BBLBnewsSpring 08BBLB architects llp newsletter

Stoke LocaL Service centreRegeneration project built on site of former Victorian market

act on co2

Calculate your carbon footprint

earLSdon park, coventryUrban masterplan & mixed use scheme

tHe avon vaLLeyScHooL new school & performing arts college

in warwickshire for 1100 pupils

www.bblb-architects.co.uk

The students of The Avon Valley school & Performing Arts College started the last academic year in a brand new facility. The £17.9M project has realised the Headteacher’s vision for “a brand new, state-of-the-art school, able to respond to the educational, social and economic challenges of the 21st century,” whilst creating a unique environment to reflect its Performing Arts College status.

After the destruction of most of the old school buildings by a fire in 2004, BBLB worked closely with the Headteacher and Governors of Avon Valley to ensure that the school was able to resume normal services as soon as possible. Made up of a series of mobile classrooms, the teaching village was the largest installation of its kind in the country at that time. The school then had to go out to competitive tender for the new

build school for 1100 students, in which BBLB participated, and subsequently won. Plans for the new school were drawn up and construction began as soon as planning approval was granted.

Following best practice methodologies, and to future proof the school as much as possible, all of the teaching accommodation was designed to the then DFes guidelines with the design based on the Building schools for the Future and Academy principles. Richard Dobbs of Miller Construction, builders on the project, has described the scheme as “hugely successful”, - the Avon Valley scheme was delivered at a cost almost 30% below the usual figure associated with such projects.

Plans also had to take into account the fact that Avon Valley would be a specialist Performing Arts College, offering the potential for post 16 education in the future. Therefore, in addition to the usual classrooms, library, dining hall, sports facilities and administrative space, BBLB’s designs encompassed a theatre and drama and dance halls and even provided for an external amphitheatre in the grounds of the school.

BBLB has created a striking exterior for the school, with a visually strong, copper panelled main entrance designed to give Avon Valley a distinctive identity, a critical element in the school’s vision for its new home. Internally, the entire building has

been designed to provide a vibrant, light and airy environment, and has achieved a BReeAM Very Good rating.

The design is based on an internal street that forms the main spine of the building and links the two buildings that remained on the site after the fire. Adaptability and expansion are key requirements for a sustainable building. Accordingly, the teaching wings have been designed to allow easy and affordable expansion, and are infinitely flexible.

In his brief to BBLB, the Headteacher, Don O’neill stated, “The specialist nature of the school should be apparent and the infrastructure must engage all learners from the outset. Circulation and social areas must be key features, without losing the sense of togetherness.

Discrete hidden areas should be kept to a minimum and there should be a welcome feeling to the school. The building must remain an exemplar for years to come, ”It is to the practice’s great credit, says Angela smith, Avon Valley school Director of Building, that his vision for the school’s future has not only come to fruition, but has more than fulfilled all ambitions.

tHe avon vaLLey ScHooLAnD PeRFORMInG ARTs COLLeGe

Theatre space with seating out

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CALCULATe yOURcarBon Footprint

weLCOMe TO BBLB newS

everyone has a carbon footprint - it’s your own personal measure of how much carbon dioxide you create and how much you contribute to climate change. Use the ACT On CO2 calculator to find out what your carbon footprint is. you’ll also get a personalised action plan with recommendations about how you can help tackle climate change - including links to further information on Directgov and the energy saving Trust website.

Climate change is a serious problem that affects us all. There is strong evidence that human emissions of greenhouse gases are changing the world’s climate. The main greenhouse gas is carbon dioxide (CO2), produced when we burn fossil fuels like coal, oil and gas for energy.

On average each household in the UK directly produces about 10 tonnes of carbon dioxide each year. we also contribute CO2 to the atmosphere indirectly through the manufacture, distribution and disposal of the products we consume, including food.

The CO2 produced as a result of the actions of an individual, a household or an organisation is sometimes referred to as a ‘carbon footprint’.

Our footprints add up. The UK as a whole emitted 554 million tonnes of carbon dioxide in 2005. If we all tread lightly and minimise our footprints, our collective impact on the environment will be significantly reduced. In this way we can all contribute to tackling climate change.

