Brunswick Building in Bloomsbury London - Assignment Example

Speculative Development Project: Brunswick Building in Bloomsbury London The Brunswick in Bloomsbury, London is being restored by the company Allied London. The development would encompass over 55,000 square meters which is about 6 acres. There was the question of whether or not the centre should be redeveloped. When the Brunswick Centre was first conceived as high-rise housing. However, most people were behind a more fragmented idea of what is called city diversity. Another problem, the Centre was not coming down to street level, and its stepped section prevented its bulk from overpowering in close-up views. At a distance it seems fine but there were the run of flats which were interrupted on the east side and a massive portico is provided which faces the axis of Brunswick Square. Theo Crosby, writing an appraisal in the Architectural Review, remarked on the massive portico facing the axis of Brunswick Square. In the evening light the tall thin columns stand out against the chiaroscuro background. This feature focuses more on open space rather enticing potential users from Russell Square station. There are two proposals: Turn the Brunswick into an office space or into residential apartments. Office Space If the Brunswick was to be converted into office space it will greatly enhance the environment in the public realm. The estimated cost of the project would be about 22 million. If we were to covert the Brunswick into office space the aim would be to: increase the size of the retail units, provide quality space, provide a comprehensive repair of the external fabric of the building, ensure a complete transformation of the building's physical environment, renewal of public entrances, paving landscaping and lighting, full 24 hour on-site-management and security with a new CCTV installation. Feasibility of Office Space The Brunswick is a grade II listed building situated in the heart of the Bloomsbury conservation. It is in the area between Bernard Street to the south, Brunswick Square to the east, Handel street to the north and Marchmont Street to the west. The goal of the project would be to honor the building's original intention while at the same time producing an environment that would bring about a newly energetic commercial life into the area. Residential Space If we were to convert the Brunswick into an residential area the express aim would be to "respect the needs of the local residents and business people but still retain the building's original architecture. Originally the Brunswick was to be a low rise development-a blending of the urban housing, shops and offices that would have provided a link between Bloomsbury square and the streets. Due to the economic climate the building was never completed to its original goals, as a result long leases held by residents of the area were sold to the London Borough of Camden to provide low-income public housing. Feasibility of Residential Space Residents of the area has seen The Brunswick's potential, as a result many have already started to buy property. The flats have been snapped up. The flats have doubled in price over the last couple of years- a 1-bedroom flat will sell between 170,000- and 250,000. Also, the area is home to a culturally diverse community. The flats in Bloomsbury are built block. These buildings were built over a period from 1890 to the Second World War. Location The Brunswick is located between Kings Cross and Russell Square in the heart of Bloomsbury and is close to The British Museum, the British Library and various tourist attractions and hotels. There are entrances on Bernard Street, Marchmont Street, Handel Street and Brunswick Square; Russell Square Station provides easy access for workers, students and visitors. Topography The Brunswick comprises about 55,742sqm residential and commercial accommodation. It has a Foundling Court and O'Donnell Court consisting of 400 flats. Also, a car park, plus 2 decks for 500 cars, which 250 are residential the other currently is managed by NCP. There is also the Renoir cinema, one of London's leading art house cinemas, and Safeway. The Brunswick is considered a neighborhood and not just a typical Central London Shopping area. The local community uses the store's resources on a daily basis. It is a unique blend of design and location. Brunswick Square sits in central London. The gardens around the surrounding area are being restored. Statistics The resident population in the Bloomsbury area are 43,000 within the core catchments' area. This includes 61% professional, managerial and skilled non-manual. The working population is about 96,000 within the core catchments' area including 50% in banking, finance and insurance. The student population is about 18,000 at UCL and UCH. Russell Square station handles 11.5 million people annually and acts as an important gateway to Bloomsbury. The week day and week end volumes compare well with other destinations: The Russell Square station exit numbers during the weekdays are 19,242. The Russell Square station exit numbers during the weekends are 22,794. Also, about 39% of overseas visitors on holiday in London come to Bloomsbury for the British Museum, which attracts 4.6 million visitors a year. Scheme Design