Client
Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council
Location
Wirral
Value
£250k
Date Completed
Autumn 2007
Development Overview
Ainsley Gommon was initially commissioned by Wirral Borough Council to undertake the construction drawings for an extension to the Laird Foundation Building, which already benefited from an existing planning approval. However, due to the clients requirements for extensive changes, a fresh planning application was required. The changes to the proposed extension included, reducing the overall height, reconfiguring the internal layout, re-positioning to better align with the existing building, introducing a lobby area and the designing of external landscape works.
The new brief was to provide a educational facility for approximately sixty young adults and apprentices in construction and engineering professions. The building Hosts training courses in joinery, mechanics, welding, metal/pipe work and plumbing. The new facility was a natural expansion of the existing building, sharing the existing classrooms, workshops, refectory and other administration facilities.
The building was designed to be extremely energy efficient, generating some of its own energy through roof mounted solar panels and a free standing wind turbine. The energy use of the building is also monitored with an ‘Eco Warrior’ real time monitoring system.
The development has been a successful addition to the existing facilities. Simply designed as a linear extension to the existing building, with detailed elements in keeping with its marine surroundings,
