Creation of a focal point for the local community by extensive refurbishment and extension to 1960's construction.
The original building housed a poorly lit library with low ceilings at ground floor with offices and storage rooms at first floor. With a badly leaking roof and poor facilities a community room at first floor was seldom used.
To provide a welcoming entrance to the library and landmark to act as a catalyst for redevelopment of the area, the main frame was re-clad and an atrium entrance provided.
The first floor was fully refurbished to provide extensive community facilities and adult learning zone in modern surroundings.
To ensure that the refurbishment provided the best possible value of services for the Client, early investigation of structure and detailed liaison with the service engineer was undertaken. Forming openings through the slab to allow installations of new ventilation and other services would require strengthening of the slab, WML liaised closely with the services engineer to provide the client with the best value solution.
Spreading out the installation of plant between the existing plant room and a new mezzanine level allowed services to be fed through more than one location minimising duct work sizes and eliminating new structural openings through the slab.
