Bolton One Health, Leisure and Research Centre
Overview
The scheme takes local requirements for healthcare, leisure and sports sciences, and brings them together as a coherent new civic presence.
External works comprising roads, car parking and drop off, hard standings, paths and service area and soft landscaping complete the scheme together with the re-sitting of the cast iron press. Alterations to Moor Lane are proposed as part of the development, providing the space necessary for vehicle movement within the site, but also giving the opportunity for significant areas of landscaping at the junctions with Deane Road and Derby Street.
Alterations to Moor Lane are proposed as part of the development, providing the space necessary for vehicle movement within the site, but also giving the opportunity for significant areas of landscaping at the junctions with Deane Road and Derby Street.
Services on this project include CHP, absorption chiller, pool plant, various specialist air handing systems, executive specialist electrical systems including PV, solar, security and BMS systems.
The building was designed to achieve a BREEAM Excellent rating; thermal modelling was used to achieve a 20% reduction in CO2 emissions, and 80% of the roof and external cladding achieved a A/A+ BRE Green Guide Rating. This is complemented by day-to-day energy-saving features such as energy-efficient lifts, rainwater reuse and low-flush WCs.
The three client partners are:
University of Bolton
Providing sports laboratories, sports clinics, a shared 4 court sports hall, teaching facilities, a climbing wall and dedicated support and service areas.
Bolton Metropolitan Council
Providing an eight-lane County Competition standard swimming pool, competitor seating area, and spectator viewing gallery. A hydrotherapy pool, with changing and shower facilities, a dance studio and gym with dry changing facilities.
NHS Bolton
Providing 5000 m2 of community-based healthcare facilities including Urgent Care and Rapid Access clinics, emergency dental suite, orthopaedic and rheumatology clinics, a GP practice and pharmacy.
Awards
Public Sector Team of the Year – Insider Property Awards 2013
Commended for Best Community Building – LABC Building Excellence Awards 2012
Finalist for Best Education Development – LABC Building Excellence Awards 2012
Best Future Healthcare Design Concept Finalist – Building Better Healthcare Awards 2012
Considerate Constructor 2011 – Bronze Award
Key Challenges
The project involved a special level of partnership and engagement between the three different but complementary clients, their stakeholders and user groups, the designers and developers.
The whole Bolton One Development was to be greater than the sum of the parts. Not only have efficiency savings been made through co-location and sharing of facilities, but the civic gravitas and architectural impact of the scheme has been enhanced far beyond that possible for individual buildings.
Sustainability and inclusivity has been central to the development, with a town centre site providing outstanding accessibility for all Bolton residents. The project partnership has worked especially well to discover synergies and deliver local solutions.
Added Value
By selecting energy efficient and robust products we estimate we were able to save approximately 8% costs.
Through our in-depth knowledge of the construction industry and lessons learnt from previous swimming pool projects, we offered alternatives for constructing the swimming pool and basement. By using Xypex concrete we simplified construction and minimised tanking details. This speeded up construction of the pool box and minimised the risk of leaks.
A movement joint was required in the main building structure and consideration was given to how we could maximise this inclusion.
The movement joint was located on a specific building line and its properties were used for structural separation and to provide an acoustic and vibration separation line between adjacent sports and health user areas.
Local student art was printed into a complete wall of tiles by our tile manufacturer and installed in the pool area, producing a striking design to further enhance community engagement.