Queen Elizabeth Hospital School
- Client
- Queen Elizabeth Hospital School
- Location
- Bristol
- Project Leaders
- Mike Court
- Value
- 6M
Challenge
Quattro was appointed as Architectural Consultant by Queen Elizabeth Hospital School (QEH) through limited competition to design a new build science laboratory and ceramics studio on a very prominent and challenging site in the centre of Bristol.
The site is steeply sloping, adjacent to listed school buildings, a scheduled ancient monument with archaeological potential, and overlooks a listed Victorian terrace.
Constraints included significant planning, conservation and resident issues together with buildability, budget and access challenges as the site is land locked.
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Solution
Specialist conservation advice and design input was provided by Quattro’s in-house RIBA Conservation Registered Architects to carefully overcome planning complexities by implementing a responsive design informing proportion and materiality. Materials were muted, simple and contemporary, being harmonious with the historic buildings and parkland setting.
Our approach to Sustainable Design was to undertake the basics correctly, ensuring a thorough understanding of how the building was going to be used. Our design incorporated high levels of insulation, natural ventilation and thermal mass whilst maximising daylight. Another benefit of our Sustainable Design was the reduction of running and maintenance costs through limited service provision and ensuring easy to use operation. Sustainable technologies were incorporated into the scheme through the use of Photo Voltaics.
We worked collaboratively with the local authority conservation and planning officers from inception to ensure successful delivery of the project in a sensitive setting whilst ensuring our client’s objectives were met. Our use of highly realistic 3D visualisation aided our design and presentation to clients, planners and the wider community to help achieve planning consent.
Quattro undertook this project using Building Information Modelling (BIM) which we have undertaken for all our projects since 2013. BIM is innovative in its approach and can offer real value to projects if implemented correctly by the right team.
Quattro's close attention to detail and thought that went into the design and planning stage of the development is clearly evident and their thoroughness was maintained during the construction phase.
Queen Elizabeth Hospital School, Bristol
Due to its sensitive location, it was important for QEH that the new building was sympathetic to the neighbourhood, it's historical setting and to the green space of Brandon Hill. Quattro's enduring efforts in searching for the best design solution was instrumental in successfully negotiating Planning approval.
Queen Elizabeth Hospital School, Bristol
The building has been clad in copper, which should weather beautifully. Quattro worked closely with QEH to ensure the new materials were selected to complement those of the existing grade II listed school buildings.
Queen Elizabeth Hospital School, Bristol