City Park West Development, Chelmsford - Essay Example

PARK WEST PARK WEST DEVELOPMENT, CHELMSFORD Park west is an ongoing development project situated on the former Anglia Ruskin university site. So far the first phase of the project is done and handing over processes is ongoing. This report will focus on the professionalism, values, and ethics of the various stakeholders involved in seeing this project become a success. The main aim of the report will be to provide a reflection of how the various activities from planning to building have been influenced by the three aspect of business practice that is professionalism, values and ethics. Contents Abstract………………………………………………………………………………i Introduction ………………………………………………………………………….3 Roles and relationships of stakeholders……………………………………………...4 Planning and construction process…………………………………………………...8 Legal and contractual framework……………………………………………………10 Impact on the surrounding…………………………………………………………...11 Legacy and durability………………………………………………………………..12 Architectural values of the project…………………………………………………...13 Conclusion……………………………………………………………………………16 Appendix 1- Reflection………………………………………………………………17 1. Introduction. City park west development is one of the projects developed by Genesis Housing Association and is located in Chelmsford. Sitting on the former site for Anglia Ruskin University, the two phase project is one of a kind in Chelmsford with its unique development plan. The project basically consisted renovation of three key historic buildings which include; the Law building, Frederick Chancellor building and finally the Anne Knight building. The project which is found in the town of Essex is strategically placed thus tend to enjoy a prime location in the town (www.chelmsford.gov.uk). The project lies adjacent to Central Park and is located opposite the Chelmsford station. Still under construction the project stands to boast of over 600 homes with a range of property types, that includes apartments, townhouses, offices, retail outlets, community use spaces and offices 1.1 The place, block A(Bidwell, 2011) 1.2 Block k (www.chelmsford.gov.uk) Therefore, this paper will seek to explore and examine various features of this project. Some of the key areas that are bound to be covered in this paper include; roles and relationship of the participants, planning and construction process, legal and contractual framework, impact of the project to its surrounding, legacy, values it expresses and the urge to find out whether the design or architecture was inspired by a particular approach. To achieve this task various research methods were applied in order to come up with a detailed description of this project. The methods used in obtaining information included browsing materials on the internet and holding interview sessions with those involved. The only limitation about this project is that it is still in progress now that the second phase is not complete (www.genesisha.org.uk). To conform to the topic, this paper will explore the professionalism, values and ethics of those involved in seeing the project come to a completion and also deliver quality products that guarantee customer satisfaction. Key words; Professionalism- It is the expertness characteristic of a professional person. Values- Ideals accepted by some individuals or groups or beliefs of a people in which they have an emotional investment either for or against something. Ethics- The principles or motivation based on ideas of right and wrong that are accepted by a person or a group. 2. Roles and Relationships of Participants/ Stakeholders. In order to see the development of a high end product in city park west project, services of several reputable world class firms that specializes in the built industry were outsourced. Firms and companies involved in this project were Genesis Housing Association which was the client who sought the services of the other companies involved in order to come up with quality products for their customer. The other company is Pollard Thomas Edwards Architects who took part in the designing and master planning of the project. Bouygues was also among the companies that took part and it was the main contractor (Potter & Lloyd, 2014). EC Harris was the quantity surveyor and finally Bidwells which was charged with managing the whole project. Chelmsford City Council was the only public organization involved in the project and was charged with planning for the project in order for its activities to be in line with the law. Genesis Housing Association (GHA) In this project the client or developer was Genesis, which is one of the largest housing associations in the United Kingdom. The company which boasts of providing over 33,000 homes and houses 100,000 tenants is the largest landlord in the London boroughs of Brent and Barnet; the second largest in Westminster and the third largest in Camden. The influence of Genesis in this project was that it aimed towards providing a mixed tenure development to their customers or clients consisting of rentals, offices, retail outlets, townhouses, and community use spaces. In doing this they demonstrated professionalism by contracting different players in the built industry to ensure quality product and service delivery. This was driven by their mission that emphasizes on providing quality services and homes to their customers in order to build better futures. Pollard Thomas Edward architects (PTEa) PTEa which is a limited liability company has been in existence for 40 years now. The company specializes in the revitalization of old neighborhoods and the creation of new ones. The award winning company with over 100 awards employs 130 professionals and staffs who help the company deliver its services which range from property development, community