Introduction Pg 4
Site Context Pg4-6
Financing Pg 7
Procurement and ‘in use’ Services Pg7-9
Planning Pg 9-10
Access Pg 10-11
Construction Law Pg 11-12
Health and Safety 13-14
Conclusion Pg 15
Bibliography Pg 16
The site is located within Ropewalks area of Liverpool, on Renshaw Street an area currently experiencing development becoming denser and more diverse with multi-usage spaces. During the site analysis it was immediately evident that the area did not have sufficient sports facilities, there is a small gym near Liverpool Central and the next nearest sports facility is located on the university campus. This is the trend for most cities in the UK, often due to the dense urban area and lack of open space. This formed the challenge which my design aim to tackle, a sports centre in a dense urban area.
To combat the dense urban fabric my proposal will differ from a traditional sports complex, although there will be sports facilities on site, it will serve as a central hub, a meeting space where sports equipment can be borrowed, and the renting of sports facilities can take place. Car parks, derelict buildings, warehouses and rooftops around the Ropewalks area are to be re-purposed and turned into sports pitches. Adding sports areas to empty car parks and derelict warehouses will not only revive those spaces but enrich the local area and create more business opportunities.
The site is in the ropewalks area of the city of Liverpool. The area gained its name from the craft of ropemaking for the sailors’ ships that dominated the area in the 19th century. when the rope walks area was first built, wide, long parallel streets were required to produce rope for ships. The 20th Century saw a period of economic and physical decline. Because of the lock of comprehensive re-development and investment in the area much of the historic fabric survived, albeit in a state of extreme dereliction, vacancy, and under-use. Bombing raids of the Second World War caused destruction, particularly in the Wolstenholme Square area. But the greatest cause of decline was the shift away of maritime activity from the area and the related economic exodus. This resulted in a decline of the condition of historic buildings and in some cases their replacement with newer developments, mostly of lower density and quality. During post-war reconstruction and the subsequent phases of comprehensive redevelopment the area was considered to have a peripheral location, a lack of institutional tenants and an 'obsolete' townscape. Property prices began to plummet.
Over the last decade the Ropewalks’ area is experiencing development, becoming denser and more diverse with multi-usage spaces. As the development of this area continues voids have been filled creating smaller narrower streets, however, the footprint of the Ropewalks has remained clear; indictive of the areas attempts of preservation. Currently, the area is transitioning into a cultural hub for independent shops restaurants bars nightlife and galleries.
Cognitive collage highlighting the development of the Ropewalks.
During the site analysis it was immediately evident that the area did not have sufficient sports facilities, there is a small gym near Liverpool Central and the next nearest sports facility is located on the university campus. This is the trend for most cities in the UK, often due to the dense urban area and lack of open space. Over the past few years, the area has seen an increase in residential properties, a sports complex would benefit the community financially, socially and through the physical health of the citizens. Ropewalks and the surrounding area has a high crime rate and sport can help to engage young people and reduce anti-social behaviour.
To combat the dense urban fabric my proposal will differ from a traditional sports complex, although there will be sports facilities on site, it will serve as a central hub, a meeting space where sports equipment can be borrowed, and the renting of sports facilities can take place. Car parks, derelict buildings, warehouses and rooftops around the Ropewalks area could be re-purposed and turned into sports pitches. Adding sports areas to empty car parks and derelict warehouses will not only revive those spaces but enrich the local area and create more business opportunities. Three different sites were evaluated before site selection varying in location, size and constraints. Site B had great location regarding the new sports pitches however it is relatively small for a scheme of this complexity. Site C is located on a main road therefore possessing adequate transport links, but experiences low foot fall. Site A was the best option due to the size of the site in the dense busy area, it is only a short walk to Central and Liverpool lime street station. Furthermore, there is a multi-storey car park behind the site and street parking. There is an existing building on site in a which is half demolished, this poses a challenge which requires a creative solution and should produce exceptional architecture. The site is currently owned by YPG developments, who have been granted planning on a seven storey Hilton hotel.
The image below highlights where the potential sites are in relation to the Ropewalks area.
