Architecture - |
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Renault F1 Team Computational Fluid Dynamics CentreRenault F1 Team's state-of-the-art Computational Fluid Dynamics Facility ("CFD") is used to simulate aerodynamic performance of cars and their components. Ridge has been involved with the Enstone site since the construction of the main building for Benetton in 1991 and has been involved in all the subsequent site developments. The last major undertaking being the design and management of the wind tunnel facility in 1996. The site is an SSSI in the Cotswolds; any scheme here is subject to tight planning restrictions. In order to adapt to the location both aesthetically and environmentally, Ridge designed the facility to be built underground and engineered a landscape scheme to minimise the impact. 14,000m³ of soil was excavated; redistribution of the waste on site was designed and planned to spare the local villages the traffic of an estimated 1700 loads of 8-wheel HGV's. West Oxfordshire District Council was supportive of these solutions and the Committee unanimously voted the scheme through planning without any deferment. The subterranean building is a very simple structure and makes use of a matiére arch structure - pre-cast tunnel technology which Ridge has adapted for the purpose. It is an extremely efficient engineering solution, as building underground takes advantage of the stable ground temperature which means that it requires less energy to heat or cool. Accommodation within the new 65x17m centre comprises the following:
The project won the 2008 Concrete Performance Award, from the Concrete Society. |
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Oxford Brookes School of TechnologyThe concept for the building is a “teaching factory”. Its arrangement of spaces and services, its external appearance and the way it is used relate back in some way or another to this idea of learning while doing. The building was conceived as a simple volume accommodating a variety of activities. The teaching and learning ethos is about the practical application of scientific knowledge and craft based skills. The activities are zoned according to environmental issues such as noise and dirt and dust, and the building is arranged to provide appropriate services, acoustic separation and natural ventilation. The building achieves a “very good” BREEAM rating in no small part due to the solar chimneys which are a characteristic feature of its skyline, these encourage stack effect ventilation to the majority of the building spaces and also the specification of recycled and recyclable materials employed is notable. |
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Robert Hooke BuildingWon in competition, this design for a new science building for Space Research and Chemistry was driven by the desire to improve both facilities and working methodologies. The building has two wings, each wing is arranged vertically with laboratories, circulation and open office areas stacked on top of one another. Vertical light voids connect floors and glass walls provide levels of acoustic and visual privacy. The envelope of the building reflects the internal program, open office areas are day lit by large north facing glazing and the sensitive laboratories are cocooned within the heavily insulated south walls. |
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