TECHNICAL IMAGINATION FACADE IMPACT ON LIGHTING

The technical imagination brief focuses on creating dynamic lighting conditions in the reception area of the MWR building and looking into how changes to the interior are visible on the building facade. With this exercise, I was interested in the atmosphere of space rather than the quantity of light. I am looking for a mix of hard and soft shadows, creating a cohesive and playful atmosphere in the interior space, whilst paying attention at the amount of daylight.

Technical Imagination Facade Impact On Lighting

Strategy 1. Although the lighting is dynamic and looks attractive on the inside. I do believe on a gloomy day the space would feel somewhat uninviting as the duration of quality daylight is likely to be fairly limited. It also feels counterintuitive to scrap an entire second floor and replace it with windows as it would be expensive and the historic window coverups would look asymmetrical. Additionally, from an outside perspective, the building does not feel welcoming as there is no permeability. This option is not representative of the idea of the beacon.

Strategy 2. Features the loosest design. This iteration is used as a feeler to interrogate how openings on all facades would impact the lighting conditions internally. The result, predictably, is quite unconvincing as the spatial sequence is disjointed. A floor-to-ceiling window opening on the West side is likely to cause overheating. While the facade of the building is uninspiring as it loses the character of the current and historic MWR.

Strategy 3 offers the most balanced approach both internally and externally. The building extension does not interrupt the rhythm created by the current facade while opening the ground floor feels more inviting for the passerby. The quality of light on the inside offers a good balance of playful shadows cast by the upper floors and good lighting conditions on the ground floor.

Phase

Costs

The elemental cost breakdown of the Phase 2 proposal offers a realistic benchmark for the cost of a building fit-out behind an existing facade. Whilst the Phase 4 proposal is more ambitious in scale and extent of work carried out.

The elemental costs breakdown for the Phase 4 proposal is delivered through the use of precedent analysis (see integrated booklet for more in-depth information) and showcases the combined costs of:

- Demolition of the current roof structure and installation of a new one

- Fitting out the building behind an existing facade on the ground floor

- Creating elements of vertical extension

- Developing a new structural frame for a rooftop extension

Value for money

The Phase 4 proposal offers improved community spaces, integrated sustainability strategies and a new source of revenue for the MWR. The proposal strikes a balance in offering aesthetic, financially feasible and durable solutions.

According to the BCIS the combination of works carried out and the scale of the proposal the average cost per sq/m would be 4 750 £/m2. Thus the proposed price of 3 920 per £/m2 offers a good balance of quality and economy.