Although the building on the site is partly demolished the Edwardian red brick façade still salvageable and is to be retained because of the sheer length of the façade. The long, low profile draws the eye and focuses attention on the Grade I-listed St George’s Hall in one direction and the Grade II*-listed Church of St Luke in the other. A number of façade retention systems were tested and it was concluded that The existing facade will be directly supported by the new building, this system expresses how the new structure physically supports the existing facade and celebrates the relationship of old and new. This will be
done through a series of steel supports which brace and support the existing facade, stemming from the new buildings steel exoskeleton. The aim of the project is to make the sports areas visible to the public on the street, for example, passers-by will see the silhouettes of people darting around playing squash through the gaps in the existing facade. This will intrigue the public and hopefully draw them in. Hence the sports areas are positioned to face the street. The spaces are arranged in an enfilade system to match the rigid grid like existing facade. The programme is split into three main volumes, a main multi use sports hall, the spa area and the main hub consisting of changing rooms, café, gym etc. The main hub and sports centre are connected by a central circulation system and is 4 storeys high at its highest. Whereas the spa area is separate, the main body of the spa is subterranean and the entrance is in an existing building which is to be renovated.
Programme Massing in Context.
A fundamental theme common to the success of all the sport and leisure businesses is their ability to maintain their financial suitability. This was defined as generating their income from trading type activities, with little to no dependency on grant funding. With this is in mind there are three core strategies to achieve finical success:
The diversification of their services
Good financial and operational management skills are considered imperative for the success of the business. Recruiting members with financial expertise, amongst the trustees or board members, in addition to key paid staff ensures a competent team who possess the key skills to manage investment and growth long term. This professionalism doesn’t only maximise the business revenue but is a positive reflection of the business, which increases the possibility of securing funding or bank loans for capital investment.
Obtaining strong partnerships with different stakeholders at varying scales is key to the success of the business. This can be done by engaging with the community, identifying the needs of the local area can help find the appropriate partnerships needed to realize a solution. Forming these partnerships can increase your knowledge resources and expertise, resulting in a better product which can then reach a greater audience. Forming partnerships with local schools, social groups or clubs is vastly important to the success of the business Although these types of parentships may not generate substantial income initially, they play and important role in raising profile, which in turn can create a wider group of potential users, adding to the overall financial stability.
Another important enabler of a sports facility’s success is its range of services, alternative services to traditional renting of sports pitches and membership increases the diversity of their income streams. Adding multi-functional spaces into the design can create alternate revenue streams, these spaces can be leased by other groups and used as venues for events or the internally the leisure centre offer specific training and qualifications within them. However, a set of diverse services requires the attraction of a greater number of users to be successful, establishing a professional marketing campaign alongside a strong online presence plays a vital role in attracting new users and increasing revenue from different sources.
The biggest funder in the sport sector is local councils, spending £1.1 billion per year in England (Local.gov.uk.). The funding structure is often complex with different departments funding local authorities for different outcomes and local budgets funding different activity health and wellbeing budgets, youth provision and other funding streams all contributing to providing sporting activity and facilities (sportsthinktank). There are numerous grants available for sports facilities funded by the government and the national lottery.
