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Architect : MUMA

Slate Consultant : Viv Stratton

Roofing Subcontractor : Forrester Roofing

 

Newlyn   Art Gallery was designed by local architect James Hicks and opened in 1895. It occupies an enviable position at the end of a public promenade overlooking Mounts Bay. MUMA’s refurbishment has created a new education room and entrance in a new building at the rear facing the sea. The new extension is clad in Trevillett slate hung in the traditional Cornish manner. A  ‘ scantle ’  was used to set out the battens and slates to achieve a continuously diminishing coursing without any banding. A scantle is a length of timber, usually one of the roofing battens, marked up as a gauge to locate each course.

 

Concrete   ground beams and a concrete floor slab sit on pile foundations. The first floor is also concrete with a perimeter ring beam supported on four internal circular concrete columns that allow the ground floor shop and café  to be surrounded by continuous silicone jointed glass. Above the first floor the structure is steel with timber studwork infill. The highly insulated walls have an inner and outer leaf of studwork with a 175 mm services zone in between. Both roof and walls are clad in slate and the coursing has been carefully set out to ensure the courses on the gable end line through with the courses on the roof.

 

 

 

The   slates have been wet-laid with a minimum triple lap (3½; gauge) on the walls and a quadruple lap (4½; gauge) on the roof to resist the severe Atlantic weather. Stainless steel screws have been used to secure the slates rather than the traditional oak pegs. Hydraulic lime mortar in a 1:2 lime:sand ratio was used without any cement, which might have caused efflorescence and staining of slates. The mortar was laid in a horseshoe-shaped bed to form voids so water cannot be drawn up into the roof by capillary action.

 

 

Integrating   the roof and walls into a single material idea gives the extension a scale appropriate to its civic function. From the first floor education space, a 9-metre wide strip window gives a sweeping view of sea and sky, a reminder of the qualities that attracted artists to this part of the world.

 

     

 

 

Drawing Labels :

 

 

 

 

1.     Structural frame    

Steel frame above first floor level with 203 x 203 mm x 46 kg UC (universal column) primary members. 300 mm thick reinforced fair-faced concrete first floor slab with 725 x 575  mm downstand perimeter ring beam. Four 300 mm diameter in-situ fair-faced concrete columns supporting first floor.

 

 

2.     Typical wall

Wet  ‘ scantle ’  laid random width Trevillett slate laid in diminishing courses. 25 x 50 mm horizontal tanalised softwood battens spaced to suit slate coursing and fixed to vertical battens with 25 mm stainless steel nails. 50 x 50 mm vertical tanalised softwood battens at 400 mm centres coinciding with studs behind to provide continuous ventilation gap. Breather membrane. 18 mm WBP plywood sheathing. 100 x 50 mm tanalised softwood studs at 400 mm centres with 100 mm mineral wool insulation between. 175 mm services zone with mineral wool packed in voids. 75 x 50 mm tanalised softwood studs at 600 mm centres with 75 mm mineral wool insulation between. Vapour barrier. Two layers 12.5 mm plasterboard with skim coat and paint finish.

 

 

 

 

3.     Slate cladding    

Wet  ‘ scantle ’  laid random width Trevillett slate laid in diminishing courses. Slate to walls laid at 3.5 scantle and slates to roof laid at 4.5 scantle. Slates fixed with stainless steel screws through pre-drilled holes, two holes for wall slates and one hole for roof slates. Hydraulic lime mortar laid in horseshoe pattern between slate courses.

 

 

4.     Corner junction

Code 4 lead soakers extending full height of each slate and 225 mm either side of corner. Slate edges to be mitred at corner.

