A student-led mixed-use development scheme in London has secured funding of £125 million. The development, which will be offered exclusively to King’s College London (KCL) students, will feature 654 beds alongside 60,000 sq. ft of Grade-A office accommodation and an incubator space for entrepreneurial start-up businesses. Urbanest’s Aldgate scheme, to
A showcase campus has enabled three schools to co-locate, while also providing a showpiece for a trio of Armstrong Ceiling Solutions, including TechZone™, the industry’s first easy-to-specify-and-install ceiling acoustic solution with integrated technical services. The new state-of-the-art Balloch Campus in West Dunbartonshire features three highly acoustic Armstrong Ceiling Solutions throughout
With the new school year now underway, Richard Werth, CEO of Troy Homes has taken a look at the impact that ‘outstanding’ Ofsted rated schools have on house prices. According to data from the Land Registry, Department of Education and Ofsted, the connection between family sized homes and proximity to
WORK has started to deliver state-of-the-art facilities as part of a new £60 million development for the King’s School – one of the largest independent day schools in the UK. Pick Everard – the independent property, construction and infrastructure consultancy – is providing full design and engineering services for the
The London Borough of Hounslow has seen a surge in demand for special educational needs and disability (SEND) school places for children, which led to the construction of a new flagship teaching facility. The site of the existing Marjory Kinnon School has been transformed into a 9,500 sqm state-of-the-art building
Situated in the heart of Unity Campus, Cambridge, The Works provide contemporary office spaces unlike any other. Designed with connection and collaboration at its core, The Works provide business and offices spaces that stand to be both inspiring and flexible. Offering high quality internal circulation, breakout and amenity space. The
The ambitious development of the National Exhibition Centre Campus in Solihull has unveiled its plans, which will create up to 10,000 new jobs and 2,500 new homes. The NEC Masterplan, launched by Birmingham City Council and The NEC Group, involves the redevelopment of 75 hectares of land in Solihull into
Huge current debate for architects and designers in the education sector surround what can be done to ensure schools are created with safety at the heart of the design, as school shootings continue to rise. Despite ideas for metal detectors, more resources offices and even calls for teachers to be
Northern Ireland architecture practice Hamilton Architects have landed the contract for the delivery of a £42m project which will help transform the City Campus for Canterbury Christ Church University. Hamilton will carry out the design and enabling works for an 18,000 sqm state of the art Science, Engineering, Technology and
A major new £195 million student accommodation scheme for Kingston University in London has announced the regeneration specialist, Engie, as the preferred bidder. As part of the contract, the firm will be responsible for energy management and monitoring across the site, as well as bringing leading edge technology to deliver
A student-led mixed-use development scheme in London has secured funding of £125 million. The development, which will be offered exclusively to King’s College London (KCL) students, will feature 654 beds alongside 60,000 sq. ft of Grade-A office accommodation and an incubator space for entrepreneurial start-up businesses. Urbanest’s Aldgate scheme, to be known as UrbanestCity, is being completed by Balfour Beatty with a funding loan from M&G Investments. “This is Urbanest’s most ambitious student-led mixed-use development to date, providing a unique blend of student housing, heritage, entrepreneurial innovation, commerce and leisure space uses which will sit alongside and complement each other in the completed scheme. We are delighted to be working with M&G and KCL again and our aspiration with Urbanest City is to add another landmark location within our expanding PBSA portfolio,” said Vicky Skinner, CFO at Urbanest. The remains of a bastion tower and part of the 4th century wall that encircled the Roman City of Londinium are concealed beneath the Aldgate development. Urbanest is working with Museum of London to incorporate these archaeological remains into the project, which consolidates two former office buildings (Emperor House and Roman Wall House) acquired by Urbanest in early 2017. The Roman remains are set to be made readily accessible to the public for the first time within a three-storey gallery and museum. “Urbanest continues to provide fantastic facilities for students in London and we are delighted to expand our relationship and enable the construction of this exciting development. We continue to see increasing demand for student accommodation in the capital and this deal provides our institutional investors with access to attractive returns secured against high quality real estate in London’s city centre,” added Adam Willis, Associate Director in M&G’s Real Estate Finance team. The building is scheduled for completion in 2021.
