After a few minor problems, I have managed to successfully use Revit with ADB to load one room in the Morpeth NHS Centre model with furniture and other fittings. This link has not yet been used within P+HS so I thought I would show you what it can achieve. The blocks imported from ADB are basic, and are subject to a few minor problems (the usual chair appearing in the ceiling etc), however these are easily rectified and in a short space of time I created the following images and a short walk through.

It works in a very similar way to the CAD/ADB link, meaning changes in the Revit model are fed back into the ADB room data sheets and generic room layouts can be saved and duplicated easily and quickly and new items of furniture can be created.

Joe Stenson from our Leeds office has been awarded a Merit in design for his Part II thesis. Joe says:
“heartiest of thanks to all staff for the help and support offered to me throughout the “hard fought slog” – (Geraldine) that was my Part II. The feedback and commentary received from colleagues throughout were invaluable to the general design process.”
Joe’s scheme is a Crematorium complex that amalgamates the existing facilities in the Leeds metropolitan area onto a secluded site bordered by the River Aire and the Leeds / Liverpool Canal. Key to the thesis was investigating the provision of bespoke buildings for semi-outdoor cremations, as required by those of Hindu, Sikh & Buddhist following. A few images of the scheme are shown here:

The Final boards Joe presented are available here: X:\Resources\Students\Presentations\JJS Thesis Boards if you are interested.
Congratulations Joe.

Note that whereas HBN40 ‘Common Activity Spaces Vol:2 Treatment Areas’ (now superseded) set the height of a clinical basin at 860mm to the rim, HBN 00-03 ‘Clinical and Clinical Support Spaces’ now sets the height at 800mm.

Congratulations to the team on the handover of Rivendale, a new Extra Care facility for Broadacres in Northallerton.

Photos courtesy of Doug Jackson

Construction has started on Porch Close (The Ardens) in Northallerton for Broadacres Housing Association. Accommodation comprises 10 apartments for rent to people over the age of 55. The project is due to be completed in February 2011.

The site is located to the rear of Porch House, the oldest house in Northallerton, and falls within the conservaton area. The building is largely traditional in appearance with some modern features such as the double height curtain walling and a glazed canopy to the entrance.

The building will achieve Level 3 under the Code for Sustainable Homes, using solar panels for water heating and high standards of thermal insulation. Each apartment has also been designed to meet Lifetime Homes, with full disabled access and storage for mobility scooters within the hall.

One of me because Steve will be disappointed if I don’t include this photo!

More updates to follow as work progresses…

As part of achieving Breeam Excellent at the design stage for LINAC, the new radiotherapy centre Nottingham, a credit was gained for compliance with the 3% daylighting factor required for a typical 12 – 15sqm Consultant / Exam room. The photograph and sketch above illustrates the actual size of the window in relation to the room.

In this instance, the size and proportion of the window was governed by the fact that the room depth is greater than the room width, meaning that a large surface area of glazing is required in order to achieve 3% daylighting.

An alternative to this type of window which would still achive a 3% daylighting factor, would be to consider rotating the room by 90 degrees (so that the room depth is less than the width). This method would improve the quality of light transfer into the room and provide an opportunity for more interesting elevations in terms of external window fenestration. The down side to this however, would be the possibility of longer corridors.

Work is progressing well at Blaydon with completion targeted for September 2010 as per original programme.

P+HS Architects are responsible for the design of the Primary Care Centre, while S&P Architects are responsible for the Leisure Centre.

The project is being delivered under the scape procurement method.

Contractor: Willmott Dixon Limited

Contract Value: £17.5m approx [AMP]

Completion Date: September 2010

A new permitted development regime for non-domestic buildings came into force on 6 April 2010. Access guidance here [PDF]

This information was taken from the Planning Portal.

A new book, Primary Care Centres A Guide to Health Care Design by Geoffrey Purves is now available.
Published by The Architectural Press, this second edition does what it says on the cover and includes an outline review of the main issues in designing health buildings, international comparisons, the political framework, briefing, measuring design quality, art in health, and loads more. There are planty of floor plans and images (I know how you Architectural types love these) and of the 19 featured Case Studies, 2 are from P+HS: The Vermuyden Centre and Washington Primary Care Centre.
Anyone wanting to borrow the book, please see Diana who has an office copy.

Planning Portal technical updates

To ensure the Planning Portal is compliant with legislative changes, the following actions will be introduced for the 6 April 2010.

Design and access statements:

From 6 April 2010, the range of development that is exempt from the requirement for a design and access statement will be expanded. The list below confirms the new requirements from 6 April 2010. The paper form checklists and electronic Planning Application Requirements (PAR) list will be amended at 12:01am on the 6 April to reflect these changes.

Design and access statements will be configured as mandatory for the following scenarios:

• scenario 2 – Householder + Conservation Area

• scenario 3 – Householder + Listed Building

• scenario 7 – Full + Conservation Area

• scenario 8 – Full + Listed Building

• scenario 11 – Listed Building

Design and access statements will be configured as optional for the following scenarios:

• scenario 1 – Householder

• scenario 4 – Full

• scenarios 5 and 6 – Outline with Some Matters Reserved and Outline with All Matters Reserved

• scenario 9 – Full + Advertisement 

Design and access statements will be configured as not required for the following scenarios:

• scenario 10 – Conservation Area – This scenario is for conservation area consent to demolish, which is not a planning application; DAS is still required for planning permission in conservation areas (covered by scenario 7). 