engagement, urban design, master planning to architectural services. The core values that drive service delivery at PTEa include their commitment to finding out what their end users are in need of, a strong belief that emphasize on new buildings respecting their surroundings and a determination to apply and transform the ideas into action by developing properties. They also believe in property developments making a good force by utilizing money intelligently in good designs. In this project the influence of PTEa was felt through its application of unique designs in refurbishing key historic buildings like the Anne Knight building, Fredrick Chancellor, and the Law building (Lockwood, 2014). They did this by demonstrating professionalism through delivery of exemplary designs and holding on to their values of revitalizing old neighborhoods and creating new ones. They adhered to ethical practices by ensuring their clients receive the best quality for the services sought from them. Chelmsford City Council (CCC) This was also another body involved in the planning of city park west project. One of its core roles was to develop and formulate a plan for the project that will ensure that is in line with the public regulations. They did this by providing guideline to the other stakeholders by providing the towns plan. This was motivated by their ambition to see redevelopment of the site which was formerly Anglia Ruskin site. One major influence and contribution of Chelmsford city council to the project was to see the project conform to the city’s planning scheme. It also played the role of approving most of the stakeholder’s activities to ensure that its citizens receive quality product and services from these contractors. It therefore demonstrated professionalism by ensuring the plan was adhered to and ethics in ensuring the service providers did not compromise on anything that concerned the lives of its citizens (Shoup, 2005). This was to help ensure delivery and creation of services that addressed the needs of its citizens. Bidwells Bidwell which has been in existence for the last 175 years is a leading property consultancy in the United Kingdom. Also recognized for bagging awards, this company has over 500 employees. In City Park, west Bidwell was the project manager charged with the responsibility of planning and organizing this project. The professionalism of this firm has seen the project sail through different stages thus showing success in planning. Bouygues Bouygues was the contractor awarded the project by Genesis. It was the one responsible with the building and putting ideas to actions. Their core activities entail development, design, management, and construction of bespoke buildings with the wellbeing of people communities, and the global environment remaining at the heart of their actions. Bouygues has managed to deliver by adhering to their principles that advocate for the safety and physical welfare of personnel, and supply chain partners and safeguarding their health. They also ensure satisfaction of the client base through exceeding their expectations by promoting innovation and challenging traditional constraints in order to deliver added value. It has also adhered ethical business practices by maximizing the benefit to the communities in which they work in through investment and initiative (pollardthomasedwards.co.uk). They have also minimizes environmental impact by actively targeting a reduction in the ecological footprint thus ensuring environmental sustainability when delivering for projects. EC Harris This was the quantity surveyor of the city park west project. Therefore, this company was charged with the responsibility of ensuring that a high end product was delivered within the stipulated time and within the budget. These companies have therefore demonstrated professionalism values and ethics to see the first phase of the project come to a completion. 3. Planning and construction processes. The planning and construction process of city park west project began long time ago. Despite the second phase beginning this year the idea was born some years back. As early as 2001, there had been plans to renovate the site in which Anglia Ruskin university was sitting on. Therefore, in 2001 Chelmsford city council recognized the site for renovation. After a few years of the council recommending the renovation of the site, Anglia Ruskin University vacated the site and it was later that year purchased by Genesis Housing Association in 2007. It is important to note and mention that the sit had long been designated for construction by the CCC, in contextual framework. In 2001, the government with the assistance of PLC issued the go ahead relative to the outline. By the year 2007, the previous occupants ARU vacated the premises and GHA bought the site for subsequent development and construction. A year later, they appointed PTEa for their expertise and skills and in the year 2012, the initial hybrid planning for phases one and two were issued. In 2013, the development of the first phase was initiated and later on planning for phase two was allowed in 2014. In 2015 the development of the second phase was initiated and started. 