A showcase campus has enabled three schools to co-locate, while also providing a showpiece for a trio of Armstrong Ceiling Solutions, including TechZone™, the industry’s first easy-to-specify-and-install ceiling acoustic solution with integrated technical services. The new state-of-the-art Balloch Campus in West Dunbartonshire features three highly acoustic Armstrong Ceiling Solutions throughout – Perla OP 0.95 Tegular mineral tiles on Prelude 24 TLX grid, Parafon Hygien Board mineral tiles on a 24mm corrosion-resistant grid, and Armstrong’s revolutionary TechZone™ integrated ceiling system incorporating Perla OP MicroLook planks. Delivered by main contractor Morgan Sindall, they were specified by architects Holmes Miller for the £16 million campus for “cost and quality” reasons and installed by Armstrong’s Green Omega specialist sub-contractor Brian Hendry Interiors. As part of their membership of Armstrong’s Green Omega network of recycling installers Brian Hendry Interiors also recycled 300m2 of the new ceiling tile off-cuts during the installation process, preventing almost a tonne of material going to landfill and the consumption of an equivalent weight of raw materials. For maximum acoustic comfort some 1,600m2 of Perla OP 0.95 600mm x 600mm tiles with a Tegular edge detail within a standard 24mm grid were used in offices, classrooms and stores. These tiles perform to Sound Absorption Class A and were also the first mineral ceiling tile in Europe to win Cradle to Cradle™ certification as part of the new generation of sustainable and acoustic ceilings offered by Armstrong. In the corridors and breakout areas Armstrong’s TechZone™ integrated ceiling system was specified with a 15mm XL2 grid, fabricated to special lengths of 900, 2100 and 2400mm. Incorporating 800m2 of Perla OP 0.95 1200mm x 300mm MicroLook, the TechZone™ system was specified to achieve the aesthetics of a linear plank system and seamlessly integrate and complement the 100mm wide linear lighting arrangement. In addition, it addressed the clutter of services above in a crowded corridor installation and provided an acoustic Class A product to reduce unwanted noise in the busy ceiling plane. To complete the trio of Armstrong ceiling systems installed at Balloch Campus, 160m2 of Parafon Hygien 600mm x 600mm tiles, which offer Class A sound absorption, 95% humidity resistance and clean room classification to ISO 4, were used within a 24mm corrosion-resistant grid in the high humidity zones, such as the kitchen areas and stores. The new 53,280ft2 campus has been built on the site of the former St Kessog’s Primary and provides a new home for it, along with Haldene Primary and Jamestown Primary, to create the newly-formed school, Balloch Primary Campus*. An Additional Support Needs (ASN) unit and a new Balloch Early Learning and Childcare Centre (ELCC**) are also operating at the site. In total there are 21 open-plan flexible learning spaces for the potential 747 students, as well as a centrally-located shared administrative areas, gym halls and assembly area, while the ASN has capacity to assist 36 pupils with a varying range of support needs. The £16 million campus represents a major investment in the education offering in the area by West Dunbartonshire Council through what is now the Scottish Procurement Alliance. This supports the efficient construction, refurbishment and maintenance of social housing and public buildings throughout Scotland. With multiple stakeholders across the three schools and the local authority, the framework procurement route afforded early-stage collaboration on design, budget and timescales. The 16-month steel frame build to BIM Level 2 was completed on schedule and to budget. Brian Hendry Interiors had a team of up to 16 operatives, including apprentices, on site for five months.