 

 

5.     Roof

Wet  ‘ scantle ’  laid random width Trevillett slate laid in diminishing courses. 25 x 50 mm horizontal tanalised softwood battens spaced to suit slate coursing and fixed to vertical battens with stainless steel screws. 50 x 50 mm vertical tanalised softwood battens at 400 mm centres coinciding with studs behind to provide continuous ventilation gap. Breather membrane. 18 mm WBP plywood sheathing. 60 mm mineral wool insulation fitted over rafters. 200 x 50 mm tanalised softwood rafters at 400 mm centres.  200 mm mineral wool between rafters. 65 mm phenolic foam-backed plasterboard with integral vapour barrier taped and skimmed with paint finish.

 

 

 

 

6.     Roof eaves    

203 x 203  mm  x 46 kg UC steel eaves beam. 75 x 50 mm tanalised softwood upstand built off top of wall to support gutter. Code 4 lead flashing fixed to plywood below breather membrane and lapped over gutter lining. Black insect mesh to cover ventilation voids.

 

 

7.     Gutter

Fleece-backed reinforced PVC membrane gutter lining. 175 x 60 mm box gutter made from 18  mm WBP plywood. Continuous EPDM membrane to external face of gutter.  Zinc alloy facing (coated on the underside with a protective layer) folded over external face and ends of gutter with drip to line through with slate coursing.

 

 

 

 

8.     Window

Prefabricated box frame welded up from 550 mm wide x 12 mm thick mild steel plate fixed to steel structure at jambs. 18 mm WBP plywood external sheathing on tanalised softwood sub frame. Continuous EPDM membrane to external faces of projecting sheathing lapped behind breather membrane behind slates.  Folded zinc surround to front face of window. Window frame made from 60  x 60 x 4  mm stainless steel angles. Window casement made from 50 x 50 x 3 mm stainless steel box sections.  Stepped double-glazed sealed unit silcone - bonded to frame consisting of 6 mm toughened outer pane, 12 mm air gap, 6.4 mm laminated inner pane with low-E coating. Removable zinc-clad WBP plywood panels to head, cill and jamb external reveals. 12 mm thick Corian internal cill with 20 mm thick leading edge.

 

 

9.     Rooflight

120 x 120 x 10 mm RSA (rolled steel angle) welded to 203 x 203 mm x 46 kg UC steel ridge beam. Tanalised softwood carcassing to form 9000 x 900 mm rooflight opening. Stainless steel rooflight frame. Double-glazed sealed unit consisting of 10 mm self-cleaning toughened outer pane, 16 mm air gap, 12.8 mm laminated inner pane with low-E coating. Electric roller blind.

 

 

Cut-away section through west corner showing roof and wall construction

 

 

10.     Ridge flashing

Zinc alloy sheet (coated on the underside with a protective layer) flashed over heads of slates with mastic seal in between and held down with zinc clips at 400 mm centres. Code 4 lead soaker behind zinc and slate junction. Continuous EPDM waterproof membrane beneath zinc lapped over soaker. 25 mm thick tanalised softwood square-edged board deck at 5 degree pitch. 50 x 50 mm tanalised softwood firings at 400 mm centres to provide continuous ventilation gap. Breather membrane. 18 mm WBP plywood sheathing. Roof construction as 5.

COMPANIES MUST SHOW COMMITMENT IF THEY WANT TO SUCCEED IN ABU DHABI.

 

Abu Dhabi has not escaped entirely unscathed from the economic downturn, in spite of the hype. However, a number of factors have left it in a stronger position than many of its peers. “The UAE has not been immune to the global downturn,” said Stephen Embley, managing director – Middle East operations, Aukett Fitzroy Robinson (AFR). “However, Abu Dhabi is well placed for economic recovery, with over 100 years of oil reserves, a balanced economy and enlightened leadership,” he added.

 

“Leading this recovery has been government investment in ‘social infrastructure’, so healthcare, hospitals, education, universities, and key worker and Emirati accommodation. Hospitality and cultural investment remains strong but luxury residential and retail developments are suffering from over supply and competition from the Dubai market,” he detailed.