The number of people involved in projects to design and construct buildings vary considerably depending on the scale, larger projects may necessitate thousands of people. The make-up of the project team is not fixed and tends to change throughout the duration of the project. Some team members may only be involved for a short period of time, for example specialist which are brought in to deliver specific knowledge or supply specialist component, whereas others such as project managers may be involved for the duration of the project. For this project the core of the design team consists of: structural engineer, mechanical + electrical engineer, architect, quantity surveyor and project manager. Due to the complexity of the steel exoskeleton which supports the existing façade, specialist members will be needed such as Specialist structural engineers and specialist demolition
engineers. The demolition engineer and structural engineer will collaborate to determine the safest and most efficient way to demolish the existing structure whilst causing no damage to the façade and how that façade will be retained by means of a new structure. Initially the use of such specialist will increase costs, however it is justifiable as specialist knowledge is imperative to an error free result, if non a specialist is used the outcome may be inaccurate which may be unsafe and require revision which in turn will cost time and money. Identifying and utilizing the correct procurement method is crucial in reducing time and costs for the client, allowing resources saved to be spent on maximising the benefits to the local communities, rather than on procurement. Arguably, the most important part of a procurement process is the pre-procurement phase, during which the framework for the project is created, the procurement strategy agreed and key decisions taken (sport England procurement tool kit). As major works are to take place along with operational requirements, the suggested method of procurement is a design build operate and maintain contract. The DBOM procurement is often used for projects such as leisure and shopping centres, motorways, bridges, tunnels and other infrastructure. The DBOM differs from the traditional procurement route where the client first approaches consultants to design the development and then seeks a contractor to construct the works. In addition to the responsibility of the design and construction of the works the contractor is also responsible for the operation and maintenance of the completed building. The operation and maintenance period is typically between 10 and 15 years, in this time the contractor remains responsible for the safe and smooth operation of the facilities, whilst the facilities remain the property of the client (DESIGN WIKI DBOM). The client will issue an output specification covering the ‘facilities requirements’ and 'technical requirements' - standards of construction, the requirements for the facilities (pool, gym etc.) - and services specification (e.g. opening hours, programming, cleaning, quality accreditation etc.). Once the details have been finalised it will then be open for bidding from companies, companies will aim to deliver an optimal solution whilst balancing capital and revenue costs. The contractor tenders a single fee which covers all aspects of the project, operation and maintenance costs can be factored in. This option removes risk from the client as any unexpected events will not cost the client but will reflected in the total cost. Cost of materials, labour, legal fees etc will all be factored into the contract price, once agreed upon the contractor will appoint a quantity surveyor to monitor and manage the cost.
During construction the contractor may choose to use Building Information Modelling (BIM), very broadly, BIM describes the process of creating and manging digital information about a built asset. BIM is used for creating and managing data during the design, construction, and operations process. BIM facilitates easier coordination between disciplines by creating a detailed digital model which is manged in an open cloud platform. Using BIM gives you a greater visibility, better decision-making, more sustainable design and cost savings (BIM Benefits | Why Use BIM? | Autodesk, 2022).
Within the contract a deadline will also be stated, it is the responsibility of the contractors’ project manager and site manager to achieve the desired facility in the set time frame. If the contractor fails to hand over the project within the time frame penalties will incurred, the contractor will be liable to pay liquidated and ascertained damages to the client. Once construction has been completed and the contract administrator has confirmed that the works winded in the contracts are complete the site can be handed over to the client. If
BIM is being used, the relevant information may be transferred to the client, including the archive with provides the records of all activities during the project. After the hand over to the client the liability period begins, typically lasting between 6 to 12 months, the client reports any defects to the contract administrator who decides whether they are in fact defects or maintenance. If they are deemed to be defects the contract administrator will contact the contractor and arrange a date by which they will be rectified. Any defects discovered outside of the time frame are not liable to the contractor and would be considered maintenance, however, due to the procurement contract the contractor is still responsible for maintenance.
The site located on Renshaw Street which previously occupied by Rapid Hardware and is surrounded by commercial use buildings. Renshaw Street immediately adjoins the eastern boundary of the site and forms the site frontage. As the site has previously been built upon it is classed as a brown field site, this offers many advantages as there is existing access and services and there is more chance of planning permission. However, the site clearance may expose contaminates which were previously unknown which will need to be removed costing time and money. The proposed use will not only further the economic development of the area by bringing an active use to a currently vacant site but will also enhance the lives of the surrounding residents by giving them a place to exercise. The objective of this proposal is to redevelop this brownfield site by providing a high-quality leisure centre which makes a positive contribution to the immediate and the surrounding area. It is considered that the redevelopment of this site will also visually improve the surrounding area and hence improve the footfall, therefore helping support the area. The proposed building was designed to support and retain the Renshaw Street facade of the existing building. The proposal will be 4 storeys tall at its highest and constructed from a mix of materials to be agreed with the local planning authority but potentially including brick and polycarbonate cladding panels.
