BSc (Hons.

) Architectural Technology Comprehensive Design Project 2011 - 2012 DEARNE VALLEY ECO EDUCATION CENTRE

BACKGROUND TO THE DEARNE VALLEY ECO EDUCATION CENTRE You have been commissioned by Kingswood to develop the design for a prestigious ECO Education Centre as the next phase of the Flagship Educational Activity Centre at Conisbrough ( see Kingswood press release dated Monday March 28th 2011 in Blackboard Learning Material) Extract from Press release:
'Matt Healey, Kingswood Head of Education added For over three decades, Kingswood has helped to provide young people, and teachers alike, with the opportunity to explore and fulfil their potential. Listening to teachers needs has helped us become industry leaders in meeting curriculum standards and teachers objectives. As well as Kingswoods core programmes, we will offer an innovative high quality educational programme which will make the most of the sites facilities and its heritage as a centre of learning for environmental sustainability. All Kingswood UK sites have been awarded prestigious Learning Outside the Classroom Quality Badges by the Council for Learning Outside the Classroom, an organisation set up by the Department for Children, Schools and Families to promote and champion educational experiences outside the classroom.'

HISTORY OF THE 'EARTH CENTRE' COMPLEX The Earth Centre Doncaster is built on a former colliery site at Conisbrough . The project received funding from the Millenium Commission to establish a world centre for sustainable development promoting the best environmental and sustainable practice and was opened in March 1999.
Millenium Commission Press Release 1999 ( News archive 1st April 1999) 'Phase One of the Earth Centre, a project supported by 41.6 million from the Millennium Commission is complete and opens to the public on Friday 2nd April. The Earth Centre is one of 26 major landmark projects supported by the Commission throughout the UK. The Earth Centre was awarded its grant in September 1995. The Earth Centre will establish a world centre for sustainable development promoting the best environmental and sustainable practice. The Centre is located in Conisborough, South Yorkshire on the site of two former deep mine collieries, set in 142 hectares of land. The theme of how we can live in a sustainable world is at the core of every exhibit. Phase One consists of the Planet Earth Galleries featuring some stunning exhibits illustrating environmental damage inflicted on the Earth, Nature Works an interactive experience allowing children to experience pond life close up and Water Works, an engaging interpretation of how water is recycled.'

Unfortunately, due to lack of visitor numbers the Earth Centre closed as an educational and visitor attraction in September 2004. However, Kingswood, ( the new owners ) are committed to investing substantially in the site development including refurbishment of the existing buildings as well as developing new buildings and infrastructure to create an International residential Education Centre focussed on environmental stability. The 'Eco Education Centre' will add a further

innovative education and training building to add to the existing environmental conscious buildings designed by Fielden and Clegg, Will Alsop and Bill Dunster. Students are to investigate and take account of the existing environmental aspects of these buildings and the landscape strategy as part of the learning experience of the complex as a whole. Students will also need to consider the management aspects of the site as a whole and how this impacts on your own design proposals. THE SITE The Site is outlined on the OS extract drawing reference SK5099NE at a scale of 1250 adjacent to the River Don between the existing road bridge and pedestrian bridge. You may extend this site boundary with agreement from your tutor and you can assume that the unsightly Pipe Line and associated pumping stations can be diverted under the river. The site is well served by public transport and has its own railway station (Conisbrough) There is a regular service from Sheffield (approx. Every 30 minutes) and students are recommended to visit the site on Monday 26th September so that aspects of the site can be discussed at the following group tutorial sessions. STRATEGIC BRIEF Key objectives for the Dearne Valley Eco Education Centre are: To develop a major International Hub for sustainability learning as part of Kingswoods offer as a residential centre for learning for children and young people in addition to creating a centre of excellence for training provision to the local community and emerging green industries. To develop a showcase demonstration ECO building to act as the entrance to the Dearne Valley Educational Activity Centre and produce a physical and visual link across the River Don, encouraging the public to interact and explore the public areas of the building and external spaces To showcase the environmental sustainability focus of the overall development and act as the information centre for the whole complex. To provide safe and legible routes for use by all groups in society, including disabled, young and old To promote the use of public transport and discourage the use of the car (no car spaces to be provided as part of the building ). However, a sheltered dropping off point should be provided as well as consideration for cycles. The development should be energy efficient and consideration should be given to making all spaces naturally ventilated where possible. The building should be a showcase of green and sustainable technology. To extend the scope for outdoor performance spaces in the main Station Square and provide transparency and live frontages to the public areas of the building. To make public spaces accessible for evening as well as daytime use. The building design should take account of evening as well as night-time use and may act as a digital billboard The 'Eco Education Centre will have an exhibition/ teaching areas and will enable community use in the evenings as well pupil use during the daytime.

