South Cheshire College

Crewe, UK

Project outline

AA new build 25,000m² Further Education establishment for the town of Crewe in South Cheshire. Purpose-designed to meet the changing needs of Learners, the client briefing priorities are BREEAM accreditation, flexibility and comfort. The college has a population of approximately 3500 staff and students.

A major challenge to the project is to accommodate the need for supplementary M&E services infrastructure in an already saturated area. Coupled with this is a need to facilitate and advise on a complex decant strategy of the college population during construction and demolition.

The building is to incorporate many sustainable measures and renewable technologies to ensure that the carbon footprint is lower than current Building Regulation minimum standards.

The client aims for a BREEAM ‘Excellent’ and through the design process sustainability will be reviewed and incorporated.

The building is to house several curriculum clusters: Media/Art and Performing Arts; Hair and Beauty/Hospitality and Leisure; Business and Computing; Humanities and Engineering/Construction, Sciences.

Within the faculties above are several specialist areas including a well-being centre, 312 seat theatre, 3 floors/ 450+ capacity learning development zones, multi-faith centre, learner support zone and a student council area.

A prominent feature of the project is the central street area; this is a multi-use zone including circulation, retail, flexible social seating and breakout spaces which form a central spine between all of the learning spaces.
The new college includes a large amount of kitchen and servery facilities including various catering areas, training kitchens and training restaurant/ bistro.

A complete teaching floor is to be accommodated by a new Science faculty. Part of the brief was to understand and facilitate the College’s diverse M&E requirements including specific gas, water and electrical service to suit their teaching delivery. 

Contract value

£35M

Key features

• Passive design measures incorporated in building orientation and form.
• Use of renewable technologies to reduce building carbon footprint
• Naturally ventilated teaching spaces, limiting peak summer temperatures to agreed values.
• Bespoke BREEAM, with an aim for ‘Excellent’
• Low energy design for mechanical and electrical systems
• Emphasis on flexibility for teaching spaces to aid the client’s future requirements for change, including raised access floors and standard solutions.

Appointment

• M&E Building Services
• Acoustics
• IT
• Fire Engineering
• Advanced Design
• BREEAM
• Security

For more information please contact Garry Palmer.