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Faculty of Technology, Design and Environment, Oxford Brookes University

Oxford

Project Details

Brownfield site, New Build, Within a Conservation Area

Practice

Resonant Architecture

31 Bartlemas Road , OXFORD , OX4 1XU

The aspirational brief for a new building, entitled the “Cathedral of Making”, envisions an inspirational space containing all of the hands-on practical maker spaces of the University. The building will bring together such space from Arts, Architecture, Computing, Mechanical Engineering and Built Environment Studies, and the goal is to break down the departmental silos, to create flexible “mash-up” spaces, where interdisciplinary experimentation and engagement can occur. The aim is to create a facility unlike any other in Oxford, and indeed to be unique with its combination of disciplines within the UK. Demolition The previously existing Helena Kennedy building was fully vacated at the end of January 2019, after which a Refurbishment and Demolition (R&D) survey was undertaken, aimed at identifying asbestos present. After receiving Planning Permission, demolition could start. To enable procurement of these works, further specification was produced by ARUP. BIM Together with Oxford Brookes University (OBU), BGS produced for tender the Employer Information Requirements (EIR). In these documents, the obligations for the contractor and contractor design teams were set out in terms of Building Information Modelling (BIM), to UK national standards ‘level 2’. As a general policy, a sensible and practical approach is being adopted, to request what is strictly necessary and avoid requiring superfluous or onerous information requirements that would burden all project stakeholders including OBU. As part of the EIRs, an appropriate level of Asset Information Requirements (AIR) is included, to make clear for the contractor team what handover asset management information is to be included within the handover Project Information Model (PIM). This asset management information is aimed at assisting OBU in managing the building asset once it has been completed and handed over. The various information is to be transferred into the various software tools used by the OBU Estates Facility Management, including E-docs, Archibus, and any other CAFM software applications. MEP services engineers from Arup have reviewed separately the scope of asset information that is likely to be required for services installations. This project was undertaken with BGS Architects.