 

AFR was one of the first design practices to establish a presence in both Abu Dhabi and Dubai in the 1970s and 80s, and was responsible for a number of iconic projects at the time, including The Arab Monetary Fund and the Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed office buildings on the Corniche, which appear on the AED 1,000 bank note. After some time away, the company returned to Abu Dhabi in 2007 and was responsible for the architecture and interior design of the Radission Blu and Park Inn hotels on Yas Island.

 

 

 

 

AFR has offices throughout Europe, with ‘hubs’ in London, Moscow and, now, Abu Dhabi. “Strategically, we believe the global economic and cultural centre of gravity is moving east-wards. Abu Dhabi’s position as a bridge between east and west is significant, being only six hours travel time to 100 global capital cities,” said Embley.

 

US-headquartered design firm RW Armstrong is also convinced of Abu Dhabi’s potential. “We came to the Middle East in about 2005. Our president is of Middle Eastern origin and he wanted to come back to this part of the world and try to be part of the growth,” said Mona Salem, senior associate and programmes director, RW Armstrong.

 

“When we moved to this region, our president saw that the opportunity was in Abu Dhabi. Even though everybody was in Dubai, he decided to start with Abu Dhabi, and I think that was a good move,” she continued. “We started looking at opportunities and then in 2006 we won our first project, which was lead consultancy for the Sorouh Sky Tower project. Since that time, we’ve grown from an office of about three people in the Middle East to nearly 250 people.”

 

According to Salem, it is this level of commitment that has guaranteed the company’s success in the UAE capital. “Our philosophy and strategy for growth, whether in the Middle East or anywhere else in the world, is to grow locally. We don’t go into a place and just have one person working out of a suitcase. We actually establish roots; we give back to the community.”

 

Embley reiterated the need for long-term commitment, but also highlighted the challenging nature of the market. “The expectation of world-class design, combined with competitive fee levels, payment periods and aggressive programmes, will test the best in the world. Accept to be here for the long term, investing in the local economy and society. Respect the rich local culture and values and promote a synergy between the best of Emirati and western culture, design and enthusiasm for the future,” he suggested.

 

According to Embley, Abu Dhabi boasts world-class interior design in certain sectors, but is lagging in others. “In the hospitality, retail and residential market, Abu Dhabi’s interior design offering is truly world-class and competitive. Commercial offices and workplaces currently lack the sophistication of western markets in relation to the integration of new working practices, empowerment culture and IT integration,” he suggested.

 

For British artist Kevin Dean, Abu Dhabi has presented great opportunity for creative expression. Dean, who is celebrated for his fl oral designs, was involved in the design of the Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan Grand Mosque. “I was asked to provide some impressions of what the main courtyard or sahan floor might look like.

 

 

“Sheikh Sultan had already put down some quick ideas on paper, which was very helpful. I was surprised to be given so much freedom but Sheikh Sultan was interested in moving away from traditional Islamic pattern in favour of more free flowing floral designs. Once my concept was approved I was then asked to design internal marble floors and the relief marble decoration on most of the external archways,” Dean detailed. Following on from this experience, Dean is currently working on a range of fl oral designs inspired by the Middle East, which will be featured on wall coverings, rugs and china. The Oasis Collection is due to be launched at the end of 2011.

 

“In the same way that the UAE has undergone enormous growth, so too has the nation’s design industry. In the malls, of course, you can find many of the big international brands in interior design products and furnishings,” Dean explained.

 

“I think it is only a matter of time before even more indigenous design begins to take centre stage, particularly in the home ware and furnishing stores. I am currently developing a collection of wallpapers and textiles that uses fl oral motifs from the region. I’m not from the Emirates but that’s the sort of thing I mean – using local elements to reflect the country’s culture.”

 

Dean’s impressions of the UAE capital are overwhelmingly positive. “I love Abu Dhabi; the people are so charming and helpful. Every time I return I’m astonished to see how the city has developed even more. It is hard to imagine that 40 or 50 years ago Abu Dhabi was a small fishing village.”