It is envisaged that the centre will be a pavilion in the Dearne Valley Educational Activity Centre which will attract day and evening use by the community as a meeting and education centre where the community can access information on sustainability issues and sign up for training courses in the new Green Industries as well as receiving training in building techniques and assembley of prefabricated components. The building will have a building /information centre manager. Your building design should develop from your environmental strategy and the design solution should relate to the site specific requirements in terms of aspect and prospect. You have freedom of choice of construction and materials but your Stage D submission at the end of Semester 1 should include your justification for the construction and materials related to your environmental strategy. The building should have a building life of 60 years and be capable of achieving a BREEAM Excellent . The building should demonstrate best practice in design, use of materials and construction and detailing which can be used as part of the learning process in terms of building fabrication/erection/services and sustainability generally. Any environmental and services components should be integrated within the overall design as part of the integrated design.

Parameters It is assumed that planning approval would be granted for any proposal that is of high quality. There are no prevailing design guides or restrictions. There are no preliminary cost restrictions. It is expected that the design innovation employed on the project would generate supplementary external funding through research grants and industry sponsorship to enable your prototype to be built and tested in use. Brief Development Please take account of the following in your own brief development: You will need to carry out site analysis relating to the site in order to determine external public and private spaces, main entrance, goods entrance etc. Mains services and road/servicing access are to be provided and you can make assumptions for your ideal scheme in terms of public entrance and zoning within and outside the building. The building and associated accessible spaces must be fully accessible It is recommended that the building will be a maximum gross area of 1000sq. metres with a maximum of 3 storeys. You will have the opportunity to develop your own brief for the centre which will form part of your individual presentation in week 6. Tutors will give guidance on the brief development during the group tutorial sessions. The building will need to accommodate a cubic volume in the construction area of 10m x 10m x 10m in order to allow the exploration of multi storey construction within the space. 2 linked classrooms/workshop areas are required 50sq. Metres each

A generous plantroom area 160sq. Metres should be allowed for to allow the plantroom to be used as a teaching resource. A computer suite of 100 sq. Metres to allow students to monitor all environmental aspects of the building and the site as a whole. A generous main entrance/information centre/display are Staff accommodation to allow for Centre Manager and 2 technical staff There should be a protected external space to enable wet trades to be carried out for demonstration/exhibition purposes. Circulation areas to include staircases lift toilets etc ( within the total 100osq. Metres gross area.) Lockers for workshops required but this can be part of the shower/changing facilities required for the cycle provision ( to meet BREEAM requirements)

In terms of the use of the building you may develop your own brief but you should consider zoning the space in terms of quiet and noisy areas and how you can create buffer zones .The quiet area can be used for public exhibitions of design work and could double up as a teaching area. Any serviced modules within the building can be prefabricated ( ie toilets and classrooms for IT etc.) Suggested architects and designers relative to the building type Renzo Piano Niall McLaughlin Heatherwick Studio Cullinan Chris Wilkinson Jon Broome Architype Whitby Bird Grimshaw Future Systems Richard Horden Prouve Cederic Price Fielden and Clegg Bill Dunster Will Alsop

Suggested projects Genesis Project Bristol John Cabot City Technical College (1993) Downland and Wealand Barnsley College TLC (Think Low Carbon Sustainability Centre) Derbyshire Eco Centre

websites

Earth Centre www.millennium.gov.uk Barnsley College TLC (Think Low Carbon Sustainability Centre) http://www.barnsley.ac.uk/new-developments/think-low-carbon-tlc-centre Derbyshire Eco Centre www.derbyshire.gov.uk/ecocentre Genesis Project Bristol http://www.genesisproject.com