Robinson Kenning & Gallagher were appointed as Architects and Project Managers to design the new warehouse and distribution centre, with offices and technical facilities for Bridgewater Distribution & Management as part of their relocation in preparation for the London 2012 Olympics.
Armada 1 has a large warehouse of more than a hectare in area with extensive unloading facilities and vehicle parking.
The building is segregated into 4 zones with the offices located at the main entrance. Security is an important element of the services design. The construction period was over 12 months and the project costs were approx. £9 million and was completed in time to suit the London Development Agency’s timescale.
Robinson Kenning & Gallagher were appointed as Architects and Project Managers to design this new building with associated offices and amenities for Newsfax International as part of the Olympic relocation Masterplan by the LDA. Beam Reach 5 Business Park, plots 7 and 8 are approximately 2.06 hectares in area.
This new facility replicates the combined requirements of the four existing sites which are in the Olympic zone and due for demolition.
Newsfax International provide more than 70 worldwide newspapers and other publications including the Financial Times and The Guardian.
The project costs were £6.3 million with a further £30 million plus fit-out of printing presses and associated equipment. The construction and fit out were all completed in less than 12 months.
Under Network Rails Station Regeneration Project, Robinson Kenning & Gallagher were instructed to develop an “Image Guide” by the Network Rail Regional Architect. The purpose of this document was to advise prospective D&B Tenderers in respect of preferred design requirements for future depot projects. These guidance notes highlighted the many issues to be addressed by Contractors entering into a D&B Contract - including site security, imagery for Depot sites, treatments for the external facades for the main Train Shed buildings plus advice on Network Rail’s maintenance access regime.
The SRP Project at Ramsgate Depot was the first Contract where these key Client’s requirements were successfully implemented introducing a more vibrant and interesting elevational treatment.
The brief required RKG to carry out surveys of the existing Depot Train Shed structures and to prepare alternative elevational designs for the clients comments and approval. The final elevational Designs were issued to prospective Contractors as part of the D&B Tender package.
RKG were invited by the Contractor to join their Design and Build team of project consultants to develop this site for HM Customs and Excise as a holding pound for illegal imports.
The programme was to construct the warehouse, including a 3-storey office block and loading bays in a 26 week programme. The project consists of one large portal framed building of overall size 90m x 80m and provided 6,600m2 of warehousing with an additional 1300m2 of office and staff accommodation.
In addition the external works provide extensive hard landscaping totalling over 50,000m2 for 1200 cars and more than 200 HGVs.
The main building consisted of 2 steel portal framed structures with 40m spans. External cladding was finished in pre-coated green vertical pressed steel insulated sheets, with the 6∞ pitched roof covered in an insulated built-up metal roof served by 12% roof lights.The Contractor successfully completed the £6 million project on programme.
