her brightly coloured clothing and creativity, Siobhan will inject her maximalist interior style which she incorporated into her own Art Deco house in Castleford, coupled with her favourite aspects of the local community. Visitors will be able to watch Siobhan create the window display first-hand on Wednesday 5th May and the display will be live until Wednesday 23rd June. “We’re really excited to be partnering with Castleford’s own Siobhan Murphy. We know what an inspiration Siobhan was during Interior Design Masters and we wanted to showcase our retailers’ products in a fun and uplifting way,” said Kerry Ford, Centre Marketing Manager at Junction 32. “The window display is designed to inspire our visitors on how they can add their own sense of individualism to a completely blank canvas through their beauty products and wardrobe choices and in their own homes. We hope they join us on Wednesday 5th May to welcome Siobhan to the centre and unveil her pop-up display which we’re confident will truly brighten up everyone’s day.” ‘The Junction 32 Edit by Siobhan Murphy’ follows news of Yankee Candle and Baytree Interiors opening stores at Junction 32 Yorkshire Outlet Shopping earlier this month.
Nationwide Building Society will now be offering a cashback incentive for buyers purchasing a home with an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating of A or a high B. Research by Online Estate Agents Emoov shows that 33,824 homes in England and Wales qualify for a grade A rating, with 2,177,807 homes currently on a B ratings – qualifying for the cashback incentive with a few changes. The Green Reward incentive comes as the government has set a target to get all social homes in the UK to a grade C or higher by 2030, in a combat to tackle climate change concerns to our housing. The Environment Agency has warned that rising sea levels and increased rainfall are already threatening coastal cities in the UK, while the UN has said that extremes of coastal flooding are to become far more frequent. “Climate change largely affects home insurance and mortgage lending. With the increased likelihood of flooding or high winds, insurance companies have to increase their premiums on properties within high risk flood areas. In turn, these higher premiums will decrease the likelihood of getting a mortgage on these properties,” said Naveen Jaspal, COO of Emoov. “Properties that are likely to become damaged will cause major uncertainty for mortgage lenders. The knock on effect will be much higher deposits and lower loan-to-value ratios in these areas, this is a problem, as due to climate change, we are seeing these high risk areas expanding.” Research by Emoov has revealed that cities such as Belfast, Bristol and Cardiff are already at risk, with Brighton being revealed as the city most at risk of climate change. The research used a mixture of National Trust, BBC and Climate Central data to compare factors such as rising sea levels, rainy days and storm damage.
Apprentices at the Southwark Construction Skills Centre have been supporting Surrey Docks Farm, a working community farm and education charity in South East London, in building a shelter for its animals. The Skills Centre, which has trained more than 10,000 local residents and helped create more than 3,000 jobs in the construction sector, has previously worked with Surrey Docks Farm to improve disabled access and was keen to support the charity further, as well as build a commitment to social responsibility among its apprentices. “We would like to give a huge thank you to the Southwark Construction Skills Centre for their continued support of the Farm. We’re delighted to get the donkey’s hard standing area completed so quickly and look forward to further projects with the apprentices,” said about the project Manager at Surrey Docks Farm Gemma Hooper. “The field shelter was funded through a memorial donation on behalf of someone who regularly visited and enjoyed the Farm. It’s wonderful that we can complete all the work in a community-focused way and get on with this, rather than wait on the groundwork. The donkeys (and all of our team) are delighted by this improvement to their living quarters!” Surrey Docks Farm was first established in 1975 and is located on a 2.2-acre site on the river Thames in Rotherhithe. The Farm provides a range of farming and educational experiences for the whole community, including giving adults with learning disabilities opportunities to gain confidence and independence through the development of animal care, horticulture and retail skills. With the support of construction specialists, Keltbray, who provided a range of building materials, five apprentices from Southwark Construction Skills Centre built a shelter base for Surrey Docks Farm’s donkeys. Donkeys do not have a natural build-up of grease to make their coat waterproof and need somewhere to shelter from the British weather. “The apprentices worked extremely hard, and I am delighted that we were able to support such a great cause. We know apprenticeships work and it was great to see both them and the farm benefiting from their efforts. Our apprentices not only gained skills valuable on large construction sites, but they also saw how they can use their skills to enrich their local communities,” added John White, Director of the Skills Centre. “Now that the Southwark Construction Skills Centre is moving from its original base at Elephant Park to a new home at Canada Water, we will be closer than ever to the Farm. We thoroughly enjoyed working with them and look forward to having our apprentices helping out again very soon.”