1.3 City park west in the map of Essex (PTEa, 2014) In 2008, Genesis appointed Pollard Thomas Edwards architects to take over the process of master planning the project. The architects planned the project and in 2012 an application for consideration by Chelmsford city council was sought for full permission of fazes one to kick off. At the same time an outline consideration for phase two was also presented and until recently this year was the go ahead by the city council. Therefore, construction of phase one kicked off in 2013 which saw its completion come to an end this year 2015. This phase developed 219 homes and 6000 square meters of shopping, community, and commercial space. As the handing over process is still on going, site activity for phase two has already began which will see the construction of 386 homes and an addition of 3800 square meters of business space. Another notable feature of this phase is the 14 story landmark building which is thought to offer a visible gateway to the city. At some point of the development the project faced economic tests during the economic downturn that saw HCA come to its rescue by funding 45 million pounds. The main aim of Genesis is to sell the units and recover the money they have invested. Professionalism, values, and ethics have been demonstrated in the planning process by various players. The architects demonstrated professionalism from their exemplary plan of the project through creation of a creative underground car park that has helped spare public space. This has been in line with their values for delivering quality products to their clients. One ethical aspect that has been demonstrated all through the project by the various key players is their respect for the law guiding corporate practice. This is evident when awarding tenders and even contracts among the stakeholders (www.bidwells.co.uk). One such body that must be lauded for good ethics is the city council which has always been in the forefront to ensure quality products and services are delivered to its citizens. This has been achieved through ensuring proper channels are followed and approvals sought before any activity can proceed. 4. Legal and contractual framework. Visual logic chart/table of the development and construction Like in the roles section, the major key players, or stakeholders of this project has been Genesis Housing Association who is the client, Pollard Thomas Edwards architects who were the planners and monitor of the project on behalf of the clients. Then the main contractor was Bouygues who was in charge of all the other contracts between them and their subcontractors (Deas & Ward, 2000). Bidwell’s were the project managers and were charged with organizing the project in order to see its successful completion. EC Harris was the quantity surveyors who ensured the project was running within the stipulated budget and schedule. The relationship among these players was bound by contracts in order to facilitate a formal relationship that focuses on quality service delivery and client satisfaction. Quality was guaranteed immediately the client hired professional services to monitor the project. The result or influence of this contractual arrangement is quality product and service delivery that has seen the delivery of award winning homes by Genesis Housing Association. This approach and arrangement also encouraged corporate responsibility amongst all the players involve thus emphasizing on quality. 5. Impact on the surrounding and occupants. City park west development project has impacted positively to both the surrounding and its occupants. One such impact is the provision of good housing to the occupants. The projection of nearly 600 rental homes will mean accommodation of thousands of people (Hara, Takeuchi & Okubo, 2005). The modern design and architecture used in developing the project adds beauty to the surrounding and creates the city and urban atmosphere. The provision of other services like supermarkets, office suites, and public places ensures recreational needs of the occupants are addressed. 1.4 Shops (Bidwel, 2011) 1.5 Residential rooms (Bidwel, 2011 Another impact the project has had to the community and its surrounding is environmental conservation. The designers of the project incorporated nature in their designs and this is evident from the green lawns and trees that are scattered all over. Therefore, the project has impacted positively to the economy of this city by promoting business activities. Socially, it has impacted positively through the provision of decent, adequate housing and recreational services. It has also impacted positively to the environment by ensuring proper waste management and conservation of nature through tree and grass planting (Robinson, 2006). The impacts on its occupants and the surrounding reflect professionalism, values, and ethics by those involved through their exemplary and unique designs. Their environmental responsibility is also another ethical aspect demonstrated on the impact of the project to the surrounding and the occupants. 1.6 Victoria, block D (PTEa, 2014) 1.7 The crossing, block j (PTEa, 2014) 6. Legacy and durability. The project is expected to leave behind an architectural legacy in planning and development. The restoration of the historical buildings is one of the legacies the stakeholders involved in the development will leave to be admired. The high quality architecture coupled with adequate planning has given the project an aesthetic value that has seen its core purpose and function maintained. This is so since the intended architectural disposition would have introduced a new phase in the human society. It goes without mentioning that the amount and type of development achieved herein would be ground breaking and appeal to the natural society other than meet the desired architectural input and style. It also important to note that the extensions that would be added to the initial plan do not in any way interfere with the scheduled design. On the contrary, there is a feeling of improved appeal and view of the architectural designs completed by the project. As much as the initial plan and structure of the building was maintained in terms of architectural legacy or history, the patterns or extensions added are not only cosmetic but also durable in line with the initial intention and plan. In brief, it is critical to imply that the development intension was to ensure that the building blends with the natural surrounding with appearing to lose touch or sync with the rest of the buildings in the vicinity. 