Over 40 per cent of CO2 emissions in the UK come directly from what we do as individuals; for example, the top 3 average per capita individual emissions (2005) are:

1) space Heating - 30%2) Car Travel - 29%3) Air Travel (for leisure) - 12%

Please visit actonco2.direct.gov.uk for more information, including the CO2 calculator. statistics are from ACT On CO2 and the Climate Challenge websites.

welcome to Issue 1 of our newsletter!In addition to pieces about BBLB and our projects we have also included articles about topical subjects which we hope will be of interest to you. If anyone else in your organisation would like to receive a copy please let us know.

we hope that you will enjoy reading our newsletter. If there is anything you would like more details on, or you would like to find out more about how BBLB could assist you with current or upcoming projects, please call Debbie ward on tel: 0845 881 8010.

The Old School House • 63A High StreetBridgnorth • Shropshire • WV16 4DX+44 (0) 845 881 8010

The Coach House • Upper Skilts FarmGorcott Hill • Redditch • B98 9ET+44 (0) 870 600 4485

www.bblb-architects.co.ukinfo@bblb-architects.co.uk

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This £110m scheme for MCD Developments will comprise a mixed use development of high quality office accommodation, residential apartments, restaurants, and café bars, incorporating leading edge eco-friendly building technology to reduce carbon footprint. Features will include one of the first commercial scale ground source heat pumps

in the UK, as well as solar panelling, rainwater harvesting systems and natural ventilation.

David Greenhill, a Director at BBLB comments, “we have designed the 10 storey commercial building so that its orientation, office plan depth and the central atrium all work together to provide good levels of natural light and ventilation. It is unusual to create a naturally ventilated commercial building of this kind.

The building frame is reinforced concrete, a material not normally selected by developers because a steel frame is a quicker and more cost effective option. However, concrete is a much more environmentally friendly material because it provides a larger thermal mass that provides a natural chilling effect with cold air brought in at night from automatic openers on the windows. This cools down the building overnight and provides the right environment for when workers return in the morning. This system provides an extremely energy efficient method of cooling the building, which is always the challenge on modern office buildings.”

The building has achieved a BReeAM excellent (Building Research establishment environmental Assessment Method) rating, the optimum rating for a commercial building and one of only a few outside London.

Built on the previous site of the City College, which is currently relocating, the scheme will retain the majority of the

earLSdon park, COVenTRy

Central space sustainability diagram

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new CODe FOR SuStainaBLe HomeS

former college buildings, converting them into restaurants and café bars at ground floor level, with offices above. The site also includes an existing art deco style theatre, which will be refurbished and enhanced with the addition of a new public piazza and performance area.

Fronting earlsdon Park will be the 10 storey landmark commercial building, with 88,000sqft of modern, flexible office space and additional restaurant and café bar facilities, with the potential for a crèche and health club. A major government department currently based in London has already been secured to relocate into the building.

In addition, over 500 residential apartments, varying from single bed studios to luxury penthouses, will be created in 5 to 11 storey blocks forming a ‘necklace’ around a new public courtyard. Two large multi-storey car parks will provide secure parking for residents, office workers and visitors to the theatre.

Commenting on the project, BBLB Partner ed Baverstock said, “MCD

Developments and BBLB have designed a cohesive masterplan for a very sustainable site in a city centre location.”

It is envisaged that the project will take four years to complete. The scheme received planning last summer and work started on site last november.

entrance to QCA Building

The new Code for sustainable Homes was published by the government in December 2006 and became effective in england from April 2007. This is widely regarded as an important tool for achieving ‘zero carbon’ status in house building. The definition of a ‘Zero Carbon Home’ appears to be one which is both thermally efficient (at least 100% better than the minimum laid down in Part L 2006) and which locally generates all its own energy requirements (e.g. using solar panels on the roof ). The government has stated that it wants to see all new homes achieve zero carbon status by 2016.

The Code is based on many of the principles contained within the ecohomes scheme, which in the case of new housing it replaces. The government has made it clear that the Code signposts the direction that future changes to Building Regulations will take. In other words, the concepts, tools and standards in CsH will be encompassed in future changes to Part L of the england and wales Building Regulations.

At the time of writing the plans for northern Ireland and scotland were not available. The CsH is a voluntary tool for both public and private housing developers. However, all public housing will need to achieve at least a 3 star rating if it is to obtain central government funding. The government also hopes that the Code, with its maximum 6 star rating scheme, will provide a marketing tool for private developers.

Consumers have responded very well to energy rating schemes for electrical white goods and the government hopes that by informing customers of the overall energy ratings of houses it will lead to the same positive changes in spending decisions.