Adelaide’s newest apartment development in Whitmore Square, designed by Enzo Caroscio, promises to be a sophisticated addition to the city’s southwest. Called 58 IPARRITYI, the Kaurna name for Whitmore Square, the boutique mixed-use building will sit on the southwest corner and will have 11 residences and a retail and hospitality precinct at the ground level. Designer Enzo Caroscio, known locally for his work on the SAHMRI and Bohem apartment complex, said he took inspiration from the creative architecture of the Labyrinth home of Xavier Corbero and Rome’s Palazzo della Civilta’ Italiana. Caroscio said he wanted to create “highly sculptured and articulated architecture through recessed shadowing and the play of solid versus void”. The building features setback and stepped upper levels, repetitive and varied window openings, with symmetric arched framed loggias that will be transformed throughout the day by the contrast of shadows passing across at the façade. “The composition and creative form of the building creates a boutique and sophisticated original addition to Whitmore Square,” Caroscio said. “From within, we have created homes that feel part of the city with its visual connections to the green square and city skylines.” Melissa Pisanelli, the director of the developer Studio Simpatico, said she had lived in the city for the past decade and had ensured every aspect of 58 IPARRITYI was carefully considered to enhance city living. “I adore the village living that the southwest quarter provides, it offers the convenience of city living bundled with a strong sense of community,” Pisanelli said. “It’s exciting to see so many young couples and families moving into the area, as well as small businesses, and a surge of creative professionals.” Pisanelli said the complex was designed with these people in mind and would “contribute to the colourful and rich heritage of the square”. “The building is design orientated with fully functional spaces thoughtfully designed to be lived in,” she said. The generously sized homes include architecturally designed kitchens with Miele appliances, ducted reverse cycle air-conditioning, large bedrooms with built-in wardrobes, and floor-to-ceiling tiled bathrooms with premium Caroma fittings and fixtures. “We chose to partner with Caroma for all of our premium fittings and fixtures not only due to quality design and craftsmanship, but its unique heritage in Adelaide”, Pisanelli said. “The brand is a reminder of the entrepreneurial endeavours of migrants to Adelaide.” The fittings are not the only aspect giving a nod to South Australia. Local artists have also been commissioned to provide an artwork work for each level, including a permanent floral installation by Studio Botanic florist Nadia Travaglini, and each of the 23 bathrooms will have a hand-crafted basin by local ceramicist Samantha Faehrmann of Butter and Gravy. Pisanelli said custom-made oversized arched windows and large Juliette balconies will allow in natural light and promote cross-ventilation to the apartment. “Architecturally, there is nothing else like it in Adelaide,” she said. The innovative homes also incorporate large, functional outdoor spaces, with west-facing residences featuring a private ‘loggia’ to provide privacy and shade while framing views of Adelaide’s parklands. While the apartments will have private car parks, the complex will also house a Mercedes-Benz EQA electric vehicle for the shared use of residents through booking on a private app. If you’re on the hunt for real estate in Adelaide, 58 IPARRITYI is one of the most sought after developments in the city.
DMWR Architects has made two senior promotions and a new appointment within the Practice. Paolo Di Gennaro, who is based in the London office and Chris Lenehan, based in the DMWR Manchester office, have both been promoted to Director. In addition, Adam Blacker has been appointed to the role of Director. Paolo joined DMWR London in January 2014 as an Associate Director. His promotion is in recognition of his consistent success in delivering successful projects and his contribution to the growth of the Group over the past seven years. Chris joined the Manchester office in 2019 as Associate Director and in the past two years his commitment and dedication continues to help successfully grow and expand the Manchester office. Adam is a Design Architect with over 25 years’ experience, having previously worked for BDP and Benoy. He will be heading up and growing the design side of DMWR across the Group. Adam will be based in the London office. “It is wonderful to announce the promotions of both Paolo and Chris in recognition of the hard work and commitment they have both made to the Practice. We are also delighted to welcome Adam to the Practice. His wealth of experience will help us continue to grow the design side of the Group,” said Barry Harper-Smith, Managing Director of DMWR Architects. “It’s a very exciting time for DMWR and these three Directors will further strengthen the existing senior management team and will continue to drive the success of the business. With these three positions and the pipeline of new business, the future for DMWR is certainly looking very bright.” DMWR Architects is an international award winning RIBA Chartered Practice employing over 55 staff with offices in London, Manchester and Hertfordshire. Established in 1963 the Practice, alongside its parent company CHQ Group, specialises across many sectors including residential, student accommodation, retail, commercial, healthcare, leisure and international projects.
