BUILDING WORK STARTS ON MAGGIE’S OXFORD BY WILKINSON EYRE

The Wilkinson Eyre-designed centre is composed of three wings – floating in amongst the trees – emanating from a central welcoming heart of the building, comprising a kitchen, dining table and wood burning stove.

“Our design encapsulates the philosophy and principles on which the Maggie’s Centres are based - the tree house concept maximises the relationship between the internal space and the external landscape offering discreet spaces for relaxation, information and therapy, it will provide a sympathetic and caring retreat, in tune with its surroundings." Chris Wilkinson of Wilkinson Eyre.

The surface materials are largely timber and glass which are intended to give a friendly and familiar appearance in contrast to the usual clinical aesthetic of a hospital. Touchstone Collaborations (formerly Topio) are responsible for designing the landscape around the new Centre.

“The tree house concept maximises the relationship between the internal space and the external landscape offering discreet spaces for relaxation, information and therapy, it will provide a sympathetic and caring retreat, in tune with its surroundings.” Chris Wilkinson from Wilkinson Eyre Architects.

Their approach respects the spirit, ecology and culture of a place and celebrates the role of plants in our lives as habitats, food, medicines and materials. It will replace the existing Maggie’s Oxford temporary building which has provided an interim programme of support for the past eight years.

It is expected the new Centre will be open in 2014 which aims to support the 5,000 people who receive a cancer diagnosis every year in the Thames Valley Cancer Network.

SPLASHPOINT LEISURE CENTRE BY WILKINSON EYRE

The new pool complex will include a six lane, 25 metre pool, a combined learner/diving pool, indoor leisure pools with rapids, flumes and outdoor waters, a health and fitness centre, café, crèche and flexible space for other activities.

The site, located adjacent to the existing Aquarena on the seafront and close to the town centre, presents an exciting development opportunity on a unique seafront site. The design aims to maximise the potential of the site with ‘ribbons’ of accommodation flowing from north to south to emphasise the connection between land and sea. Each pool form has its own terrace, opening up the façade to animate the beachfront elevation.

The dynamic, fragmented shape of the new leisure centre is arranged to respond to the surrounding mix of built forms and landscape. The fluid form reflects the fluid nature of the pools and the sea beyond, created by meandering extruded forms. The structure is clad in copper and red cedar - a palette of self-finished natural materials selected to age gracefully in the maritime conditions.

The façade integrates a series of substantial glazed panels, creating the effect of “picture frames” to the windows and roof-lights. Copper and timber are materials that are synonymous with the tradition of English seaside culture. These materials are also robust against the fierce coastal elements, complement each other aesthetically and are sensitive to the history of this beautiful seaside town.

From the inside, the building is emphatically focussed towards the sea. The spans between the longitudinal ridges of the roof widen as the height of the building increases, running towards the sea and terminating in a series of glazed facades that directly overlook the water. The building has been raised so that from pool level, there is a powerful visual connection between the pool and the sea, creating the impression of an infinity pool.

A palette of naturally finished copper and timber was selected for the envelope of the building as they are robust against the fierce coastal elements, require minimal maintenance, complement each other aesthetically and will age gracefully in the maritime conditions. These self-finished natural materials are synonymous with the tradition of English seaside culture and are sensitive to the history of this beautiful seaside town.

The use of robust materials is also used for the interior of the building, such as exposed concrete, painted plasterboard, timber and ceramic tiles. The internal material palette needs to be hard wearing and aesthetically pleasing to respond to the difficult environment; the frequency of use; frequency of deliveries; equipment movement and high humidity level in general.

The key structural element for the building is a long span (north-south), multi pitched curved and twisted roof. The roof structure is comprised of bespoke fabricated steel plate box girders derived from bridge technology. The profiles are shaped to reflect the roof geometry and to maximise the light coming through the clerestory glazing.

Between the primary beams, a spruce plywood timber deck is used to support the roof insulation and finishes farming the exposed soffit to the main pool areas. Timber is an ideal material for this difficult environment and the panels have been pre finished for minimal on site preparation.

