BDP’s Marr College expansion gets underway
November 4 2015
The two year project, overseen by Kier Construction and BDP, will see B-listed school bolstered by the addition of a new three storey wing, extending to the rear of the property. A separate sports pavilion also forms part of the plans and will be made available for community use out with school hours.
Brian McQuade, managing director of Kier Construction Scotland said: “Phase-1 involved the creation of a temporary science and technology building that enables the pupils and staff to decant out of the existing building in time for the phase-2 refurbishment works to commence.
“Due to the successful completion of phase-1, all works to Marr College will be carried out whilst the school remains operational.”
Marr College currently has a maximum capacity of 1,033 pupils but will be able to accommodate 1,360 pupils when the expansion is complete in winter 2017.
8 Comments
#2 Posted by Rem Koolbag on 4 Nov 2015 at 12:16 PM
It's a fair point you raise Shiny, but it is a bit naive to suggest that the architect just comes up with the thought that they would like to make an open plan teaching space and then they draw it and the client says 'Yeah ok whatever lets go with it'
There will be a brief. There will be rounds and rounds of design and comment and amendment and redraw etc. There will be a client body with very severe demands on the whole design team.
If the client didnt want open plan teaching spaces, they wouldnt have open plan teaching spaces.
Architects do not tell the client how or what to build!
There will be a brief. There will be rounds and rounds of design and comment and amendment and redraw etc. There will be a client body with very severe demands on the whole design team.
If the client didnt want open plan teaching spaces, they wouldnt have open plan teaching spaces.
Architects do not tell the client how or what to build!
#3 Posted by qmd on 4 Nov 2015 at 12:40 PM
I think it looks fine, the composition between old and new is well balanced.
PS: all comments are made based on ONE image
PS: all comments are made based on ONE image
#4 Posted by dalrylama on 4 Nov 2015 at 15:07 PM
Looks like an internal redraw of their civic centre just outside of Livingston.
I suggest image 5 (left handside).
http://www.bdp.com/en/projects/p-z/west-lothian-civic-centre/
based on this 1 image that is.
I suggest image 5 (left handside).
http://www.bdp.com/en/projects/p-z/west-lothian-civic-centre/
based on this 1 image that is.
#5 Posted by Big Ghost on 5 Nov 2015 at 11:56 AM
With regards to open teaching areas and acoustics, I was studying at the new Reid building at GSA (Stephen Holl) and the noise throughout was unbearable to work with. I was a couple of floors above the canteen and could constantly hear the noise from it. Not to mention how cold the building was through to the summer months when it became really hot.
#6 Posted by D to the R on 5 Nov 2015 at 13:56 PM
That link bridge slab edge will never be that thin. BDP meet the engineer .... engineer this is BDP
#7 Posted by pleasantfield on 6 Nov 2015 at 16:45 PM
Rem Coolbag ,have you ever met or dealt with South Ayrshire Council? You presume they are capable of rational and cogent and experience based evaluation; that would be a mistake ....and just how will that space be heated ie all heat will rise to the top .Hardly sustainable is it? How will such height be maintained in such a revenue conscious future world LAs now have to live in? Cant see how you will get a cherry picker in there to do that. Do architects ever think about this sort of thing and as others have said there is the issue of acoustics? And that's only for starters......
#8 Posted by Citizen Kane on 6 Nov 2015 at 20:38 PM
#4 re Civic Centre in Livingston.
I had an occasion on which to visit said building. I refer to it as Dark Star. Everything about the design is fully intended to intimidate the cowering visitor who dare to enter its reception area. Bow down! All Hail the Mighty Cooncil, earthling!
If the semiology of this building wasn't so preposterously up its own arse, one could have been mistaken in thinking that might have been the actual intention of the architects, never mind the Council.
I had an occasion on which to visit said building. I refer to it as Dark Star. Everything about the design is fully intended to intimidate the cowering visitor who dare to enter its reception area. Bow down! All Hail the Mighty Cooncil, earthling!
If the semiology of this building wasn't so preposterously up its own arse, one could have been mistaken in thinking that might have been the actual intention of the architects, never mind the Council.
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Maybe the students are quiet as mice..........
These open plan teaching spaces are 'all the rage' amongst Architects but not appreciated by the Teachers who have to raise their voices or wait till the disturbance has ceased in order to address their students.
Teaching spaces surely have to function as acoustic environments first and foremost before the application of such fundamental design decisions.