Imperial War Museum North in Manchester - Assignment Example

Imperial War Museum North Manchester, England One of the most talked about museums in Britain is none other than the Imperial War Museum North in Manchester. The interesting thing about this museum is that it reflects stories about how life has been in the north and is still evolving by war and conflict. Competition: 1997 Completion: 2001 Opening: 2002 Client: Imperial War Museum North in partnership with the Tate Museum Technical Details: Building Area: 6,500 sq.m. (69,965 sq.ft.) This award-winning building is designed by an international architect, Daniel Libeskind. The museum is a talking figure of our world which has been torn apart by differences and conflicts over years. It is situated at The Quays, about 2 miles from Manchester city centre. The building is visible across the strategic points of the city and its surroundings. In 2003, The Imperial War Museum North won the British Construction Industry Building Award, along with the title of being the Large Visitor Attraction of the Year at the 2006 Manchester Tourism Awards. Concept Reflecting and relating the conflicts which have shaped the 20th century and continuing to shape the future was the main idea behind this art piece, The Imperial War Museum North. The main concept of the the project is of a globe torn into pieces and then re-joined on that site, more like an iconic depiction of conflict.   The Museum has a number of learning centers along with a restaurant, which was ompleted in 2001 by SDL and Sir Robert McAlpine, the museum was opened for its spectators in 2002. More than 550, 000 people visited the Museum in its first year. Structure Structure: The Imperial War Museum North originally had a construction budget of $60 million, but was unable to secure funding. SDL redesigned to the new budget after SD and completed the building on time and budget. Association with Architect of Record: Leach Rhodes Walker,LLP Architects Project Management: Gardiner and Theobald Management Services Structural Engineers: Arup Services Engineers: Mott MacDonald Quantity Surveyors: Turner and Townsend Exhibition Design: Event and Real Studios Planning Supervisor: Gleeds Health and Safety Construction Manager Fit Out: Interior plc. Main Contractor: Sir Robert McAlpine, Ltd. The structure of the building is composed of three interlocking shards; 1. The open, earthly realm of conflict and war is significant from The Earth Shard, which comprising of the spaceous and flexible museum.  2. The dramatic entry into the museum is through The Air Shard. 3. The Water Shard, also the third main structural piece, is the platform for viewing the Canal with a restaurant, cafe, deck and giving space for performances. It is basically an area proposed for recreation and entiertaiment. This specific and rare composition and constellation of various structures, forms, functions and relationships, centres and complements the entire area in which the project is located - forming a centre out of the disparate places around it. Brining together in a new perspective for the pedestrians and people visiting the area are the; The Lowry Centre, Manchester United Football Fields, the Manchester Ship Canal and transportation system. The IWMN can be observed from various prespectives and at the same time provides new views from within itself of the surrounding panorama - a panorama which becomes a story of the people of the northern region told within it.  The museum space reflects new concepts of exhibition, showing a concrete and visible form how the personal histories of the people of the North are well knit into the fabric of the ever changing Twentieth century surrounded with conflicts. IWMN’s uniqueness lies in the integration of its beautiful architecture, techniqal exhibition design engineering and more like a dream holding images of history and vision of the future. Holding all the beuty and elegance, the building is of simple construction rendering to low-maintenance costs, efficient use, ecological responsibility and a sensitive security awareness.  The proposal definitely articulates a new vision of the Museum whose impact will bring new life and potential to the emerging area. Rightly piinted by Paul Valery that the world is permanently threatened by two dangers: order and disorder. This project lays the foundation of the in-between, the interest, the realm of democratic openness, plurality and potential. On one hand navigating the rigid totalities of the building and the chaos of events on the other, reflects the building’s evolving identity which is open to profound public participation, access and education. The Museum can therefore be said to act like a catalyst for focussing energies, both entrepreneurial and spiritual, and moulding them into a creative expression. If Henry Adams were writing today he would add to the Virgin and the Dynamo, the Museum which holds cultural dynamo transforming the past into the next Millennium. The importance of this art piece of construction is underscored by the recreation of the entire Trafford region - urban regeneration, job creation and tourist spending.  