Chris Wilkinson, Principal, Wilkinson Eyre Architects said: “Our building seeks to draw on forms already present in the town, taking on the undulating linearity of the ranks of surrounding terraced houses and the breakwater groynes on the beach. The building occupies a prominent location on the seafront, but rather than dominating the site in the style of a grand seaside pavilion, it sits informally, even playfully, within its setting.”

 

Location: Worthing, UK 
Architect: Wilkinson Eyre Architects 
Engineer: AECOM 
Quantity Surveyors: Davis Langdon 
Project Manager: Deloitte Real Estate 
Cost: £17 million 
Official opening: Thursday 20th June 2013 
Client: Worthing Borough Council 
Photo: JulianAbrams 
Award: WorldArchitecture Festival 2013 Sport Category

UNIVERSITY OF EXETER FORUM BY WILKINSON EYRE

Working with the natural features of the site, the scheme creates a 'green corridor' to connect the Forum with the wider landscape. Central to the scheme is an undulating timber gridshell roof, which shelters and unifies as series of new student-focused spaces within.

The fluid form contrasts with the orthogonal brick volumes of the existing buildings on this steeply sloping site, and respects key views across the city to Dartmoor. The Forum features an extended and refurbished library, new learning spaces, student services, catering and retail outlets, a landscaped plaza and new university reception. The new Forum at the University of Exeter brings together a variety of learning, service and reception spaces under the shelter of a huge timber gridshell roof.

Sustainability was an important driver in the development of the scheme, which has been designed to meet a series of a challenging environmental targets – including a requirement that the building consume 10% less energy and have 10% lower CO2 emissions than those required by Part L of the Building Regulations.

Passive design

Although the Forum’s orientation was dictated by the location of the existing buildings it connects, the design was developed to take advantage of the prevailing south-westerly winds in its natural ventilation. Envelope design: The envelope is primarily composed of glazing and the timber gridshell. Solar shading is provided to the auditorium glazing and that at the main entrance to the internal street.

Environmental strategies

The main street space of the building is naturally ventilated, and mechanical heating and cooling minimised to other areas where possible. Natural stack ventilation is employed for the seminar block rooms, with assisted mixed-mode ventilation to the exploration labs. Low energy displacement ventilation systems are used in the auditorium and SSC areas.

Renewables on site

Integrating heating and cooling systems for maximum carbon efficiency, they also provide cooling to the auditorium, SSC and retail units. This system provides for 46.6% of the energy demand and accounts for 15.7% reduction in CO2. Two 1,350mm earth tubes are also buried below the street to precool and preheat air. Early reports from the environmental engineers show that these are working far in excess of their expectations, providing a temperature differential of around six degrees.

Water

The building was designed using SUDS principles, with water harvesting, grey water reticulation and new ponds and wetlands created to the south of the campus to assist in water attenuation. Rainwater harvesting provides 75% of the water required for WC flushing, irrigation and water features within the Forum, with 1,954m² of the roof area used for this harvesting. Low water-use fixtures were selected throughout the new project.

Materials

While the sustainability credentials of the timber structure of the new Forum is immediately apparent, many of the ‘hidden’ components of the build have also been selected for their sustainability. All steel and concrete reinforcement is

100% recycled materials, while a minimum of 20% recycled aggregate was assured across all the new, locally sourced concrete. Masonry and concrete from the initial demolition works was re-used as hardcore and for the road sub-base.

Waste/pollution

The team specified a sustainable ‘chain of custody’ clause to minimise energy consumption during the construction stages of the project which ensured that out of an estimated 3,342 tonnes of construction waste, 470 tonnes was reduced, with 20% reused on site. A comprehensive waste management strategy was also developed for the building in use, ensuring that 90% of the 22 tonnes of waste created each year by the Forum building is recycled.

Land use & ecology

On this site, famous for its green, hilly landscape, site-wide biodiversity has been enhanced through the incorporation of bioswales in the landscape as part of the development of the scheme to BREEAM Excellent. Accountability: Proposals for a full post occupancy review of the building are currently with the client for approval.