The site is next to the Duke Street Conservation Area and sits in the World Heritage Site buffer zone. Designated heritage assets are those which possess a level of heritage interest that justifies designation under relevant legislation and are then subject to particular procedures in planning decisions that involve them (Heritage Definitions | Historic England, 2022). There are no designated heritage assets within the boundary of the Application Site. Therefore, any effects on the designated heritage will be of an indirect nature. The Application Site is located outside of, but proximate to, the Duke Street Conservation Area. The conservation area was designated on 30th August 1988, and was subsequently extended on 28 November 1990 and on 24 January 2003 (the history of ropewalks). The purpose of conservation areas is to manage and protect architecture of historic importance through additional planning controls (What Is a Conservation Area? | Historic England, 2022). This is not to say changes cannot be made, furthermore they can be more architecturally progressive and even cotemporary if done sensitively. This can be done by high quality design and referencing the area in some way, possibility by using traditional local forms and materials in a re-engineered contemporary way. The development will offer economic benefits, creating many jobs during its construction and various jobs in its management operation, maintenance, and administration for example:
With the addition of the café on the fourth storey more employment positions are available in the food and beverage industry such as:
Chefs
Waiters/ Waitresses
Bartenders
Cleaners
Dishwashers
Cashiers
Due to the site being located next to main road noise may be an issue. A noise impact assessment will need to be carried out the establish ambient noise levels. If the noise levels are too high, then a sound insulation will have to be incorporate into the design. However, it is unlike that the ambient noise will represent a constraint to the development.
They establish a strong sense of place, using street schemes and buildings to create attractive and comfortable places to live work and visit; Optimise the potential of the site to accommodate development, create and sustain and appropriate mix of uses and support local facilities and transport networks; Respond to local character and history and reflect the identity of local surroundings and materials, whilst not preventing or discouraging appropriate innovation; Create safe and accessible environments where crime and disorder and the fear of crime do not undermine quality of life or community cohesion; and Are visually attractive as a result of good architecture and appropriate landscaping.”
The building has been designed to be fit for purpose, appropriate and accessible for a diverse set of users. The proposal seeks to help individuals with mental and physical disabilities, access spaces without restrictions. A design has been achieved which considers people of different age groups, genders, ethnicity and stamina/fitness levels. Part M of the building regulations sets requirements on various aspects of the design, aiming to create public spaces which ensure safety and accessibility for all, especially handicapped individuals. This is one of the reasons why both residential and commercial areas are being designed with wider entryways and sufficient floor space to accommodate stationary wheelchairs. In fact, shelves and medicine cabinets are also placed at a height easily accessible by those seated in a wheelchair. However, the preconception of what disability and accessibility looks like remain limited, designs often only encompass features beneficial for physically disabled people such as wheelchair users. Among architectural designers especially, it is common to visualize accessibility as adding ramps, wide corridors, and elevators. Disabilities can take many forms, visible and invisible, absolute accessibility is much more than accommodating just wheelchair users. Access should not simply be considered in relation to their two-dimensional layout; for example, the visually impaired may need specific signage, lighting, visual contrast which can vastly improve the navigability of a foreign space.
Accessibility also extends to the public realm, it helps those unable to pursue education, employment, and recreational opportunities because of environmental boundaries they’re being discriminated against. As the site is located adjacent to a main road (Renshaw Street) it has excellent public transport links, main bus terminals are situated on Renshaw Street, along with taxis ranks. Furthermore, to Liverpool Lime Street and Central railway stations are within walking distances. Renshaw Street provides direct access to the site and metered street parking. It is generally uncongested whereas, the alternative side road to the site (Heathfield Street) is often congested due to the multi storey car park. Pedestrian and cycle access is easily navigable and safe due to the main road, providing streetlights, natural surveillance, CCTV. There is a secure bike storage on site which is well lit and monitored via CCTV. The accessibility of the development has considered in detail by all modes. This demonstrates that the development will be accessible by a variety of means of transport to as many residents as possible in the local area.