• scenario 12 – Advertisement

• scenarios 14 and 15 – Lawful Development Certificate – Existing Use and Lawful Development Certificate – Proposed Use

• scenarios 16 to 20 – Prior Notification – Proposed Building and Prior Notification – Telecoms

• scenario 21 – Hedgerow Removal

• scenario 22 – Prior Notification – Proposed Demolition

• scenario 23 – Approval of Reserved Matters

• scenarios 25/26 – Removal or Variation of a Condition

• scenario 27 – Approval of Details Reserved by Condition

• scenario 31 – Trees – TPO & Conservation Area

• scenario 33 – Extend time limit of existing permission

• scenario 34 – Non-material amendment to existing permission

The design and access statement changes are explained in the Government guidance, Guidance on information requirements and validation, published 16 March 2010.

Users of the Portal can access DAS information here.

House in Multiple Occupation (HMO):

The following change will also come into effect on the 6 April 2010 – planning permission will be required for a change of use from Class C3 (dwelling house) to a new Class C4 (house in multiple occupation), but changes from C4 to C3 will be permitted development. This change is linked to an amendment to the Use Classes Order which was announced in January 2010, as set out in The Town and Country Planning (Use Classes) (Amendment) (England) Order 2010, and will also come into force on 6 April 2010.

The 1-APP forms will not be changed to reflect HMOs. However, applicants will be able to apply for HMOs on the full application form.

Guidance on the Portal in relation to use classes is available here. 

Find out whether a change in class is permitted.

Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL)

On 6 April, the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) regulations will come into force. 

Planning Portal users can access information on CIL here.

The following changes will be delivered:

Community Infrastructure Levy Questions PDF

To ensure CIL charging authorities have the required information to determine the appropriate CIL charge, applicants/agents will be required to complete additional questions. 

The additional questions have not been incorporated into the suite of 1-APP forms as CIL is a voluntary mechanism not a national/mandatory standard. Instead, the questions have been included in a PDF form titled ‘Community Infrastructure Levy Questions’.

If the LPA is a CIL Charging Authority, they must configure the CIL questions as a mandatory document within their local level requirements list. This will then be presented to the applicants and agents as a mandatory supporting document. This document must be completed and submitted with the Planning Application form.

The Portal offers a CIL information page here.

This includes: 

• An overview of CIL
• Links to regulations and guidance
• A link to the CIL questions PDF

CIL administration forms will be placed on the Portal over the next few weeks.

The above information was taken from the Planning Portal news 31 March 2010.

It’s that time of year again! Here are the Leeds and London office entries for the annual egg-decorating competition. And the winner? Ryan’s lovely easter bunny, which beat off a number of less traditional entries including a whiteread-esque gelatine egg mould, a robot-spider egg, a crystal-encrusted egg, a P+HS graffiti egg, a trio of spiraling silver eggs and an intricately perforated egg-shell.

For the judges this year, conceptual art was soundly beaten by good old fashioned easter charm.

Decorated Eggs from Stokesley Office 2010

Following the P+HS tradition of showcasing our creative flair at Easter, the results are in for this year’s contest. A strong field of 13 entries (one not pictured) was judged by Director Joe Biggs who commented: ‘As ever the entries were all of an exemplary nature. Judging was an arduous but pleasant task and I consider myself to be privileged, and honoured, to have been selected for this important duty.’ Joe judged the entries against the criteria of Skill, Architectural Quality/Reference, Humour, and Effort, with consideration also being given to sustainability. Special mention was given to Kay’s skillfully knitted dog and also the best child’s entry from Sam Taylor, but the overall winner, with his detailed representation of the P+HS Phantom was James Pitchers. Congratulations to everyone.

The Winning Entry from James Pitchers

Progress continues on Nottingham University Hospital Trust new radiotherapy department (LINACs). The main bunkers are still on programme for the sectional handover.  Work is also underway on selecting an appropriate artist(s) and artwork for the scheme. This will address our commitments under BREEAM Hea19 and also our strong belief in the use of art in buildings, to enrich the experience of those who use the building and aid in the process of healing. 

View of atrium space and bunker sub-wait

View of staff terrace at first floor

View from roof into internal courtyard

As part of BREEAM and guidance from ‘The art of good health – Using visual arts in healthcare’ document, I have created a set of A3 presentation sheets with Artists that have worked with P+HS in the past and a range of new artist have been created for future reference. It’s a starting point and one that can help for future projects.

These presentation sheets have been created following input from the LINAC arts coordinator Mr. Chris Potter and James Gordon.

Artist in this project:
Shona Kitchen
Julia Barton
Kisa Kawakami

Artist:
Shelagh Wakely

Arists:
David Harben
Blow Zone
GA Aquatic

These are just some examples of what we proposed to our client at Nottingham City Campus for the new LINAC Facility.

For those in P+HS interested in seeing all the presentation sheets please access our intranet and check out Operations / Technical page.

I’ve been wanting to look at this Urban Splash scheme for quite a while and a trip to see Michael Bourne’s Swan Lake at the Lowry enabled Mrs P and I to take in some architecture. Chimney Pot Park is a great example of how to make housing regeneration into Architecture. Very clever upside-down housing conversion of beautifully preserved streets in Salford. The rear alleys are turned into undercover and secure parking, with garden decks above. All fully occupied and the remaining streets just waiting for the end of the recession. Radical structural alterations see the roofs replaced by a steel structure, incorproating the kitchen hung inside the roof. All in all, very uplifting housing.