Patrick Hodgkinson began to develop the concept for the design of The Brunswick Centre with his study of the Loughborough Road Estate in Lambeth by the LCC where Sir Leslie Martin was the chief architect. Hodgkinson and Martin then collaborated in 1957 on a scheme for St. Pancras Borough Council. The un-built low-rise development established some of the principles that would be carried through to The Brunswick Centre: no segregation, a search for low cost-high density building types, an open space for each unit and a synthesis of scale with the surroundings. The foundling project as it came to be known, was named after Foundling Hospital, began in 1959/1960. The scheme by Hodgkinson and Martin, who was involved up until 1963, was for the redevelopment of the areas. There were three aims: first to "test" the low-rise, high-density building, secondly to relate housing to shops and thirdly to provide a nucleus to the future development. Their design was carried out from portacabins on the southeast corner of the site, while the 19th century buildings were being demolished down around them. 1960-63- a super block was build with housing above shops and an underground car park. An initial sketch shows the housing stepping inwards along each side of the central spine to form an enclosed street. This was quickly changed to terraces stepping away from the central public space. 1963-64-A design of the main site for shops are speculative luxury apartments with 16 different paths. 1964-65 Re-planning for lower rent speculative flats and nurses hostels at low level around the perimeter. 1965-68. Final design and working drawings. 1968-72. Construction of a truncated building on Site A. The structure is a reinforced concrete frame with a lot of structural brickwork. The external walls of the flats are rendered block-work. This and the exposed arc frame were originally to have been painted a Regency stucco color. The omission of paint came as further cost cuts were made to the finishes while the project was on site. The flats are single aspect, facing outwards. The majority has one or two bedrooms, all on one level. The flats are well laid out and full of light; although the west facing units become very hot in the summer. Also, movement joints are required along the two-blocks to allow for thermal expansion and contraction. The detailing of these and the drainage of the balconies, leaves much to be desired and leaks are a common problem. In its final form the building has 560 flats for 1644 people In the commercial form it would have 80 units that would include shops, a cinema and small office spaces. Below would be parking space for 925 cars on two levels and a delivery space that can accommodate Safeway's lorrie. Key Aspects of the scheme To have a more fully integrated public and private sector communities Improve resources that are available for the local community Enhance health and well being of the residents. Create a more secure urban environment. To achieve a long term sustainable solution with the Community Trust To provide a catalyst for greater local authority involvement in the area. Monitoring and evaluation are necessary to make sure that the justification behind the policy intervention is well-founded. What is also needed is some type of resources that will be available to the community trust that will be used competently. The monitoring and evaluation will also will enable the analyst to look at the interventions and the consequences, if there are any. We also have an exit strategy, if the community centre continues to be operated by the community trust, then delivering or influencing services are needed for the Brunswick Community. For the them to be self-sufficient, the community trust will have to rent out some space in the centre for commercial or other appropriate usage. Client's Brief The chosen selection is for office space. The Brunswick, Bloomsbury, London is being extensively restored by property company Allied London to create a more agreeable space. The London landmark was conceived in 1960's by Patrick Hodgkinson, known for its concrete and glass mega structure. The price of the development would be about 10 million. A public art program between Allied London and a local artist and curator, residents and members of the local community has been incorporated into the design process. The aim of the building is flexibility, something that is capable of growth and change. There has been a change in Brunswick one that is political, social and economic. The popularity of Bloomsbury as an area is very important in the success of the project, and the Brunswick needs to sit comfortably within that environment and appeal to a wide diversity of visitors. The Bloomsbury is famous for its literary associations, in particular the Bloomsbury Group because of this it has just as much cultural significance and attraction to writers and artists. The area is also a big tourist attraction. The British museum alone attracts 4,800,938 visitors a year. Also, there is the British Library as well as Bloomsbury Square itself and Russell Square. The area is also strongly associated with education and medicine due to Great Ormond Street hospital, the University College London and the National Hospital Goals of the Proposal To make use of