Location: Exeter, UK

Architect: Wilkinson Eyre Architects

Project Team: Kevin Bai, Florian Ballan, Stafford Critchlow (director, left), Chris Davies, Ben Dawson, Chris Donoghue, Jim Eyre, Paula Friar, Christian Froggatt, Nat Keast, Harsh Lad, Felix Lewis, Leszek Marszalek, Stephen Perrin, Tom Smith, Ivan Subanovic, Simon Vickers, Jan Vogel, Nadine Wagner, Chris Wilkinson, Soo Yau

Structural Engineering: Buro Happold

M&E consultant: Buro Happold

Quantity surveyor Davis Langdon

Civils, fire, acoustic, AV/IT, transport, access, BREEAM and environmental engineering: Buro Happold

Landscape consultant: Hargreaves Associates

Planning consultant: Turley Associates

Signage, wayfinding and branding:Thomas Matthews

Art Consultant: Modus Operandi

Glass Artist: Alexander Beleschenko

Project manager: Davis Langdon

CDM co-ordinator: Davis Langdon

Main contractor: Sir Robert McAlpine

CAD software used Microstation

Value: £48 million

Year: May 2012

Client: University of Exeter

MARY ROSE MUSEUM BY WILKINSON EYRE

The museum is opened with artefacts from one of Britain's most famous ships, the Mary Rose  Henry VIII’s Flagship, which was raised from the seabed of The Solent near Portsmouth in 1982.

Located in the listed late 18th century dry dock in Portsmouth, the historic nature of the site dictated that the architects refrain from creating a monstrous volume on the quayside. Instead, Wilkinson Eyre has designed a low elliptical form which speaks to the original shape of the Mary Rose using timber reminiscent of that used on the historic ship, stained black to reflect England’s vernacular boat shed architecture.

A shell-shaped metal roof is low-lying so as not to steal attention away from the historic ships and buildings in the vicinity, including the HMS Victory and listed Admiralty buildings. Either side of this elliptical form one can find a rectangular pavilion. One houses the main entranceway, reception, café and shop, while the other incorporates the Learning Centre and main plant room.

Designed from the inside-out, the Museum building takes many of its cues from the historic ship, allowing its hull, artefacts and exhibitions to take centre stage and create a visitor experience befitting this remarkable piece of history. At the heart of the project, within a carefully controlled 'hot box' environment, is the starboard section of the hull of the Mary Rose.

Alongside it, a virtual port-side hull has been created over three levels to view the ship and house the context gallery. Encasing the Mary Rose and the largest collection of Tudor artefacts in the world is an architectural form that alludes to the historic significance of the Museum's collection and announces the arrival of a major new cultural attraction.

Chris Wilkinson, Founding Director at Wilkinson Eyre Architects, said: "When you have a treasure like the Mary Rose, which continues to capture the world's imagination, the architecture of the building takes a supporting role. However, the building has a very significant part to play in projecting the Museum and its remarkable collection to the world, creating intrigue and heightening the visitor experience of this major cultural attraction."

Chris Brandon, Principal of Pringle Brandon Perkins+Will, said: "This museum is unique – the only one in the world to take its inspiration from the archaeological finds of the Mary Rose and the ship herself. Our role was to create a showcase for The Mary Rose and her artefacts befitting their significance, so we designed a museum that would recreate the experience of being on board the ship hundreds of years ago and created a context gallery to highlight its precious contents. Coming from a marine archaeological background, finally I can unite my two passions in life - architecture and marine archaeology. I hope visitors to the Mary Rose Museum are as excited by the end result as I am."

The overall composition is a piece of contemporary architecture, an elegantly simple form with an air of mystery that encourages visitors to enter and explore. The atmosphere of being on the ship is further enhanced by the walkways following the shape of the deck from stern to bow and low ceilings on the lower deck.

The Museum spaces are deliberately dark with daylight excluded and the only lighting either focused on the objects or concealed under the walkway handrail, lighting the space and re-creating the dark claustrophobic spaces below decks.

Following the painstaking archaeological excavation and recording of the exact location of every find, the project team could see inside the Mary Rose and reunite the original contents - fittings, weaponry, armament and possessions – deck-by-deck.

Location: Portsmouth, UK

Architect: Wilkinson Eyre

Interior: Pringle Brandon Perkins+Will

Cost: £ 27 million

Year: 2013

Client: The Mary Rose Trust

Photography interior:Richard Chivers