Pioneering new Collection and Research Centre in London’s Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park. Diller Scofidio + Renfro with Austin-Smith:Lord
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- INVERTEK DRIVES R&D HEADQUARTERS
Invertek Drives R&D Headquarters
Austin-Smith:Lord was appointed in 2024 to develop plans for the Invertek Drives R&D Headquarters, located at Offa’s Dyke Business Park, Welshpool.
This flagship building demonstrates Invertek’s focus on innovation, technology, and its people. The new facility will create an additional 100 skilled jobs in Research and Development over a 10-year period, as well as providing training and long-term career opportunities for people in Mid Wales. The state-of-the-art building will provide modern research and development space for the design of its next-generation electric motor control drives VFD’s.
The building’s design has been carefully considered by Austin-Smith:Lord from sloping roofs, to a central light core that brings daylight into workspaces. The design supports a positive working environment and meets the WELL Building Standard. Landscaping and careful design of the building’s edges will ensure the development complements the established business park.
With sustainability in mind, the building includes PV panels and planting along the exterior of the building to provide screening and encourage biodiversity across the site.
The building offers modern office spaces, prototype development areas, small-scale production facilities, meeting rooms, staff facilities and a reception area.
3D Visuals: © Austin-Smith:Lord / Invertek
This new facility represents an important investment in the future of Invertek Drives here in Welshpool and on a global scale. The variable frequency drive sector is highly competitive, and we recognise that our continued success relies on keeping pace with the latest technologies and meeting the expectations of our customers.
This flagship building will allow us to create skilled employment opportunities, support the local economy and develop the next generation of variable frequency drives (VFDs) which will serve our clients globally. Alongside our commitment to advancing our facilities and products, as a business, we are proud to place a strong emphasis on reducing climate change through the delivery of energy-efficient technologies and our ongoing commitment to sustainability and biodiversity.
Adrian Ellam, CEO of Invertek Drives
LOCATION: WELSHPOOL, WALES
COMPLETION: ON SITE
SERVICE: ARCHITECTURE, INTERIORS, LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE
SECTOR: INDUSTRY & INFRASTRUCTURE
STRUCTURES: BRADLEY ASSOCIATES
SERVICES: DAVIES PARTNERSHIP
PROJECT MANAGER: SP PROJECTS
COST CONSULTANT: SP PROJECTS
ECOLOGY: BEN JONES ECOLOGY
TRANSPORT: TRANSPORT PLANNING ASSOCIATES (TPA)
A 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
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- FAIRWATER COMMUNITY CAMPUS, CARDIFF
Fairwater Community Campus, Cardiff
Austin-Smith:Lord was appointed on the Fairwater Community Campus, from RIBA stages 2-6 in collaboration with HLM Architects. The project transforms the Cantonian High School bringing together three schools into ‘one campus’.
The campus has been designed to accommodate 1,450 pupils and 200 staff, delivering a modern, inclusive, and future-ready learning environment. Facilities include a dedicated Additional Learning Needs (ALN) department, specialist teaching spaces, performance and arts facilities, sixth form areas, and high-quality shared and community-use spaces. The campus is Net Zero Carbon in operation with on site energy generation.
The project has an ambitious vision stating that; “the education experience is world class, providing exceptional facilities for children of all abilities and ages.” The campus building consists of three wings for each school linked by a central entrance heart space called ‘The Commons’, and offering controlled flexible shared use and interaction.
Austin-Smith:Lord led the design for the standalone Health and Wellbeing Building which provides separate community sports-use for ease of access out of hours. This includes a climbing wall, sports hall, gym and activity studio, plus associated teaching space for health and wellbeing. The building’s are designed optimise daylight and ensure views to the outdoors are balanced with the fabric and energy demand to achieve net zero carbon.
The interior design has a key focus on a natural biophilic material palette, with large expanses of timber cladding, and strategic internal glazed screens to maximise natural light and passive supervision as much as possible whilst minimising carbon used in construction. Robust materials were required, especially in the ALN and health and wellbeing spaces with whole life analysis used. Wayfinding through signage and wall murals provides identity and legibility for each school.