1.8 Law building (Bidwel, 2011) 1.9 1.9 Residential buildings (Bidwell, 2011) (Images of Anne knight building (PTEa, 2013) (www.chelmsford.gov.uk) (Bidwel, 2011) The original goal of the project was to provide housing and commercial place. This has been achieved in the first phase thus retaining the original purpose of the project. The occupants are also fascinated by the high end products that stakeholders have strived to deliver for them. This is an indication that the project is viable and has a future. 7. Architectural values of the project. The architectural values of this project speak for themselves and are evident in the products and services delivered by the various stakeholders. One of the values by the architecture was to redevelop and create new developments. This has been demonstrated by their effort to retain the three historic buildings in the site. Their intentions in doing this were to retain the values and historic features of the town. more images of Frederick Chancellor- (Bidwel, 2011) 2.0 Fredrick chancellor building. (Bidwel, 2011) (Bidwel, 201) (PTEa, 2014) Another outstanding feature in the design of this project is the emphasis on environmental conservation. This has been demonstrated by the retention of some major trees and the replacement of those which were cleared to create space for development. Connectivity is also another outstanding feature of this project. The original intention of the project has been realized which was to improve connectivity from north to south from the train station through to the open space and the parks (Castells, 2014). From east to west, that is from form Chelmsford shopping are through to the bus station and the theatres. So far the occupants have welcomed the project deliverables and this has been demonstrated in the race by citizens to secure the completed units. Therefore, the project has lived up to its intended deliverables which included; restoration and adaptation of the historic buildings in the site (Foglesong, 2014). Enhancing connectivity through the site, provision of an attractive and sustainable environment and finally provision of quality designed structures. Philosophy It is my reasoned and humble opinion that the design of the building did fit to the articulation of adaptation or blending to the surrounding structures which have historical significance and value. Thus, the resultant feature realized an exceptional view in a sustainable locality both architecturally and cosmetically. This was realized due to the effort and work of the professionals who ensured that their expertise and skills were put forth to realize the intended results. It is also important to note and mention that the general or overall result and design was occasioned by the creation of spacious zones to be used accordingly. 8. Conclusion Overall from the planning stage to the execution or building stage, the activities of the various stakeholders have been guided by professionalism, values, and ethics. The process has demonstrated these qualities in a number of activities and the end result speak for itself. Professionalism has been demonstrated when the client sought the services of specialized professionals from the different sectors in the built industry. These stakeholders also showed this aspect by delivering professional services that gave high end products. In doing the work contracted to them, their values directed them into delivering quality products for the client. Ethical practices were also demonstrated through corporate responsibility by ensuring their activities were guided by the industrial practices that promoted transparency and environmental conservation. This has therefore seen the development of as successful phase one of the project with the second phase projected to follow the same practices. Reference http://www.chelmsford.gov.uk/city-park-west http://pollardthomasedwards.co.uk/ http://www.genesisha.org.uk/regeneration/other_developments/central_chelmsford.aspx http://www.bidwells.co.uk/properties/details/3956-cml-city-park-west-phase-2-chelmsford Castells, M. (2014). Technopoles of the world: The making of 21st century industrial complexes. Routledge. Deas, I., & Ward, K. G. (2000). From the ‘new localism’to the ‘new regionalism’? The implications of regional development agencies for city–regional relations. Political Geography, 19(3), 273-292. Foglesong, R. E. (2014). Planning the capitalist city: the colonial era to the 1920s. Princeton University Press. Hara, Y., Takeuchi, K., & Okubo, S. (2005). Urbanization linked with past agricultural landuse patterns in the urban fringe of a deltaic Asian mega-city: a case study in Bangkok. Landscape and Urban Planning, 73(1), 16-28. Lockwood, C. (2014). Manhattan Moves Uptown: An Illustrated History. Courier Corporation. Potter, R. B., & Lloyd-Evans, S. (2014). The city in the developing world. Routledge. Robinson, J. (2006). Ordinary cities: between modernity and development (Vol. 4). Psychology Press. Shoup, D. C. (2005). The high cost of free parking (Vol. 206). Chicago: Planners Press. Savitch, H. V. (2014). Post-industrial cities: Politics and planning in New York, Paris, and London. Princeton University Press. Reflection Research into this project has exposed key and beneficial corporate and industrial practices involved in the built industry. This is very significant to the module as it provides a practical approach into the built environment. One thing learnt from the research is that for a client to get quality, he must invest in stakeholders whose operations are guided by professionalism, values, and ethics. Read More