With the new school year now underway, Richard Werth, CEO of Troy Homes has taken a look at the impact that ‘outstanding’ Ofsted rated schools have on house prices. According to data from the Land Registry, Department of Education and Ofsted, the connection between family sized homes and proximity to a school with an ‘outstanding’ Ofsted rating (state or private; primary or secondary) can be as much as 28% and, even at the extremities of the schools’ catchment areas, it can remain around 20%. Given that some schools’ catchment areas can span 20 miles in each direction from the school’s gates, an Ofsted ‘outstanding’ rating can affect a huge swathe of property. Whilst living within a school’s catchment area does not guarantee a place, it certainly helps. For example, living within the catchment area of a Grammar School is often essential to securing a place. The premium for homes within 5 miles of popular private schools is often much higher than 28% – particularly in University cities where demand outstrips supply. So, as there is usually no formal catchment area, there is a temptation to live further away from the school. But, it is worth bearing in mind that if you live 10-15 miles west of the school, then your child’s best friend could easily live the same distance to the east of the school, making sleepovers and parties very complicated! Choosing the right schools is highly individual and can change as your children develop. It can be a complex and daunting process but, in the end, it very often comes down to ‘gut feel’ – you just know when you have connected with staff, students and atmosphere and if it just feels right. Buying to be in a catchment area is one thing, but the family home still has to meet the demands of all the family’s lives. Affordability, design, layout, size, commute, local facilities are just a few of the criteria that should be considered; after all, life outside school is just as important. But, for everyone’s benefit, the shorter the school run, the better.
WORK has started to deliver state-of-the-art facilities as part of a new £60 million development for the King’s School – one of the largest independent day schools in the UK. Pick Everard – the independent property, construction and infrastructure consultancy – is providing full design and engineering services for the 80-acre, Derby Fields development in Macclesfield, which is expected to be completed in May 2020. The school’s current three sites will be united into one area, creating a new 16,000m2 academic building with 350 rooms, in addition to a new sports centre – which will include: a six lane, 25m swimming pool; a six-court sports hall and a dedicated indoor cricket centre. Externally, five new rugby pitches, one rounders field, two AstroTurf hockey pitches and six netball courts will be created. Duncan Green, managing partner at Pick Everard said: “We are delighted to be working on such a major project for both the King’s School and Macclesfield as a town. We’ve been working with the school consolidating its estate onto a single site with brand new buildings so we’re pleased that work has now begun to realise this vision.” Natalie Clemson, associate director said: “As well as including fantastic educational and sporting facilities, the new building will be highly energy efficient and sustainable with a BREEAM rating of ‘very good’. It will also score highly on environmental management, responsible construction, resource efficiency, low energy and water use with a reduced carbon footprint, as well as efficient heating and lighting systems and controls, among other sustainable features.” The new development – the most ambitious project in the school’s 516-year history –will supplement, and sit adjacent to, the school’s existing Derby Fields campus. The project has been funded by the school selling its existing two sites in Fence Avenue and Cumberland Street to housing developers, which will provide sustainable and affordable homes in the area along with retirement and assisted living options. Natalie added: “The school selling its existing sites to fund the project has freed up valuable land in the town centre for housing, which in turn will address the town’s need for additional housing and provide significant economic growth. “We also worked with the school to deliver a series of value engineering workshops, which contributed savings of up £6 million, as well as providing design solutions to maximise teaching space while meeting the client’s budget.” The King’s School, which has 300 employees, provides education for more than 1,200 students from pre-school through to sixth form. John Kennerley, chair of governors at King’s School said: “We are delighted to be able to launch our 2020 vision for King’s. It will deliver not just a fantastic campus for our pupils, but enable us to develop further community use of the school beyond the 27 organisations that already share our facilities.” Headmaster Simon Hyde added: “We are extremely keen to ensure that our legacy is a positive one both for the school and Macclesfield in general. The development of a mix of sustainable housing close to the town centre will hopefully continue to bolster the attractiveness of Macclesfield as a place to live and support the many excellent new shops and businesses currently taking root.” John Roberts, regional director at Vinci Construction UK Ltd, the project’s lead contractor, added: “We are proud to be delivering the new campus, which will provide the very best educational facilities available for the school, its pupils and for the wider community.” Pick Everard employs more than 500 staff across its 11 UK offices, providing a range of project, cost and design consultancy services.