This text was reproduced by kind permission from TRADA. For more info read the TRADA Code for sustainable Homes Construction Briefing at www.trada.co.uk or visit www.planningportal.gov.uk

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Our future ambitions and vision for the business lead us to look for office space to join the two offices together, which we believe will be of great benefit to the business, our staff and our present and future clients.

The Partners have been considering a move for a while but needed to secure the correct location and building. It has been

difficult to find such an inspirational new home for BBLB.

2008 is also the official year of BBLB’s 20th Anniversary, good timing for a change to assure the continuing success of the practice.

Joining the two offices together will give us greater flexibility to resource projects across the practice. we also believe it will assist us in getting and retaining good staff, and reinforce the collective strength of the business.

This magnificent building is Grade II listed and one of the finest buildings in stourbridge town centre. The building has a strong presence and a sense of place and permanence.

It was originally built in 1905 as the town Library and Technical Institute, and was designed by the municipal architect Frederick woodward. The historic building was established with a contribution of £3,000 by the scottish born American philanthropist, Andrew Carnegie, at one time the world’s richest man.

It has been unoccupied since stourbridge College’s Living Gallery, media and photography departments moved out in 2004. In addition to being our new home it will be another project to add to BBLB’s conservation & regeneration portfolio.

we plan to move into stourbridge in the late summer, watch this space for further updates!

BBLB architects work across the Residential, education, Commercial & Industrial, Conservation, Urban/Regeneration and Masterplanning sectors. An update on a few of our current and recent projects follows.

Bdi, induStry & geniuS awardS: scholars Gate scheme in Birmingham received a Places & Genius/Conservation commendation, (with Trigram Properties).

LeiceSter BSF : Rushey Mead school is a 1350 pupil secondary school that specialises in sports, Maths and science and is located to the north of the City Centre.

aLLiSon Street, BirmingHam: Recently completed project. Grade 2 listed building formally an umbrella factory, which has been converted into 50 one and two bedroom apartments.

FLoraL HaLL, Stoke on trent: Built in 1910 the dilapidated and fire damaged Floral Hall in Tunstall was

targeted by stoke on Trent City Council for restoration to be a new home for the community hall. The building, which is in a conservation area, has now been beautifully restored.

city oF woLverHampton coLLege: works include new construction and engineering workshop, new sports facility & associated grass/all weather sports pitches and a new nursery.

caStLe Farm, teLFord: This lakeside development is a mixed use scheme incorporating residential, commercial, leisure and education. The scheme is set along the northern and western shore of an 18ha lake. Facilities will include a 4 star hotel and sailing club as well as 800 residential units and 0.5 million sq ft of varied hi-tech industrial and office accommodation.

SiriuS BuiLding, BirmingHam: Mixed use, city centre development incorporating existing listed building.

15 storey residential development with 82 apartments, 128 basement parking spaces, a central landscaped courtyard, and six ground floor commercial units totalling 7,500 sq ft. The scheme completes navigation street and Lower severn street block regeneration.

projectS update

sirius Building, Birmingham

BBLB TO move oFFiceSAfter years of growing at a steady pace and getting involved with larger and more complex projects, BBLB is now outgrowing its offices in Bridgnorth and Redditch.

BBLB InHOUse

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StudLey juniorS play in the Midland Junior Premier League. studley are a new team to this league and play at under 12’s level. The quality of football played in this division is to academy standard and studley are adjusting to what is a very high standard of junior football.

BBLB are sponsoring the away shirts for the team and have contributed £200 towards the cost of shirts and printing. The money donated by BBLB will cover approximately half of the costs of the shirts. The BBLB logo will be displayed on these shirts and will form part of a two season deal for which a further £200 will be paid 2008-2009 season.

The club train on Monday evenings at studley FC and have matches every saturday across the midlands as far afield as Cambridge and Bristol.

BournviLLe warriorS Football Club was formed with one team in 2000 with a philosophy of “football for all”. Bournville warriors Under 11’s Football Team (part of Bournville warriors Football Club) play in the Central warwickshire youth League (under 11).

They play in Division 3 and after 8 games are currently in 6th place out of 10 teams. They have suffered from a shaky start to the season as they come to terms with playing 11-a-side football on a full sized pitch, and having to deal with the off side rule for the first time. They have now managed a run of three games undefeated and hope to continue this.

