Commendation Winner: Joe Mills, Derby Community Complex (UoD)
Congratulations to Joe Mills for his project Derby Community Complex, a commendation winner at the Annual Student Awards Symposium
Joe Mills gives us an overview of his commendation winning project at this years Student Award Symposium
The ‘Derby Community Complex’ is a mixed-use development consisting of co-living, co-working, commercial and leisure spaces, with a concentrated focus on connectivity. It aims to address looming issues such as; loneliness, health and wellbeing deprivation, climate change, post-pandemic design and urban disconnection with nature by; providing attractive co-living accommodation, incorporating co-working spaces, accessible by residents and general public, creating a strong sense of community through shared amenities green spaces, prioritising sustainable design and occupant health wellbeing, and offering accessibility to all ages and abilities.
An overview of the development from Derwent Street, Derby looking upon the vibrant and populated hive that is the Derby Community Complex and its grand social stairway.
Encapsulating Derby’s historic yet cultural sense of place with its numerous intimate streetscapes and winding streets forming veins of the city’s identity, and research into local Derbyshire materials also help inform the projects design/aesthetic in addition to sustainability purposes. For more literal form finding, a process involving splitting Derbyshire rocks gave the design its unique incline, influencing the recessed terrace concept.
The project is of a contemporary and industrial design, with exposed concrete and services creating a cool yet playful space which excels in the building’s interior where visible glulam beams frame each room and seemingly pierce the external fabric. The inclined bracing glulam beams create a unique form and recessed social circulation terrace for occupants that ensures privacy. NDSS compliant studio rooms, generous communal amenity spaces and commercial retail units, and a spacious co-working area are all provided within this community centred complex with a courtyard/plaza tying it all together. Sustainability is considered through numerous passive design strategies such as natural lighting and ventilation (purge and cross), courtyard cooling and solar gains, in addition to locally sourced materials, strategic glazing, and a largely prefabricated structure minimising material waste. Reduced maintenance/operating costs through natural ventilation and lighting and easy access to services through access hatches and linear pipe/cable runs all contribute to a highly performing building.
Glulam beams are separated into modular networks of beams localised to each studio, where typically neighbouring rooms may share an insulated column concealed in plasterboard. This simple yet radical decision, paired with well-considered specified components such as 92mm Acoustuds and Soundbloc plasterboard, allow for mitigation against issues with sound transmittance. Thermally, the external walls achieve a minimum U-value of 0.18 W/m 2 K. 60FR partitions and 120FR external walls specified with Class A1 insulation, fire-break systems, ‘Approved Document Part B: Fire’ travel distances (18m), integrated dry risers within the core, and inherently fire-resistant structural materials creates a truly fire-safe building.
First Floor Plan (6m above street level), accessible via two grand stairways. A central courtyard / plaza space connects these two entry points, flanked with small commercial units and a double height co-working space fashioning a journey through the development.
Spacious double height co-working space containing high-tables, study pods, a meeting room, toilets, relaxed meeting spaces and a feature reading staircase, all whilst maximising natural light penetration, cross ventilation, natural convection and a sense of connectivity.
Fourth Floor Plan of the residential aspect of the complex, containing amenity space with garden terrace, one-person and two-person apartments and an outdoor communal lounge, all connected via a communal terrace.
Level three communal terrace connecting each apartment and communal space, acting as the main circulation route and providing shared outdoor space for residents, connecting the community.
Façade bay study of communal terrace decking to apartment threshold with level access and drainage considered, displaying the relationship between the structural glulam members and the rainscreen cladding system.
A typical one-person studio apartment showcasing the exposed glulam framing the room, exposed cable trays carrying building services and the concrete effect floor finish creating a contemporary / soft industrial style.
A junction capturing the relationship between the structural glulam columns and a typical internal partition terminating up-to an external wall, with acoustic, fire and thermal performance all considered and resolved.
Communal spaces provided throughout the residential building providing additional larger spaces for occupants who wish to socialise or host guests. Here, a kitchen area located adjacent to a generous dining area which merges almost seamlessly into a double height garden terrace has been provided.
A section of the complex capturing the sustainability strategies in place within the mixed-use spaces through-out the development in an effort to minimise environmental impact and reduce operational costs.