In the UK, construction is subject to several laws, both criminal and civil, which cover a diverse range of fields such as: health and safety, licenses and consents and the environment and sustainability. This part of the report seeks to cover building regulations, in particular parts B, L and M. The contents of the building regulations vary on the specified use of the building however, there intent remains the same. They were created to protect people's safety, health, and welfare in and around buildings. Furthermore, the regulations are designed to improve conservation of fuel and power, protect, and enhance the environment and promote sustainable development (Building regulations, 2022). Failing to comply with building regulations is a criminal offence and action may be taken under Section 35 of the Building Act 1984 against a person who contravenes them (Building control regulations, 2022).
Part B of the building regulation covers all the necessary precautionary measures regarding safety from fires for the building occupants and persons in the vicinity. Placing requirements over fire detection, control of flammable materials, fire separation, means of escape, warning systems, the fire resistance of structural elements and the access and facilities for firefighting. The potential results of non-compliance of this regulation were exposed with the tragic event of the Grenfell Tower fire. A public inquiry revealed that the external cladding did not meet Building Regulations.
Part L of the building regulations sets the standards for the energy performance and carbon emissions of new and existing buildings. Part L of the building regulations cover, air permeability of the structure, the heating efficiency of boilers, hot water storage, lighting and the insulation values of building elements. It also covers mechanical ventilation, solar emissions, space heating controls and air conditioning systems. The environmental impact of a project is not exclusive to the design but also the methods of construction. Minimising waste, utilizing prefabrication, maximising efficiency and respecting the local landscape and habitat are some ways that the can minimise the constructions environmental impact.
Part M of the building regulations seeks to provide access to people regardless of disability age or gender, to and within buildings and use their facilities, both as people who live and work there. These regulations take the form of specific corridor widths, railings heights, ramps and signage.
All industries experience some level of risk, modern legislation and regulations have helped to drastically reduce accidents; however, the construction industry remains the most dangerous sector in the UK. This is not to say that the health and safety in this sector has not progressed, as the sight of a hard hat was a rare occurrence in the early 1980’s, it wasn’t until the end of that decade that the use of hard hats was seriously enforced. Since this time great strides have been made to improve health and safety on construction sites. Notably, The Construction (Design & Management) Regulations, which were revised in 2015, which are the main set of regulations for managing the health, safety and welfare of construction projects. They include general requirements that apply to all projects and additional duties that only apply to notifiable construction projects (where the construction work is likely to last longer than 30 working days and have more than 20 workers working simultaneously at any point in the project, or exceed 500 person days).(insert reference).
The CDM regulations impose duties on:
The Client Designers
Principal designer Principal contractor Contractors Workers
Each one sets out in practical terms what actions are required to deliver building and construction projects in a way that prevents injury and ill health. Although more can be done with there being 61,000 non-fatal injuries to workers each year averaged over the three-year period 2018/19-2020/21; with falls from hight being the most common cause (hse.gov). Furthermore, there were 39 fatal injuries to workers and 4 to members of the public in 2020/21 The vast majority of risks associated with these accidents could have been avoided with proper health and safety measures. Identifying risks and implementing control measures pre-construction will assist in risk reduction. This can materialize in the form of method statements and risk assessments; specialist contractors and designers investigate specific tasks and produce a detailed plan on how to carry out the task in the safest and most efficient way. The risk Assessment will highlight any risks which may arise and the necessary precautions which need to be applied. A risk assessment of the steel exoskeleton erection will be undertaken due to its complexity and importance to the core of the design, both structurally and aesthetically. Steel frame erection can be a complicated process using materials of substantial weight that involves rapidly changing circumstances creating significant hazards. The erection of the steel requires careful planning to minimise complexity of connections and subsequently the time spent working at height.
Activity Hazard Those at Risk Risk Rating
Erection of steel frame
Erection of steel frame
Existing Risk Controls Additional Risk Controls Residual Risk
Falls from height. Workers 20 -Hand rails. -Suitable working platforms such as scaffolding.
Materials being dropped.
