Academy of Music and Dramatic Art
THIRD AND FOURTH FLOOR
Cordon Bleu Cooking School and Restaurant
FIRST AND SECOND FLOOR
G Bar School/Park Library
GROUND FLOOR
INTRODUCTION BUILDING BOROUGH CONCEPT WORK IN PROGRESS
The Building - Menier Chocolate Factory
The building is steeped in rich history. Built in 1970 to French Designs and used in the manufactureof chocolate until WWII, when it became engineering works. Abandoned in 1980’s, the building became vandalized until it was purchased in 1992 by the London Bridge Property Company. Currently a popular arts complex that incorporates an art gallery, restaurant and theatre.
The Location
The building is located in the London Borough of Southwark. The borough has seen extensive regeneration in the past decade and is fast becoming a vibrant area drawing visitors in their hoardes.
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Borough Market The Building is in close proximity to Borough Market, a popular wholesale and retail food market. The market is one of the largest food markets in London and sells a variety of food from all over the world. Key to my proposal is a distinct link between The Gantry and the market.
The Gantry will have a dedicated stall in the market which will: 1. sell food prepared by students in the cordon bleu cooking school in order to make a profit but also to entice clientele to dine at the school; and 2. advertise performances currently showing at the theatre. The Gantry cooking school will purchase its fresh produce from the market thereby establishing a mutually beneficial relationship.
The Shard The Shard is in close proximity to the building. A skyscraper under construction and when completed, will be the tallest building in the European Union. Designed by world renowned architect Renzo Piano, The Shard was a distinct inspiration to create an iconic feature within the building.
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The Concept The recent economic slump has meant that graduates in Britain are facing the worst job prospects for decades. It has become virtually impossible for graduates to find jobs and/or work experience, leaving the country’s most highly educated and skilled people with little hope for the future. The statistics are staggering: 1 in 4 graduates faces unemployment. Competition for jobs is intense with more than twice as many graduates chasing every available job compared to previous decades. Employers are cutting the number of entry level jobs on offer, forcing graduates desperate to gain work experience to work for free. Those that find work experience are poorly paid and it is not uncommon these days for graduates to take on jobs they did not train for or for which they are over qualified. The Gantry is a unique approach in education and training in that it seeks to address the current situation graduates find themselves in by ensuring students obtain their work experience on site during their studies so that they graduate as well rounded professional individuals. Most students assume that a degree alone qualifies them for a job. This is a misnomer. With the oversupply of graduates, what will ultimately separate one graduate with a degree from another is actual work experience.
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Work in Progress
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GROUND FLOOR/MEZZANINE LIFT G BAR SCHOOL PARK LIBRARY CAFE LIGHTING ART
Proposed plans
Mezzanine
Ground Floor
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The Gantry Inspiration for Gantry Lift
A Gantry is a type of crane which lifts objects by a hoist which is fitted in a hoist trolley and can move horizontally on a rail or pair of rails fitted under a beam. A Gantry can currently be seen on the outside of the building - O’Meara street elevation. The concept of a gantry was brought inside the building and modernised to create the idea of the public lift being hoisted up in the building i.e. bringing what is on the outside inside.
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G BAR/BAR SCHOOL
Vocational training courses offered in professional bartending courses range from basic to international bartending. A course in molecular mixology is also on offer. Importantly students train on site and as G is open to the public, students serve members of the public and thus obtain hands on experience working as professional barpersons/mixologists.
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Park Library The Park Library houses a wide range of culinary books, books on art, theatre, dance and worldwide culture. The library is for use by students but also open to the public. The “water� feature in the centre is a screen onto which digital images (for example, waves, rain drops, koy fish etc) will be projected.
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Lighting and Art
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FIRST AND SECOND FLOOR CORDON BLEU COOKING SCHOOL RESTAURANT
Proposed plans
First Floor
Second Floor
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Gantry Cordon Bleu Cooking School Courses offered will teach students to master classic French techniques of Cuisine and Patisserie. Curriculum will consist of 3 different levels in Cuisine & Patisserie: 1. Basic, 2. Intermediate 3. Superior Unique selling point (“USP�) of the proposed model is that trainee chefs will train and cook for members of the public, fellow students, theatre personnel, etc while studying. Paying members of the public will have the opportunity to try cordon bleu food at a reduced price and also observe students traning and cooking.
Trainee chefs cooking and serving members of the public seated at the end of their repsective cooking stations.
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Trainee chefs cooking and serving members of the public seated at the end of their repsective cooking stations. Trainee chefs obtain both front and back end experience with the proposed model.
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THIRD AND FOURTH FLOOR ACADEMY OF MUSIC AND DRAMATIC ART
Proposed plans
Third Floor
Fourth Floor
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Gantry Academy of Music and Dramatic Art
Productions staged in the adjacent theatre will undertake to utlise students in some shape or form (for example, as actors,stage designers etc) to ensure students obtain experience while studying.
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