The London Borough of Hounslow has seen a surge in demand for special educational needs and disability (SEND) school places for children, which led to the construction of a new flagship teaching facility. The site of the existing Marjory Kinnon School has been transformed into a 9,500 sqm state-of-the-art building offering spaces for 288 pupils – creating one of the largest all-through schools of its type in the country. Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson, who holds 11 Paralympic gold medals for wheelchair racing, officially opened the £25 million school, in Feltham. “We’re proud to have been involved in a major programme, which will completely transform children in Hounslow’s access to high-quality and tailored SEND education,” said David Nisbet, partner at independent property, construction and infrastructure consultancy Pick Everard, which provided full design architectural and engineering services for the project. “Through collaboration with the contractor, Farrans, during construction, we were able to complete the Marjory Kinnon School – one of the country’s largest SEND schools – ahead of programme and under budget. The team worked collaboratively with the school to understand the complex teaching requirements to deliver a successful project,” he added. The school now offers a rich provision of inclusive and accessible environments for pupils aged four to 16 years to learn and play as they progress through school towards independent adult life in the community. Young people with special educational needs and disabilities have the chance to flourish and grow as individuals and adults in a positive schooling environment, with a personalised and diverse curriculum, while ensuring they have the best possible access to appropriate academic and vocational opportunities. Externally, the building uses a soft palette of materials – including subtle shades of brick and timber-effect panelling – to create an inviting and safe backdrop for the school. Internally, classrooms have been designed to be adaptable based on the environmental needs of different students, from the need to control visual stimulation through colour and shape, to the requirement for overhead hoists and adjustable height furniture for pupils with physical mobility aids. Primary and secondary wings were also constructed within the school to separate pupils by age into manageable groups.
Situated in the heart of Unity Campus, Cambridge, The Works provide contemporary office spaces unlike any other. Designed with connection and collaboration at its core, The Works provide business and offices spaces that stand to be both inspiring and flexible. Offering high quality internal circulation, breakout and amenity space. The Works illustrate up to 63,000 sq ft of contemporary business space with suites available from 7,500 sq ft. Beginning in October 2018, with occupation set to begin in November 2018, amenity spaces and creative break out spaces deliver an exemplary new business arena to South Cambridgeshire. The £20 million innovative multi-led business space project is now well under way. Representing the first phase of significant investment by Cambridge based Howard Group to bring forth the new campus style Business Park. The extensive new space is taking place within the footprint of the formal industrial building which currently occupies the site, incorporating the pre-cast concrete frame of the original building which is to be transformed by world-renowned architects NBBJ. The team will see a contemporary office space of high quality with R&D space come forth that teams industrial aesthetics with world class design. Connected by a 100 meter long converted central street, the two storey office build will promote everything the contemporary work space could ever wish to need. Already the Howard Group has completed the first 7,500 sq ft pre-let, with additional suits in The Works being available soon, from 5,000 sq ft upwards, configured to suit the needs of every client. Howard Group’s Development Director, William Jewson, commented: “The goal at The Works is to create an environment where dynamic, growing businesses can thrive. South Cambridge has a huge number of occupiers looking for something a little different to the institutional office stock available, that will help them to both recruit and retain talent, and inspire and engage their workforce. With excellent train services, cycle routes in central Cambridge and easy access to the main road network, this is the perfect campus-style office location. “The Works is the first stage of our master plan for Unity Campus. The ultimate aim is to create a new kind of Business Park, with striking architecture, grade A infrastructure, a pedestrian and cycle friendly circulation space and excellent amenities both internally and externally. We would love to talk to any businesses interested in making the move into something a little more exciting than the more conventional Business Park.” The project stands as an innovation that will provide exceptionally contemporary space, in which like-minded people and businesses can meet, work, relax and share ideas. The Howard Group is a family owned, regional property company with significant commercial and residential portfolios across the East of England and London. For more information on the Howard Group, please visit: http://howard-ventures.com/
