| Project Name: Calne Town Centre - Phase 2 | |
|---|---|
| Description: Calne Town Centre Phase 2 Redevelopment, Wiltshire New Town Library, Community Offices Retail & Affordable Housing Introduction The practice has been closely involved with the town of Calne for the past twelve years, helping to regenerate the town centre following the demolition of a large meat factory. Work has included an award winning affordable housing project in the Conservation Area, feasibility studies which led to a new Sainsburys supermarket, and the design for a new town library. The latter, completed in Spring 2001 was officially opened by the Queen in December 2001 and has inserted a distinctive modern building into the town’s historic centre. Background This project began as a national competition organised by the Town Council which the practice won in 1989 in partnership with a commercial developer. We were eventually appointed by the District Council to realise the scheme. Due to the civic nature of the proposals, the redevelopment of the town was founded on public participation and it was part of the brief from the outset that the architects should be involved in extensive public consultation. The selection of the winning team had been based on this premise. The architects also encouraged the setting up of the Calne Artists Group by local artists and crafts people who provided public art for the completed scheme. Phase 1 comprised a mixed used development of social housing accommodation, some above ground floor retail units, together with a new town car park. This and adjoining sites were formerly occupied by five storey industrial buildings belonging to the Harris Meat Factory. This was demolished in the 1980’s. The Submitted Project The submitted project formed Phase 2 of the redevelopment, providing a new town library in the form of a stone and glass drum with retail and affordable residential accommodation housed in adjoining arms which curve to follow the realigned River Marden. The site is situated within a Conservation Area and is within the setting of a number of listed buildings. This scheme, commended by The Royal Fine Arts Commission, required extensive negotiation with English Heritage and the Environment Agency and is the third part of the redevelopment jigsaw for the centre of this historic market town. The scheme, The project was procured in two stages. The first stage involved considerable civil engineering works. These enabling works carried out under a JCT 80 contract, were valued in excess of £1 million. To provide the additional site area required by the new civic project, the River Marden, running in a concrete culvert at the time, was completely realigned with Bathstone rubble walls and a new, natural river bed provided. This provides a green, civic space in the heart of the market town. The core library space was constructed mainly in Bathstone ashlar stone with a feature structural steel and glass slot offering views and light into and out off the public space. The bris soleil to this element provides passive solar control during the day whilst this transparency allows interaction with the townscape at night. The structural support for the zinc roof to the drum was conceived as a steel bicycle wheel with a lantern hub. This gives dramatic visual and special interest to the two storey space as well as washing the interior in natural daylight. The library creates and forms the backdrop to a new civic space which is used as a meeting place and a outdoor exhibition space for works of art. The adjacent structures, which house the support spaces, are also constructed in ashlar with feature windows relating to the townscape beyond. The trailing arms of the development, housing retail units with affordable housing over were externally finished in a combination of render, brickwork, glass and slate roofs. The consultant team worked hard to provide a building which satisfied local agenda 21 issues and achieved a ‘very high’ BREEAM rating. This second stage was procured under a design and build contract. The overall cost of the project was marginally in excess of £5 million | |
 | |
| Close window | |