Kate Thomas, Head of Interiors, Austin-Smith:Lord
CLIENT: CARDIFF CITY COUNCIL
COMPLETION: 2026
SERVICE: ARCHITECTURE, INTERIORS, LANDSCAPE
SECTOR: EDUCATION
CONTRACTOR: CMB ENGINEERING / BESL
ARCHITECTS: HLM & AUSTIN-SMITH:LORD
STRUCTURES: ARUP
SERVICES: ARUP
PROJECT MANAGER: MACE
COST CONSULTANT: MACE
PHOTOGRAPHY: DAVID BARBOUR / HLM
AWARDS:
CONSTRUCTING EXCELLENCE WALES AWARD, INNOVATION CATEGORY
A 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
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- FITZALAN HIGH SCHOOL, CARDIFF
Fitzalan High School, Cardiff
Austin-Smith:Lord were appointed as part of Kier’s winning team to lead the design for the new Fitzalan High School after a mini competition based on a detailed brief, which called for the provision of a replacement new 11-18 high school at 10FE including 350 post 16 places. The Design Team worked closely with Cardiff Council and their advisors, as well as the School, to realise the vision for a sustainable learning community aligned to the new flexible curriculum.
Located on a site close to the existing school, and sharing facilities with the adjacent Cardiff International Sports Campus, the completed project represents a significant new facility for the pupils, staff and local community.
We feel that A-S:L totally understood our vision and passion for our school and what we wanted the new school to enable us to be. They have captured our demands for an inspirational environment that also allows us to deliver the curriculum in the bespoke responsive way that ensures our pupils will be successful. We cannot be constrained by typical classrooms and traditional methods and the A-S:L team have grasped that as a concept and designed an amazing facility that will allow for the flexibility and innovation that we are so keen to continue.
Jo Kemp, Assistant Headteacher, Fitzalan School
CLIENT: CARDIFF CITY COUNCIL
COMPLETION: 2023
SERVICE: ARCHITECTURE, INTERIORS, LANDSCAPE
SECTOR: EDUCATION
CONTRACTOR: KIER
LANDSCAPE: AUSTIN-SMITH:LORD
STRUCTURES: JUBB
SERVICES: AECOM
COST CONSULTANT: MACE
AWARDS:
CONSTRUCTING EXCELLENCE WALES AWARD, DIGITAL CONSTRUCTION CATEGORY
EDUCATION BUILDINGS WALES AWARD, PROJECT OF THE YEAR – SCHOOLS
RICS WALES AWARD, PUBLIC SECTOR BUILDING OF THE YEAR
£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).
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- LIFE SCIENCES INNOVATION CENTRE, INVERNESS
Life Sciences Innovation Centre
Austin-Smith:Lord were commissioned to design a £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).
The 2,700m2 building features office & agile working space, laboratories, sports health suite, knowledge exchange and innovation space.
The Inverness Campus is a new development zone located on the fringes
of Inverness city and is intended as an incubator for emerging life sciences technologies.
It features a mix of academic, business, research, community and sports facilities. The building is designed to be sustainable with a focus on creating a low energy healthy environment for research and innovation within a building envelope that achieves a high standard of insulation and thermal performance.
The new Life Sciences Innovation Centre was officially opened by Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal in April 2023.
You can view a tour around the building at this link:
https://www.invernesscampus.co.uk/business-premises-and-land/lsic
COMPLETION: 2023
SERVICE: ARCHITECTURE, MASTERPLANNING, INTERIORS, LANDSCAPE
SECTOR: EDUCATION
CONTRACTOR: ROBERTSON NORTHERN
LANDSCAPE: AUSTIN-SMITH:LORD
STRUCTURES: FAIRHURST
SERVICES: PICK EVERARD
Expansion of existing Welsh medium primary school
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- YSGOL GYNRADD GYMRAEG ABERDÂR
Ysgol Gynradd Gymraeg Aberdâr
Ysgol Gynradd Gymraeg Aberdâr is a Welsh medium primary school located on the outskirts of Aberdare, Rhondda Cynon Taf. The existing school has been expanded as part of the Local Authority’s drive to increase the provision of Welsh medium education. The building was extended with a new two storey building and a single storey hall extension.
The two storey extension accommodates four new classrooms with associated cloak and WC facilities, a hall/studio and a new childcare facility. The hall extension creates a larger dining area to support the enlarged school.
The scheme also involved extensive external works and the creation of a new hard surface play area, nursery play area, staff parking area, and a new path linking the Welsh medium childcare facility to the existing pupil drop off.
COMPLETION: 2022
SERVICE: ARCHITECTURE, INTERIORS, LANDSCAPE
SECTOR: EDUCATION
CONTRACTOR: ANDREW SCOTT
LANDSCAPE: AUSTIN-SMITH:LORD
STRUCTURES: BINGHAM HALL
SERVICES: SABA CONSULT
Interior Design services for phased refurbishment works at the University of South Wales Newport Campus
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- UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH WALES NEWPORT CAMPUS REFURBISHMENT
University of South Wales Newport Campus Refurbishment
Austin-Smith:Lord has been appointed by the University of South Wales to provide Interior Design services for phased refurbishment works at their Newport Campus. The scheme agenda is to shift the focus of the campus more to collaboration and social learning spaces, introduce specialist Hydra facilities, reimagine catering amenities, change to more agile staff workspace and improve staff & student wellbeing.
