Design and build conversion of existing building including corridor extension – Gibraltar Barracks – Royal Corps of Army Music Headquarters
This project was created to convert and extend an existing building to provide a new facility for the Royal Military School of Music. The facility provided two acoustically isolated teaching classrooms, office facilities for staff and students, male, female and disabled WC facilities, kitchenette, an instrument store with repair facility, music library and uniform storage. Further stores areas were provided for the full range of equipment required for teaching and performance.
Existing Building
The existing buildings are a collection of single storeys, brick-built blocks with a pitched roof and were arranged around a courtyard withvehicular access at either end. These buildings were originally constructed in the 1960’s but upgraded and modified over time. Prior tomodification the buildings were used as office accommodation and storage. Some temporary external field stores were built on one side ofthe courtyard for ad hoc use.
Toilet facilities were provided in the existing building in two locations but were not suitable for the new requirement.
A recently upgraded plant room provides Low Pressure Hot Water heating to the main building and an adjacent office (not part of the new works).
To re-purpose the existing buildings for its new use, the following modifications were made:
Main Building
The existing toilets were dismantled and following removal of existing partitions these internal areas were reformed into office accommodation and a new set of male, female and disabled toilet facilities. A tea point with tea and coffee making facilities has been created to include a small breakout seating area. The existing stores in the main building have been reformed to provide acoustically isolated teaching classrooms, a music library, instrument storage and repair plus the new uniform store. Allowance has been made to move large instruments and wheeled instrument cases into and out of the building.
A new circulation corridor has been constructed along the courtyard face the external face of this was finished in Parklex cladding.
Primary and secondary entrances are arranged at either end of this new corridor, with the main entrance having a ‘Goal post’ feature. The main entrance doors have an automatic door opener, operated via an IR sensor. The automated main entrance door is interfaced to the fire alarm system and will open and remain open in the event of a fire activation. The facility has been provided to allow the remaining external corridor doors to be automated if this should be required in the future. This provision includes power and fire alarm interface to each door and structure to the door transoms that will accommodate the retrofit of auto openers without further modifications
All other corridor double doors (within the new external circulation corridor) and the secondary entrance door were manually operated but have the facility to hold open on their hinges if they are swung more than 90 degrees in either direction. These doors were not fire doors but rather were provided to assist with the acoustic isolation of the studios. These doors were normally closed but the facility to hold open was provided for convenience when moving large instruments and wheeled storage cases into or around the building.
Ramp and landing access at each end allows for the positioning of large and wheeled instruments and storage cases into and out of the building without the need to negotiate steps. The maximum ramp rise is 375mm. All floors’ levels within the newly modified building form the same level without internal steps and ramps.
Emergency lighting is provided throughout the new facility, including emergency lighting to the exit ramps at the primary and secondary entrances.
Internal walls are painted white in the new corridor and magnolia elsewhere, windows, window trims and doors are anthracite grey or veneered.
New vinyl flooring is provided in the toilets and circulation areas with carpet tiles in the offices, classrooms and music library. Floors are painted in stores areas with contrasting edge upstand.
New STT Stores
The temporary field stores along the opposite face of the courtyard have been re-built to make them weather tight and more secure. New thermal insulation and heating systems are provided within the larger stores in the adjacent building.
MEPH works
The project included alterations to the existing electrical, mechanical and public health services, comprising of:
- MVHR and AC split DX to serve new classrooms and two large stores
- LTHW pipework serving radiators to newly created offices
- Hot Water Services via storage heater to serve cleaners sink, WCs and Kitchenette
- Above Ground Drainage from WCs, Kitchenette and Repair Workshop
- New LED Lighting and emergency lighting throughout
- Small Power and Data
- Fire Alarm
- External Lighting
New Classroom
Existing Building
New Fully Accessible 2nd Entrance