properly what achieved by the developer and commercially integrate a community element in the regeneration, to get to a successful working relationship. To improvement the external area, and thereby enhancing the social and economic lives of all those that live in the Brunswick. To fully integrate the public into the wider commercial aspects of the community. To create a fair amount of ownership and cohesiveness amongst the various stakeholders. To provide a long term goals when it comes to aspects of the community and educational facilities, plus those in surrounding services. Capital Funding The capital funding comes to 1.3 million. It is broken up like this: Charitable Funding - 250,000, ALP- 250,000, LDA- 250,000, Central Government- 200,000 and lastly Neighborhood Renewal Fund (Camden) - 350,000. PA Revenue Funding The PA Revenue funding comes to 50,000. The funding is made up like this: Commercial/Educational Users- 25,000, DCMS- 15,000 and Friends of Thomas-10,000. Also, there is a proposed contract to replace the communal heating and internal remedial works to 395 properties at the Brunswick Centre. The scheme code is CHME 3449, and the current scheme budget is 4 million. The project is funded from the 2003/5 and 2010/11 Housing Capital programmes with allocations of 3 and 1 million respectively. The allocations have been merged under one budget code and expenditure from the 2010/11 programme will be brought forward to enable work to be delivered as one package. The proposed work for this is to replace the existing largely communal heating systems, the installation of an integrated television reception system and internal remedial works where water penetration has occurred in the past. The existing heating system is about 80% of the dwellings is blown air and being 30 years old is considered to be beyond its useable. A wet radiator space heating system exists in the remaining 20% of the dwellings and these are also 30 years old. Initial budget The budget estimates put the cost of works at approximately 4 million: although since the Brunswick Centre is a complex pre-cast concrete structure with grade 2 listed interiors and exterior; the mechanical and electrical infrastructure is similarly complex. Then there is the fact that the Brunswick Centre is held by the Council on a long lease, and the freeholder's consent to the works is required to enable a contract to proceed. Parties involved ISG's Interior Exterior has been appointed as Allied London's building contractor for The Brunswick. They start work in November 2006 Allied London Properties-a major UK property company, owned by Deutsche Bank, JER Partners and management. They specializes in complex town and city centre mixed- use and retail development schemes creating stunning projects based on principles like sustainable development, architectural excellence and efficient and economic deliverability. Architects Patrick Hodgkinson, David Levitt, and David Bernstein. Agents Markham Vaughn Gillingham Brunswick Tenants and Residents Association Brunswick Leaseholders Forum, Brunswick Heating Committee, Sheltered Housing Residents, Residents and Leaseholders. Procuring the Building Be advice that the best strategy for procuring The Brunswick would be to obtain the overall value of the money and resources during the whole life of the service/facility. We need to look for a number of things: Best Value The Design The architects are Patrick Hodgkison, David Levitt, and David Bernstein. The principal elements of the design is a new food store of 3,900sq me, redesigned entrances with improved access and prominent retail frontages to Bernard Street. And extended and re-configured units to provide 11, 88 sq m of shops and restaurants. There will also be flexible floors space, and comprehensive repairs in cleaning and repairs of the building. . Procurement Mapping- Allied London's regeneration proposals for the Brunswick Centre include: improving shopping with a new large store at the Handel Street, an enhanced environment including tree planting, painting the bare concrete surfaces, new canopies to give weather protection for shoppers and improve signage, entrances and lighting. Also, there would be new cultural and visitor attractions like cafes and restaurants. The terrace would help improve upon security. Consequently, helping to maintain order to reassure residents on security and privacy. Improvements to the Terrace will include the repair and replacement of the paving, new footbridges and planting. The new canopies above the shops will help to reduce noise from street level. The new planting along the edge of the Terrace will help to absorb noise. Procurement and project management tools The ISG team is based on the site and over the next three months will be completing preparations for the work to be started. ISG's team will include an experienced person to act as a single point of contact for residents and commercial occupiers regarding the works being carried out. Linking of Design and Construction services The work on the Brunswick will try to build on the qualities that have always distinguished the building. A individualistic design, widely recognized visual archetype, accessible by all means of transport, with central avenue that is as open to the sky as a