Business Pavillions

Client:
Miller Developments

Location:
Alba Campus, Livingston & Edinburgh Park

Budget:
£4M & £12M

Status:
Alba complete Sep 08
Edinburgh Park submitted for Planning

The Business Pavillion Solution was developed for Miller developments as a product able to respond to the market requirement for smaller, flexible units able to cater for small to medium size businesses (SMEs). Aimed at a target market that is typically local (professional service providers, contractors and/or consultancies) with a view to owner occupation.

The project sought to challenge the standard design and construction of the office building type, to drive out hidden costs, improve value and give improvements in quality and efficiency and programme.

The brief asked for a low cost, environmentally friendly solution to a 2 storey office and we proposed from the outset to look at the innovative use of materials and techniques from other sectors (e.g. industrial, residential) to achieve this whilst still offering high quality in feel and substantial design impact.

The layout comprises an open plan office where floor plates are sized to require one means of escape. The core contains all services and circulation and keeps the office plan clear and flexible. Units are offered in various sizes, giving the flexibility and choice required by prospective businesses at varying stages of development. Units are capable of sub-division on a floor by floor basis or offering the opportunity to expand by amalgamating one unit with the adjacent.

The choice in palette of materials is integral to the success of the model. The main body of the building is a metal encapsulated structural panel with mineral wool insulation. A material more commonly associated with industrial projects, but ideal in this environment due to its ability to span for up to 10-12m. This not only eliminates the need for sheeting rails but also yields better net to gross areas and ease of construction. Designing around component sizes throughout and working with the suppliers at an early stage resulted in improved programme, reduced waste and reduced cost. These efficiencies allowed us to concentrate spend for internal and external finishes on areas of high impact and visibility. For example the entrance cores give users a tangible feeling of a higher quality building, and the generous window openings provide a level of light and feeling of spaciousness rarely afforded in competing office solutions.

The sustainable agenda is another key feature of the design. Rather than resorting to token gestures or 'greenwash', the design is based on the Breeam Offices holistic approach. Therefore, although the building has no obvious feature to make it stand out from any other building, it is designed to achieve a minimum rating of 'Very Good' (Alba Campus), with the ability to be upgraded to 'Excellent' (Edinburgh Park).The product is also being reviewed in relation to the new 'Outstanding' rating category. Features such as:

• Responsible sourcing of materials from sustainable sources;
• Generous window design to improve Health and Wellbeing of users through good natural lighting levels and natural ventilation also contributes to improved energy efficiency and use.
• Cycle facilities to facilitate sustainable travel;
• Water management (internal systems and site facilities);
• Minimised waste and controlled emissions during construction;

Are among the elements that contribute to creating a genuinely environmentally sound building.

All these elements form a basic platform for the Pavillions; simple, elegant, and easily 'upgraded' to respond to project specific requirements.

Alba Campus
The first 8 Pavillions have been erected at Alba Campus, in Livingston. The £4M project delivers around 40,000 sqft of accommodation and will score a Breeam rating of 'Very Good'. The Pavillions are grouped into 3 buildings, and arranged in a cluster around the central area, which in addition to accommodating the parking and SUDS strategy for the site, creates a public square where all Pavillions are given prominence and each entrance is clearly visible to anyone entering the 'village'. The smaller scale is an opportunity, through the layout, to create a more intimate enclave that encourages interaction.

Edinburgh Park
This Second project, on the western boundary of Edinburgh, demonstrates how the platform has the flexibility to be easily 'upgraded' to respond to more demanding site specific requirements, without losing its character nor 'devaluing' the 'basic spec' pavillion.

The £12M development will deliver 20 Pavillions, (grouped into 10 buildings), to provide 107,000sqft of accommodation.

A type of office product not usually found at Edinburgh Park (up till now mainly dedicated to HQ a large office developments) the Business Pavillions will, as well as bringing physical and architectural variation in scale, present the opportunity to encourage a more sustainable economic mix. It would be quite feasible for a small independent professional business to grow within the park environs and effectively 'trade-up' to a large scale corporate HQ in the future.

The attention is focused on the creation of defined spaces between buildings. These predominantly take the form of parking courts over which the principle elevations preside with the sense of enclosure heightened due to the tram line elevating towards the south.

Particular care has been given throughout to controlling views in and out of the site. The aspect and siting of the buildings offers good aspect to the units. Controlled vistas and connection to the Park's designed landscape, ensure that whilst still achieving a good visual permeability throughout the development, due consideration is given to issues of overlooking and privacy. Furthermore given the location of the site within the Park, with its proximity to the main east-west train line to the south and the elevated by-pass to the west, the Pavillions are granted good visibility whilst never compromising the 'public' presence of existing buildings in the park due to its low rise.

The buildings will also provide a more Sustainable solution, by achieving an 'Excellent' Breeam rating. Improved U-values, sedum roofs, ground source heat pumps and solar panels are some of the features which will augment the buildings 'excellent' environmental performance.