The ambitious development of the National Exhibition Centre Campus in Solihull has unveiled its plans, which will create up to 10,000 new jobs and 2,500 new homes. The NEC Masterplan, launched by Birmingham City Council and The NEC Group, involves the redevelopment of 75 hectares of land in Solihull into 315,000 square metres of new floorspace. “I am delighted to launch this Masterplan which sets out a radical vision for the transformation of the NEC campus which will not only see the Midlands International appeal and global position strengthened but also bring huge economic benefits to our local communities,” said Ian Ward, Leader of Birmingham City Council. The site is home to the NEC, its sister benue Genting Arena, Resorts World Birmingham and the recently-opened Merlin visitor attraction – Bear Grylls Adventure. “I welcome the publication of this Masterplan for the NEC which has been identified as one of the main areas for growth in the UK Central Hub, Solihull. These ambitious proposals to continue the diversification of the leisure and entertainment offer are a key component of the UK Central vision to be globally renowned as one of the best connected destinations for business, leisure and living in Europe and a major engine for growth in the UK,” said Councillor Bob Sleigh, Leader of Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council. Recently sold to private equity funds managed by Blackstone, the City Council retained a freehold interest in the land at the Solihull site. “With the backing of our new majority shareholder, Blackstone, we have ambitious plans to develop our business further. The Masterplan is an important element of that expansion and builds on the excellent progress we have made over the last few years towards creating a truly world-class business, entertainment and leisure destination,” added Paul Thandi, CEO of NEC Group. The NEC Masterplan will be endorsed at a council meeting on the 13th of November.
Huge current debate for architects and designers in the education sector surround what can be done to ensure schools are created with safety at the heart of the design, as school shootings continue to rise. Despite ideas for metal detectors, more resources offices and even calls for teachers to be armed and students to carry bulletproof backpacks, these security steps do not address the fundamental dilemma. This dilemma lies in the overall layout of a building, in how a school works, and how students and teachers within that school, college, or university need to be protected inside it. Architects across America are now looking to their own expertise to help defuse the situation. Although an issue that sounds almost incomprehensible, school shootings are ripe. Putting incredible amounts of students and teachers in danger everyday. As of October 4th (2018), 65 shootings had taken place in school campuses across the United States (figure released by non-profit organisation: Everytown for Gun Safety). This stands as a large percentage of the 297 mass shootings in the US so far this year, and already matches the amount of school shootings that took place in 2017. Everytown for Gun Safety define a school shooting as any time a firearm discharges a live round inside an educational building, within the campus or on faculty grounds. Conventional thinking on improving school safety at first conjures images of prison like security systems, including extensive bag checks and closed circuit cameras, maybe even with armed police roaming the halls. This however, is the exact opposite of what architects in the sector are proposing. It has to come to the attention of many experts in the field that a school needs to be of course safe, but also not become a prison like institute. Reports have shown that both safety and a welcoming feel are integral areas of understanding for the future of educational design. New design proposals include the notion of: One way in – more ways out. Door control is a huge issue in school shootings, and facilities with ample entrance ways are thought to be easy targets. New buildings are being devised with a single point of entry that all visitors, teachers and students must enter through, and anyone entering can easily be viewed on their arrival. Ensuring visitors go through an office before entering the main grounds is also a huge area of design discussion, to keep those inside the building, safe. Having more than one exit not only offers safety in the case of attack, but also complies with fire safety laws and other emergency situations. Contemporary facilities are also being designed with wider, more open hallways that provide clear lines of sight. Giving people the ability to stand and monitor with ease and allow for CCTV to have clear vision without nooks or crannies blocking surveillance. Open hallways have the potential to be sealed off in the case of emergency, creating an extra layer of security and potentially creating a barrier against an intruder. The general overall idea behind the hallways are to create a collaborative environment of learning that can function as a security zone until the correct authorities arise to defuse a situation. Some schools have strengthened the glass on doors and windows to reinforce buildings as harder to attack. This robustness emits the idea that the school can be safe without being too threatening and intimidating in appearance. Although not bulletproof, reinforced doors and glass can withstand certain amounts of stress, much like those in a car windshield, so intruders cannot easily shatter glass and have access to a facility. The overall landscaping of learning institutions are being redesigned. Having a visible parameter with nowhere to hide, such as through a single pathway or small short shrubs means that intruders can easily be seen from a distance. This, in practise, funnels visitors through one main entrance point and anyone of suspicion can be seen before they have the chance to implement a shooting or create an emergency situation. Designers and Architects are taking matters of security extremely seriously, and although school security is more than the threat of active shootings, experts are offering some of the best known solutions to a currently out of hand problem. The newest of school designs account for not only the threat of active shootings, but aid to help bullying, stop sexual assaults and be equipped for weather emergencies. With supervision, communication and prevention, teamed with some of the greatest designers in America, Architects are hoping that contemporary safety measures in buildings can create a safer year for schools in 2019 and beyond.