street. Approximately, 70% have always been open space and as secure as a private domain. Quality-cost-timing Allied London Properties has done quality work in the past. They have worked on such projects like the Skypark, Spinningfield and Bracknell. The cost of the reconstruction will be about 12 million. The first phase of the regeneration would be complete in about one year. It would entail the demolition of the unused central staircase which has been blocked for over 20 years and part of the central podium. The first phase costs about 250,000. What will follow is the installation of two new bridges which will help open up the central part of the Shopping Centre for the first time. The following factors will be weighed into the Contract for the communal heating. Included in the contract documents will be: works experience on similar projects, site welfare, customer care and liason, quality control and resources and health and safety, and risk management Whole life performance The entire project for the renovation will be around 22 million. . Consequently, there is a surrounding workforce who are very diverse such as doctors and nurses as well as porters, cleaners and students. There is also the possibility that a lot of students, as Tavistock Place is sold to University College London for development into residential use for students and postgraduates. The School of Pharmacy is also in Bloomsbury. There are 157,000 potential customers living and working within walking distance of The Brunwick. The total annual expenditure by potential visitors to The Brunswick is estimated to have been 432m in 2004. This annual expenditure is divided into 46% on Non-food merchants, 30% on Grocery, 14% on Eating Out and 9% on Retail Services. The local businesses that surround the area are Cable and Wireless, Time Warner, McCann Erickson and ITN. Procurement routes The procurement route for the entire project is a multi-stage tender while a single stage tender for the communal heating contract. The details were as followed: During the Summer of 2005 the Council's design consultants advised that given the design factor and the need to obtain listed building consent that in all probability that the cost of works would rise above European Procurement trigger level of 3,611,319. Now it is estimated that these works will likely cost between 5 and 6.5 million. As a precautionary measure a European Procurement Journal notice was published on 3rd June 2005 and expressions of interest was sought. The tender selection went as follows. The proposed tenders for the communal heating contract is using single stage selective tendering. What is proposed is that the Contract be awarded on the basis of the tender which is the most economically advantageous to the Council and that the evaluation should be scored on a price and quality basis with 40% scored on price and 60% scored on quality factors. This follows guidelines from CIC/RIBA who suggest up to a 60/40 quality/price assessment. When it comes to the contract and communal heating, if there is a funding problem when tenders are returned the potential for reduction in the works specification and availability of contingency funding would have to be considered before a tender report could be presented in July 2006. If there is any post-tender negotiation to reduce the scope of the works it will have to be handled with regard to the need to breach European procurement laws, and can't be disadvantage any tenderers. This could mean allowing all tenderers to resubmit prices if the scope of the work is to be reduced. All potential tenders will be subject to an evaluation process to be carried out by the Strategic Procurement Unit and the Housing Procurement Manager consisting of a requirement for two satisfactory or better references for similar work. Financial checks-contractors will be required to have satisfactory financial status. Completion of equal opportunities declarations and information. Provision of health and safety information including accident figures. A bid has been submitted to the London Regional Housing Board for Single Regional Pot funding of 1 million to provide more resources for the project and a funding decision is expected at the end of 2005 financial year. The tenders will be required to be prepared on the basis of the full performance of all of the services specified and to the standard specified in the tender documents. When the long list is prepared by the Strategic Procurement Unit, then an assessment team consisting of the project manager and t he procurement and contracts manager from capital projects will analyse the list. Potential tenderers will be required to pass the evaluation process in all of these areas before being placed on the tender list, about 6-8 contractors will be short listed, but probably four will be chosen.