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Bond Bryan
Drawing on our established FE sector expertise, Bond Bryan were initially approached to assist the College with the development of the space needs analysis for the proposed City Hub project to support the initial funding proposal to the LEP and City Council. Following a competitive tender process, we were subsequently employed to undertake full-lead designer and architectural services (RIBA Stages 1 – 7) as well as working with the College team to develop the overarching Estate Strategy.
Following Wates’ appointment under the Scape framework during RIBA Stage 3, we have worked closely with them to complete the detailed design – including an extensive review of the emerging proposals to refine the scope and design – to both reflect input from the supply chain and deliver best value within the strictly-defined project’s budget.
The merger, of New College and City College to create Nottingham College, offered an opportunity to reimagine the FE provision within the City. Supported by the City Council and LEP, the vision was a major investment to create a new City Centre campus focused on meeting the future education and training needs of the City’s employers. In turn, this will allow the College to rationalise its estate – reducing the combined estate from over 100,000m² to around 60,000m², whilst releasing 5 sites for disposal to support the redevelopment.
The City Hub project accommodates a diverse mix of facilities, including specialist Performing Arts and Catering facilities, extensive Science laboratories, Digital Media studios and training suites for Early years and Caring professions. These are supported by a range of general teaching, learning, social and support facilities, as well as a flexible Employer Engagement suite of meeting spaces and work areas – designed to encourage collaboration with local businesses and bridge the transition from education to employment.
The City Hub project forms a vital part of the regeneration plans for the City Council Southern Gateway Project. Alongside a comprehensive engagement process with the College team – including visioning workshops, space needs analysis and multiple rounds of end-user meetings – a critical part of the design process was a structured consultation with a wide range of external stakeholders.
This included working closely with the LA urban design, planning and highways teams, presenting to the Design Review Panel and Civic Trust and liaising with the neighbouring commercial developments and Nottingham Contemporary Gallery; this was to ensure that the new College building and landscaping complemented and enhanced the wider regeneration plans – as well as protecting critical views over the City’s historic Lace Market Escarpment.
Despite the complexities of the site, planning consent was achieved, with the highly-positive Civic Trust report noting that the new development: “will make a significant contribution to the repair of the damaged townscape, maintaining important focussed longer views whilst greatly improving the pedestrian environment and the streetscene in general.
This project will have a tremendous impact on the city of Nottingham and we at Bond Bryan are proud to have played our part.
The David Hockney Building at Bradford College represents the flexibility needed for an FE provider to remain in touch and current with the ever-fluctuating methods of pedagogy.
Bond Bryan delivered this BREEAM ‘Excellent’ scheme for Doncaster Metropolitan Borough Council. The scheme’s design pays homage to Doncaster’s culturally significant contributions to the rail industry and railway heritage.
