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Projects
ROTOMETRICS
The Practice was engaged to
consider the redevelopment of former aircraft buildings and
post war offices built on the former Walsall Airport - now
predominantly used as public open space.
Following the marketing of the site as either Industrial or
Business Park the developer was approached by Roto-Die Company
Inc. of St Louis in Missouri, USA to purchase a significant
section of the site to construct a European Head Office incorporating
both a sales and manufacturing facility. Up until then the
company manufactured tools and dies only in the USA and exported
to Europe.
The plant was designed in some secrecy to ensure commercial
confidentiality.
Owing to the prime location of the site the Local Authority
expressed particular interest in the design of the facility.
This did not present a problem as the client wished to see
a well designed facility to represent the company. Partners
from the practice visited the St Louis plant to familiarise
themselves with all aspects of the required building layouts
and facilities prior to detailed design being carried out.
As a general design brief the plant was to follow the layouts
of similar plants throughout North America. This involved
significant cross checking of design as the layouts were adjusted
to British regulations and standards.
One of the most significant design criteria was that the manufacturing
area in addition to the office area was to be fully air-conditioned.
This, coupled with significant under floor ducting, electrical
installations, hydraulics and computers emphasised the need
for the project to be structured to allow the smooth integration
and co-ordination of all items of plant and services.
The building envelope utilised a composite panel chosen because
of its integral joint and sealing system allowing the buildings
air conditioning plant to maintain constant operating temperatures
all year round.
Surrounded by greenbelt land the practice worked closely with
the local authority to achieve a landscape design appropriate
to the site's surroundings. Large earth mounds around the
site boundary were introduced and planted with native species
to reflect the surrounding land use.
The project was completed in fourteen months and was constructed
by Mowlem Midlands of Wolverhampton. |
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