BBLB kindly agreed to donate £200 to contribute to the team purchasing new home and away kits and training coats for those cold winter matches when standing on the touchline, now that the team has expanded to a 16 man squad. The £200 was very gratefully received and enabled the purchase of this kit to take place.

SponSoring tHe LocaL Footie teamS

Bournville warriors

recent StaFF acHievementS

danieL crannHnC in Building studies (7 merits, 7 passes and 3 distinctions)

mark cowLeyRIBA Part III

micHeLLe knowLeSHnC in Building studies (9 Merits and 8 Passes)

emma wiLLiamSnVQ Level 3 in Business Administration

gary HarperRIBA Part III

armeLLe munozFrench equivalent of RIBA Part III

Favourite piece oF arcHitectureI’m open to everything. I’m a big fan of some of the Cathedrals and the art work which goes into them. york Cathedral is amazing, I’m sure there are better but it’s one I’ve been to!

HoBBieS and intereStSI love working on cars, I’m currently restoring a 1969 beetle! I like any DIy stuff, drinking with friends, cinema and I’ve just taken up golf.

wHy i joined tHe induStryMainly because I was interested in drawing and design, I started at a house builder where I stayed for 6 years and then came here.

John BradshawPartner

StaFF proFiLeS

Favourite piece oF arcHitectureGlasgow school of Art, C.R.Mackintosh

HoBBieS and intereStSsport in general, watching and participating. Member of MAnU Football Club. Play tennis for Burway Tennis Club and occasional golf at Ludlow Golf Club. Travel, seeing new places and walking.

wHy i joined tHe induStryMy father is an architect and had his own practice in stockport. when I was a kid I used to earn money in the school holidays working in the office. since the age of ten I have always wanted to be an architect.

dean skidmoreArchitectural Technician

BBLB newS 7

In February 2007 BBLB architects were successful with Carillion after presentation and interview in the bid for stoke Local service Centre building on the historic site of a former Victorian market in stoke on Trent.

The project aims are to signal the start of regeneration in stoke Town heralding a new age of Council service Integration by housing the library, one stop shop, training and conference facilities all under one ‘grass’ roof.

The City of stoke describes the LsC as “an iconic flagship building that will be

the blueprint for new council buildings throughout the city”.

Design Approach: whilst it could be argued that the use of ‘bolt on’ LZC technologies can be applied to most buildings to achieve a low carbon approach, we feel it is key that we utilise our skills to provide buildings that benefit from all of the free passive energy sources available.

Buildings should be designed to maximise their potential as climate moderators minimising the requirements for active energy consuming services.

The stoke LsC project has been awarded a Carbon Trust grant which will help fund the inclusion of LZC technologies. As a team we have worked hard to achieve what we believe is a world class building for the centre of stoke on Trent.

Through its clearly defined building form the LsC informs and navigates the users of the building and demonstrates a positive ‘low carbon’ approach with sustainability and flexibility as key drivers.

key itemS

maximised use of passive solar energy �through orientation.excellent natural light provisions �through glazed facades.external shading measures to provide �beneficial daylight and solar gains in winter and reduce unwanted heat gains in summer.high levels of thermal insulation to �reduce heat loss and carbon dioxide emissions.Low air leakage to reduce unwanted �infiltration of external air.natural ventilation provided where �possible.Thermal mass �

driverS

Provide an iconic low carbon public �building.integrate into the historic environment �as part of the stoke heritage Trail.maximise the use of natural energy �resources.Clock tower to be an integral part and �focal point to the building.

anaLySiS

Building orientated to maximise the �use of solar energy for heating and lighting.reinforce the strong linear axis �through the site.draw people in from the market car �parking areas.Create a new Public square. �

deveLopment

To provide a flexible building ensuring �the building can be future proof.Use of building fabric and mass to �utilise heat gain through a nature roofnatural ventilation to all areas through �an even distribution of wind-catchers. informing the users of the building �through clearly defined forms.

evoLution

simplicity in order to be sympathetic �to the existing buildings which are of greater detail.respectful to proportions of existing �Clock Tower through a modern approach.Clearly demonstrates its consideration �towards energy saving technology.Providing information to the users �through exciting techniques.

Stoke LOCAL seRVICe CenTReAn exciting new development in the heart of stoke on Trent has had a successful application for a Carbon Trust Grant due to its approach in reducing carbon emissions through design and utilising low or zero carbon (LZC) technologies.

no trees were harmed in the production of this newsletterwww.bblb-architects.co.ukBBLB architects llp

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