(www.Camden.gove.uk/localstudies) Contract agreements French Connection has leased 302sqm.3,250sq ft and Oasis has signed up for 223sqm/2,400 sq. Also, there is Superdrug who has a pre let 358sqm/3,853 sq ft to complement the scheme's 3,9003qm/43,000 sq ft anchor Superstore Safeway. Starbucks has become the first catering outlet to commit to the Brunswick. The latest deal is Nando's take a restaurant of 322sqm/ 3, 466 sq ft. Also, been signed is Hobbs, Decadent Dorothy and Carluccio's. Carluccio's has taken a 5, 876 sq ft unit, and Hobbs has chosen a 3,600 square ft space. There signings will take the scheme over the 75 per cent pre-let mark and anchor store Waitrose is due to start fitting its largest London store in a couple of months. Individual project working For the communal heating the expressions of interest from contractors will be assessed by the Strategic Procurement Unit to produce a long list and references taken up. The assessment process divides the contractors into three categories: first, meeting the financial and experience criteria, second, may require further references to be pursued or additional information required, third, expressions of interest will be those which have substantial information missing. Series project working Risk appointment Continuous improvement Allied London purchased the Centre earlier this year, and is currently working on a major proposal for the Shopping Centre hoping it will a new lease will bring more vibrancy to life in the area. Also, building a semicircular glass restaurant that will be suspended above the Brunswick Square entrance. Bloomsbury lacks a mainstream high street, which Allied London is trying to correct. Production information The construction company: ISG team has made sure to keep the commercial and residential residents of the area aware of the progress they have been making. Major fashion outlets have signed on for space. The tree planning will begin about one- year and 6 months into the project. As of three months ago new canopies have been installed. Here how the schedule is looking: 1 November the newly installed lighting will be under way. That should take about six months. In April we will start paving the streets. The installation of the new bridges will not be for another year and half. About February 2002. The Surrender of leased areas for the development of Brunswick Centre went through on October 13, Wednesday 2003 Bills of Quantities Allied Properties of London has estimated that the complete renovation would cost about 20 million. They contend that "The new Brunswick Centre will be Bloomsbury High Street providing a wide range of retail, cultural, eating and other attractions for local residents, visitors and tourist who will make the area. Tender Action The project falls into the second tender action. The London landmark is Grade II listing Project planning Allied London Properties is going out of its way to promote the renovation. The contractors and the subcontractors have decided to be based on the site. The site inspection saw no problems, and arrangements have been made to continue work on the site starting in November. The proposed timetable for the procurement of the communal heating contract is as follows: Executive Approve Contract Award Strategy-15th March 2005 Section 151 consultation with leaseholders-March 2005 Preparation of short list of contractors invited to tender-March 2005 Tender period and evaluation of returns-May 2005 S20 notices-June 2005 Executive committee approval of contract-July 2005 Lead in period-August 2005 Start on sit- 2005 Operations on Site The plans for completion of the renovation would be take about five years. The repairs are going to take appropriately two years, the landscape another year, and two to three years to build and reconstruct the bridges and office space so that it is in accordance with RIBA. Completion The practical completion of the operations will be done in five years. Upon completion Allied London's redevelopment will create 170,000 square feet of new retail space and will have 40 shops and 400 on-site apartments. Feedback All sources of job records, inspections of the completed building has been to our satisfaction. The architects feel that their design was implemented well, the engineers says that the structures are sound. The contractor has done the work on time and in accord with the project budget. Bibilography 1. Allied London Properties: pre-lets for The Brunswick. 2003 Winter. Http://www.allied-london-properties.com/news/news-2003winter.html. (2 June 2006) 2. Allied London Properties news: Contractor Appointed at the Brunswick. 9 August, 2004. Http://www.allied-london-properties.com/news/news_20040907.html (2 June 2006) 3. Allied London Properties: The Brunswick Bloomsbury, London. 2004. (1 June 2006). http://www.allied-london-properties.com/news/news/_2004spring.html (1 June 2006.) 4. The Brunswick News: Brunswick Centre Regeneration Takes Off. 01.06.98 Allied Properties. 5. The Brunswick News; 93% Public Support For Brunswick Centre Regeneration Proposals. 1999. http://www.thebrunswick-london.com/news_06.html 6. The Brunswick-A High Street for Bloomsbury. Allied Properties 2004 Http://www.thebrunswick-london.com/proj_highstreet.html. (1 June 2006). 7. The Brunswick-Retail. Allied Properties 2004. http://www.thebrunswick-london.com/proj_retail.html 8. The Brunswick Project: The building. Http://www.thebrunswickproject.co.uk. (2 June 2006) 9. Powers, Alan. "Battle of Brunswick" The Spectator. 21. June 1997. http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa3724/is_199706/ai_n8763968/print 10. Procuring the Building. Architecture.com. http://www.architecture.com/go/Architecture/Debate/Change_2106.html. (2 June 2006.) Read More