There is also a desire to increase engagement with the local community and businesses through reimagining facilities within the scheme. Post pandemic building use requirements have substantially changed, and the brief requirements have been collated by A-S:L through an extensive and successful consultation process with staff and students. The project is due for phased completion during 2023 & 2024.
CLIENT: UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH WALES
COMPLETION: 2024
SERVICE: INTERIORS
SECTOR: EDUCATION
New build, 240 pupil, one form entry primary and nursery school in Merthyr Tydfil
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- YSGOL Y GRAIG PRIMARY SCHOOL
Ysgol Y Graig Primary School
Ysgol Y Graig is a new build, 240 pupil, one form entry primary and nursery school in Merthyr Tydfil. The County Borough Council progressed the design to Stage 3, prior to appointing design and build contractor Kier. Austin-Smith:Lord worked in consultation with the Local Authority Architect to take the project through detailed design and construction.
The school achieved a BREEAM ‘Excellent’ rating and included PV panels, maximising daylight and a hybrid ventilation solution.
Located on a constricted and sloping urban site surrounded by residential streets, the school maximises the potential of the site, and provides high quality learning spaces arranged around a central heart space.
CLIENT: MERTHYR TYDFIL CBC
COMPLETION: 2021
SERVICE: ARCHITECTURE, INTERIORS, LANDSCAPE
SECTOR: EDUCATION
CONTRACTOR: KIER
LANDSCAPE: AUSTIN-SMITH:LORD
STRUCTURES: CB3 CONSULT
SERVICES: SABA CONSULT
Transformation of two vacant department stores in the heart of Swansea.
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- COMMUNITY HUB, ARCHIVE + LIBRARY, SWANSEA
Community Hub, Archive + Library, Swansea
Austin-Smith:Lord has been appointed as Architect for the transformation of two vacant department stores in the heart of Swansea.
With the current decline of high streets across the country, the project will be an exemplar for the sustainable and creative re-use of large department stores, and will create a community hub that will be a destination, increasing footfall and activity throughout the city centre.
The project will involve the relocation of Swansea Central Library, West Glamorgan and Neath Port Talbot Archives, South Wales Miners Library, and other council and third party services to a central, easily accessible location. A hub will be created, greatly increasing inter-connectivity and collaboration between organisations, members of staff, and the Swansea public as a whole.
Extensive and detailed consultation with numerous stakeholders have taken place, entailing the careful coordination of often competing requirements in the development of the scheme.
Planning Approval was successfully granted early 2022. The project is set to complete in 2023.
CLIENT: CYNGOR ABERTAWE SWANSEA COUNCIL
COMPLETION: 2023
SERVICE: ARCHITECTURE, INTERIORS
SECTOR: CIVIC, ARTS + CULTURE
CONTRACTOR: KIER
STRUCTURES: JUBB
SERVICES: SDS
COST CONSULTANT: COREUS
Re-purposing of the redundant Debenhams department store building in the centre of Carmarthen into a new Hwb facility
Austin-Smith:Lord was appointed by Bouygues UK to develop design proposals for the adaptation and re-purposing of the redundant Debenhams department store building in the centre of Carmarthen into a new Hwb facility.
Containing facilities for Hywel Dda University Health Board, University of Wales Trinity St David and Carmarthenshire County Council Leisure and Advice Services, the new Hwb will be a significant destination within the town, providing essential community services.
The ground floor is dedicated to health and well-being with a major clinic and healthcare centre working with a 24-hour Gym operated by the Council’s Leisure Services team and the Advice Hwb providing client facing Council services.
The first floor includes a family entertainment facility, incorporating Adventure TAG, indoor karting, Toy Town/adventure play, adventure golf, bookable party rooms and a food and beverage servery, with the facilities operated by Carmarthenshire County Council and Play Revolution appointed as the equipment provider.
University of Wales Trinity Saint David will also occupy spaces for training and conferences.
The Hwb is an innovative and creative intervention by the Local Authority aimed at arresting the decline of retail activity in the town centre and generating new visitor numbers. It will be a catalyst for the regeneration and sustainable future of the retail heart of the town.
CLIENT: BOUYGUES / CARMARTHENSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL
COMPLETION: 2026
SERVICE: ARCHITECTURE, INTERIORS
SECTOR: CIVIC
CONTRACTOR: BOUYGUES
STRUCTURES: JUBB
SERVICES: HOARE LEE PARTNERSHIP
