Birmingham Royal Ballet
With aspirations of creating a world-class centre of excellence as a dance rehearsal facility and also to support the wide range of additional activities expected of a modern arts organisation, Austin-Smith:Lord was appointed by Birmingham Royal Ballet as architect, interior designer and design team leader for the refurbishment of the Birmingham Royal Ballet building.
The refurbishment included the upgrade of two existing ballet rehearsal studios, the creation of an informal performance venue for audiences of up to 100 people within the existing footprint of the two other rehearsal rooms, the complete replacement of current facilities for dancers’ changing, welfare and rest areas and existing administration offices. The existing reception and main access into the building has also been addressed and improved.
The major priorities that have been achieved include the improvement of the working environment for dancers and admin staff, eradication of existing accessibility difficulties inherent in the existing building, significant upgrade and replacement of existing heating, ventilation and lighting systems to meet 21st Century performance and energy use standards and enhancement of corporate branding and signage on the exterior of the building.
A-S:L produced a fine design for the studio and administration home of Birmingham Royal Ballet. The building required a major overhaul after 25 years of busy use and needed to be brought into the 21st Century. For the sum of £2.7M A-S:L created state of the art dance facilities within the existing building resolving historic ‘navigation’ issues and making the building accessible and open to external users. Significantly, the design was created with sustainability high on the agenda, both in terms of environment and future business needs. The design involved a major technical upgrade to provide the most efficient use of digital equipment to aid teaching and archiving. The net result is a beautiful and inspiring studio building that will set the standard for decades to come.
Christopher Barron – Chief Executive, Birmingham Royal Ballet
LOCATION: BIRMINGHAM
CLIENT: BIRMINGHAM BALLET
VALUE: £2.7m
COMPLETION: 2014
SERVICE: ARCHITECTURE, INTERIOR DESIGN
SECTOR: ARTS & CULTURE
STRUCTURES: ARUP
SERVICES: ARUP
COST CONSULTANT: GLEEDS
- FITZALAN HIGH SCHOOL, CARDIFFA key brief objective was that the design of the new school should provide flexible and adaptable spaces to teach and learn the New Progressive Curriculum
- AYRSHIRE HOSPICEDesign of a supportive palliative care environment for those in Ayrshire with life-limiting illness
- OLD COLLEGE, ABERYSTWYTHWe are developing a vision for the future of this Grade 1 Listed building
- COMMUNITY HUB, ARCHIVE + LIBRARY, SWANSEATransformation of two vacant department stores in the heart of Swansea.
- BANANA ISLAND VILLASThree villas in the affluent Banana Island neighbourhood of Lagos, Nigeria
- CARMARTHEN HWBRe-purposing of the redundant Debenhams department store building in the centre of Carmarthen into a new Hwb facility
- YSGOL Y GRAIG PRIMARY SCHOOLNew build, 240 pupil, one form entry primary and nursery school in Merthyr Tydfil
- SCHOOL OF HEALTHCARE SCIENCES RELOCATION, CARDIFF UNIVERSITYRelocation of the School of Healthcare to a new site adjacent to the UHW hospital
- LIFE SCIENCES INNOVATION CENTRE, INVERNESS£9 million Life Sciences Innovation Centre in Inverness for partnering Client consortium of Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) and the University of the Highlands and Islands (UHI).
- ALEXANDER HOUSE OFFICE REFURBISHMENT, CARDIFF METROPOLITAN UNIVERSITYPDR is a world leading design consultancy and applied research facility owned by Cardiff Metropolitan University.
- TEESSIDE UNIVERSITY: THE CURVE (Interiors)Competition-winning design for the heart of Teesside University’s campus
- LIVERPOOL CENTRAL LIBRARY (Interiors)"It’s like going to meet your gran and finding she’s turned into Beyoncé’
- NISSI BEACH VILLAS, CYPRUSHigh specification villas on the last beach-fronted site in Ayia Napa
- UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH WALES NEWPORT CAMPUS REFURBISHMENTInterior Design services for phased refurbishment works at the University of South Wales Newport Campus
- MILKWOOD ROAD LONDONAustin-Smith:Lord worked with Pocket Living to design contemporary, stylish, intermediate-affordable homes for Londoners to buy on a number of different sites
- THREE PICCADILLY PLACE (Interiors)Mixed use development of 97,000m2 comprising offices, hotel, residential apartments, shopping, food and drink over three levels of underground parking
- BUSINESS SCHOOL AND GROWTH HUB, GLOUCESTER (INTERIORS)Flagship building for the University of Gloucester
- LIVERPOOL SCHOOL OF MANAGEMENT (Interiors)State-of-the-art new facility that encourages collaborative and social learning
- LLANELLY HOUSE, CARMARTHENSHIRE (INTERIORS)Restoration of this Grade I Listed Georgian Town House to its 18th Century glory
- CARMELITE MONASTERY (Interiors)Purpose-built new monastery for the Carmelite Sisters in Liverpool
- G-LIVE CONCERT HALL, GUILDFORD (INTERIORS)RIBA Award winning G-Live Concert Hall and entertainment venue
- DANCE HUB, BIRMINGHAM (Interiors)A striking new rooftop extension to Birmingham Hippodrome’s campus, the home of Birmingham Royal Ballet
- CARDIFF SCHOOL OF ART + DESIGN (Interiors)Our second RIBA Award winning project for Cardiff Metropolitan University
- SHREWSBURY MUSEUM (Interiors)Sensitive restoration and conversion of the Grade II* listed Vaughan’s Mansion and Grade II* Music Hall
- MONASTERY OF ST FRANCIS & GORTON (INTERIORS)RICS NW Building of the Year: Restoration and extension of the near derelict Grade II* Listed Church and Friary
- BEDWELLTY HOUSE + PARKFull restoration of this Grade II Listed 19th Century House and Parkland
- PEOPLE'S HISTORY MUSEUMOur mission was to consolidate the Museum onto one site and give it a striking new presence in the city
- CARDIFF SCHOOL OF MANAGEMENT (Interiors)RIBA Award-winning building, forming first phase of a redevelopment masterplan for Cardiff Metroplitan University's Llandaff Campus
- MOBILE CHEMOTHERAPY UNITMobile chemotherapy treatment vehicle for Tenovus Cancer Care, the largest of its kind in the world
- COLEG Y CYMOEDD ABERDARE CAMPUS (Interiors)BREEAM Excellent new college building on a town centre site