Northern Ireland architecture practice Hamilton Architects have landed the contract for the delivery of a £42m project which will help transform the City Campus for Canterbury Christ Church University. Hamilton will carry out the design and enabling works for an 18,000 sqm state of the art Science, Engineering, Technology and Health teaching facility, one of three new buildings planned for the old Prison Quarter site. Building work on the STEM facility, currently known as Building 2, is currently onsite with a delivery date of 2020, but the overall redevelopment of the university estate will take up to 15 years to complete at a cost of over £150m. “Hamilton Architects are delighted to have won the contract to deliver this prestigious project against stiff national competition,” said Mark Haslett, Partner and Project Lead. “It is one of 18 education projects, valued at over £150m, which are currently on our books. “We are very happy with how the project is progressing following the significant development of a design we inherited which has appreciably increased the amount of usable teaching space. “With all approvals now in place our team is on site one to two days a week and we have forged a partnership with architecture practice Hazle McCormack Young to act as our representatives in Canterbury.” As well as Belfast and Derry, Hamilton also have offices in London, where the practice is on five design frameworks – for the Metropolitan Police, Metropolitan Housing, North River Alliance, Orbit Housing and the Central and North West London NHS Trust. “We are very pleased at how well the expansion of the practice into London and the south-east is going,” Mark added. “We are nearing completion of a social housing project for Ealing Council and are currently carrying out a refurbishment of six police stations for the Metropolitan police.” While education projects of all sizes are a speciality of the practice, Hamilton also handle a broad portfolio in projects in the health, sports, commercial, social housing and conservation sectors, including work for DAERA’s new headquarters in Ballykelly. Other live education projects include the new £29m South West College, on the site of the former Erne Hospital in Enniskillen, a £7m redevelopment for Methodist College Belfast, a £25m new school for Holy Trinity College, Cookstown, an Irish language primary school in Omagh and a 600 pupil secondary school in Crossmaglen.
A major new £195 million student accommodation scheme for Kingston University in London has announced the regeneration specialist, Engie, as the preferred bidder. As part of the contract, the firm will be responsible for energy management and monitoring across the site, as well as bringing leading edge technology to deliver a sustainable student experience and also optimising levels of energy efficiency within the buildings. Initially, Engie will provide a £55 million redesign and refurbishment of the existing student accommodation, followed by a 50-year facilities management and lifecycle contract worth a further £140 million. Moreover, alongside leading infrastructure investment firm, Equitix, Engie will also take an equity stake in the refurbishment project. Engie will carry out interim FM services during the refurbishment phase. “We are delighted to have been selected as preferred bidder by Kingston University for this first-of-its-kind contract for ENGIE in the UK. This is further proof of the ability of our teams to combine their energy, services and regeneration expertise to propose integrated offers meeting the public sector needs. This project illustrates how ENGIE’s global approach meets its client’s needs in their entirety and complexity. This is enabled by a comprehensive offer and by an integration into local and global ecosystems. The project is aligned with our strategy to assist local authorities and other public sector customers, working alongside them to shape the future use of their estates and public spaces through planning, design and management, to improve the lives of those who use them,” said Judith Hartmann, Engie Chief Financial Officer and Executive Vice President in charge of the United Kingdom and North America Business Units. As a leader in the energy revolution, Engie offers a comprehensive range of clean mobility solutions that transform the way energy is used. The Group has developed a systems-based approach that combines its skills and expertise in alternative fuels, transport infrastructures, smart transit systems, and upstream design and planning.
