Structural Design Project 2 2022 ENG 2071

Project Brief – Innovation Centre

The University of Glasgow has decided to work together with the Glasgow Science Centre to
build a “state of the art” Innovation Centre in order to showcase a range of technologies that
need to be developed this century to help to combat Climate Change. The centre will be
constructed on one of three potential sites along the River Clyde and will exhibit models and
interactive displays of advanced engineering equipment, tools and solutions and educate
visitors about what we collectively across the world must do to prevent even greater world
temperature increases. There are a wide range of potential innovative topics for the centre in
this critically important area. Please refer to the IPCC report and COP26 information for
background.

Due to its location alongside the iconic River Clyde, steeped in industrial heritage and
adjacent to three different parts of the city namely: the West End, Govan and the City Centre,
this museum has to take signposts from the context of the surrounding Architecture, the
history of the City and the fantastic backdrop of the River.

This iconic new Innovation Centre should have the following features: “a clear identity”; “be
of an aesthetically beautiful appearance, both externally and internally”; “be of an appropriate
scale”; “be of a low energy and sustainable design”; “provide disabled access” and
“incorporate flexible spaces to accommodate exhibits and potential public gathering
functions”. As the University will own and maintain the museum, the building design should
allow for secure and reliable entrances and exits and minimal and straightforward
maintenance.

During this team design project, you are requested to develop design proposals to a scale of
1:100 and 1:50 demonstrating an understanding of spatial organisation, project brief
response, structural layouts and environmental strategies. Each of the three sites comes with
its own set of challenges and site specific needs. It is therefore important to consider how
your design proposals relates to issues of daylight and lighting, its urban design impact and
the massing that it will form on the sight as well as the relationship between its exterior, the
river and the city. The building should be approximately 4300 - 4500m2 including circulation.
Design of the external space should also be considered w.r.t provision of paths and vehicular
access to provide 15 disabled carpark spaces


Taking into account all of the above concerns, and the more detailed specifications given
below, propose a suitable form, spatial layout and elevational treatment for the
Innovation Centre; and then undertake a full structural analysis & design of all the key
components and connections of the building from the roof down to the foundations.

Functional information

 Main exhibition areas for exhibits and potentially public functions 3000 m2 over
three to five storeys.
 Entrance foyer/reception with staff control point & space for displaying books
 Staff office (with desks for 6 no. staff. Separate item cataloguing area with shelving
for files, large work table and tea making area 25m2.)
 Storage space for exhibits not on display (100m2)
 Café and Kitchen area (400m2 )
 Stairwells & lift zone, leading to upper landing
 Cloakroom for coats and bags. (30m2)
 Toilets: (100m2) accessible toilet; female w.c.’s 9 no.; male w.c. 6 no. plus 6 no.
urinals.
 Cleaner’s store with sink (5m2).
 4 Meeting rooms/ small lecture rooms equipped with stackable chairs: suitable for
20 no. seated guests. Chair store opening onto Meeting Room. (160m2)
 Staff w.c. and washbasin.(7.5m2)
 Allowance for plant room/s containing electrical, heating and other mechanical
building services (approx. 222.5 m2)


Floor areas are generally given as minimum clear wall-to-wall sizes

Site information

 Land: boundary restrictions require building foot-print to allow for at least a 5m
perimeter around building.
 Topography: varies between sites but is generally flat
 Soil: 0.5m - 1m depth of variable unsuitable superficial material overlying boulder
clay with a “safe bearing capacity” of 200 kN/m2.

Loading information

 All ground floor areas: assume direct ground-bearing RC slabs
 Mechanical & electrical (M&E) services: allow 10kg/m2 on all roofs & ceilings.
 Dead load: estimate (and check) for all your chosen constructions.
 Live upper floor load: from EC1 (communal areas).
 Live roof load: from EC1 (snow; or no access except for maintenance).
 Wind loading: general lateral wind stability arrangements should be clearly
indicated on drawings (but do not attempt any detailed wind design calculations).


Bibliography

SD2, Statics, MoS2A and Civil Eng 1 Lecture Notes
Adler D. (1999) “The Metric Handbook 2nd Edition” , Architectural Press – if available
online
Ching, Francis D.K., “Building Construction Illustrated – European Edition.” .
Pelsmaker S. (2012) “The Environmental Design Pocketbook” RIBA Publishing
BSI “Structural Eurocodes: Extracts from the Structural Eurocodes for Students of
Structural Design. 3rd Edition.” BSI Publishing
Arya, C.(2003) “Design of Structural Elements: Concrete, steelwork, masonry and timber
design to British Standards and Eurocodes” or any other Structural Design Textbook
IStructE – Essential Knowledge Series
The Structural Engineer Journal
A range of Architectural Practice and Engineering Consultancy Websites