Workers Public Customers
12 -Programming work to make sure other trades are not working underneath the erectors. -Ensure that toe-boards to installed where required prevent materials falling off. -Store Materials safely so they do not fall.
-Harnesses. 15
-Set up alternative walkways avoiding points where materials can fall
6
Erection of steel frame
Erection of steel frame
Being struck by moving steel members or decking packs.
Unintended structural collapse.
Erection of steel frame
Workers 10 -Exclusion zones. - Not lifting over people - Use competent personal
Workers 8 -sequential method of erection that is developed in consultation with the frame designer and/or a structural engineer.
Toolbox talks covering this specific aspect.
4
6
Cranes, MEWPs and other equipment overturning.
6 Severity
of Consequences
After assembling this report, I believe that my design is feasible. The design directly responds to the sites needs and constraints is considerate of the surrounding area. As the site is a brown field site on a main road and the existing façade is to be retained, the chance of planning approval significantly increases. An issue which threatens the proposal is finance. Currently, funding is focused on the maintaining, operating and recovery of current leisure centres after the covid pandemic. The securing of funding for a new build leisure centre, especially one of this cost and complexity, would be difficult. Furthermore, it is unlikely that a private investor would invest as leisure centres do not generate sufficient profit and often break even. If funding was attained, via private investor, the cost of services may rise to increase profit. Subsequently, it may price out a portion of the intended users and somewhat defeat the aim of the project to provide sporting facilities for the local area. The design could be altered to be simpler in turn reducing construction costs, but this affects the buildings quality.
When adapting my design to comply with part M of the buildings regulations I ignorantly perceived access as just providing widened corridors, ramps and lifts for the physically disabled; I did not factor in access for the cognitively impaired. However, to achieve a higher standard of accessibility, there is no need a major reworking of the design. Changes need to be made in the form of lighting and visual contrast. This could be done by distributing light evenly and keeping reflections, shadows and glare to a minimum. Furthermore, differences in colour and intensity can be used to create visual contrast.
Although my design is compliant with part L of the building’s regulations, it is not enough to meet the target of being net-zero carbon by 2050. The building regulations do not cover embodied energy in buildings, the gains of operational energy reductions can be nullified by the embodied carbon in material choices.
From this report I have learnt that although the buildings regulations serve their purpose in protecting people’s welfare and safety in and around buildings, they are guilty of requiring the bare minimum. Rigorous regulations are the only thing which can facilitate positive change in construction. The building regulations should be seen as the baseline, designers have a duty to improve upon them.
2022. [online] Available at: <https://www.sportsthinktank.com/local-governmentthinking.html> [Accessed 7 May 2022].
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Designingbuildings.co.uk. 2022. Design build operate maintain DBOM. [online] Available at: <https://www.designingbuildings.co.uk/wiki/Design_build_operate_maintain_DBOM#:~:tex t=Design%20build%20operate%20maintain%20(DBOM,design%20and%20construct%20the %20works.> [Accessed 1 May 2022].
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<https://www.local.gov.uk/about/news/lga-securing-future-public-sport-and-leisurefacilities-and-services-integral-health> [Accessed 5 May 2022].
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Hse.gov.uk. 2022. [online] Available at: <https://www.hse.gov.uk/statistics/industry/construction.pdf> [Accessed 9 May 2022].
LBHF. 2022. Building control regulations. [online] Available at: <https://www.lbhf.gov.uk/building-control/building-control-regulations> [Accessed 7 May 2022].
Local.gov.uk. 2022. LGA – securing the future of public sport and leisure facilities and services integral to health of the nation. [online] Available at:
Qualifiedtoguide.co.uk. 2022. [online] Available at: <http://www.qualifiedtoguide.co.uk/uploads/3/3/6/5/3365913/thehistoryofropewalks1.pdf > [Accessed 7 May 2022].
Sportengland-production-files.s3.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com. 2022. [online] Available at: <https://sportengland-production-files.s3.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/s3fs-public/aprocurement-toolkit-final-130513.pdf> [Accessed 1 May 2022].