Beyond the demands for integration and quality, the IWMN offers substance for the imagination and daring of the unexpected.  The IWMN provides new answers to all programs, invents new connections between the building and its surroundings and is becoming an instantly recognisable, memorable place of encounter. (Daniel Libeskind 2002) Merchant Bridge Introduction Client: Central Manchester Development Corporation Engineer: Whitby & Bird Architect: RHWL Partnership Steelwork Contractor: Watson Steel Ltd Section Bending Engineers: The Angle Ring Co Ltd During the Manchester’s Industrial Revolution of the 18th and 19th Centuries, Castlefield was the hub of canal and rail communication chiefly responsible for supplying raw material to industrial city. The City Council designated Castlefield a conservation area in 1979 and the area became Britain’s first urban heritage park in 1982. The revival of the Castlefield region required construction of a 67” extended walkway to connect the latest Slate Wharf on the southwest side of the Bridgewater Canal with the old Catalan Square, on the northeast side. The Merchant Bridge thus joins the Barça Cafe in Catalan Square in Castlefield and the Quay Bar on the other bank and is one of the many attractive landmarks of the city of Manchester. Completed in 1996, it is a striking curved shaped white steel footbridge that crosses the Bridgewater Canal at Castlefield Basin, spanning 38.2 m The noticeable curve of this structure is an epitome of the modern computer technology while complementing the seven established bridges at the site which cover 200 years of history. The white shade work contrasts spectacularly with the red and dark blue masonry of Castlefield’s surrounding ancient railway viaducts and canal wharfages. Designed by Whitby Bird Limited and the steel-work contracted to Watson Steel, the structure was selected for a Millennium Product Award in the midst of severe competition. Bridge Concept and Design The bridge concept is a tubular steel design which established a technological move forward. A curved tubular form is used to lay underline the established bridges’ structures. Architectural and engineering principles were met with a intelligent arch solution in which deck and support arch curve in opposite directions, each complementing the other. This solution gives better resistance to the bridge deck in resisting out-of-plane loads. Vertical loads on the deck are transmitted into the plane of the arch by the flat stiffness of the deck, and the arms acting as ties. The arch is restrained against collapse by the torsional stiffness of the aerofoil deck. The 85 tonne structure was designed principally in CHS and plate A 3.5m depth between the water and the underside at the cut lines was allowed, with 4.Im over the 5m long central section. By lessening the depth of the bridge deck, the length could be reduced. The thickness of the deck is 375mm. This is unusually slim for a bridge of this span; it allowed gradients to be kept as minimum as possible while maintaining clearance for boats. The deck is 2m wide at its ends but the middle section widens to 3m as it was forecasted that pedestrians would want to stop over to admire the beautiful scenery. Bridge Fabrication and Erection As informed above, the Steel work was contracted to Watson Steel. The design produced by Whitby & Bird was elaborated into a 3D CAD to detail the steelwork. Jigs were built to attain accuracy in cutting and welding, and the sections were trial straightened at Watson’s Bolton works prior to delivery to site in assemblies each comprising four deck pieces, three arch pieces and 13 hanger arms Final bolting and welding were carried out on the bank of the canal and the bridge was elevated into position using an 800 tonne crane. This crane capacity was required because of site restrictions and resulting demands on arrival at. The 50m main bridge span was lifted and swung, in 40 minutes, onto its fixed bearing on the northeast bank, ready for positioning on the two sliding bearings on the southwest bank. The completed bridge was handed over to the client in June 1995. (Merchant Bridge) References: Daniel Libeskind 2002, from the website of the architecture who designed the structure, retrieved online from http://www.daniel-libeskind.com/projects/show-all/imperial-war-museum-north/ Merchant Bridge -Merchants Bridge, Bridgewater, Castlefield retrieved online from http://www.civl.port.ac.uk/britishsteel/media/photos/CSMerc.HTM Read More