Case study:
Iconsys
Telford
Commercial, Extensions, Office Development, Property Remodelling
This scheme focused on the remodelling and extension of an existing steel framed commercial building in Stafford Park, Telford to create additional office accommodation and an improved workshop for an expanding local company, Iconsys, which was experiencing an increased demand for its products and was undergoing substantial growth.
Overview
The company’s existing office was not going to be suitable in the long term, so Iconsys approached us for our help and professional advice regarding the company’s options for expansion and the development of a new ‘smart’ headquarters.
We actively engaged with Iconsys from the outset to identify alternative sites for the business to relocate to, with the prospect of either constructing a new factory and office or renovating and extending an existing building to suit.
What We Did
After securing the former EWAB building in Stafford Park in Telford, Iconsys formally appointed Base to further develop a working brief and commence design works on the building which needed not only to cater for their immediate needs but to be future-proof in terms of further expansion and saleability (if ever required).
Through a series of detailed workshops we gained a full understanding of how the business operated, its current challenges and opportunities to improve its efficiency by reconfiguring the existing spaces and creation of new spaces, all of which needed to work with existing site-specific and planning policy constraints.
The proposed smart building was further developed through the specification of a series of cutting-edge technologies to ensure that the building could function as both a dust-free factory environment and a comfortable, sustainable and energy-efficient office.
Features of the building include a new state of the art MVHR (mechanical ventilation with heat recovery) system and air source heating. Early engagement was undertaken with Telford and Wrekin Council to ensure the planning process was as efficient as possible. Our continued dialogue with the council’s planners paid off when the scheme – a fully smart building – was granted full consent.
We had to work to extremely tight timescales developing the detailed design of the scheme and taking the project through the building regulations and tender stages. Due to the nature of Iconsys’ business any down time would have resulted in a substantial cost to them as the end user so it was critical to minimise this and manage the project effectively.
During this process further engagement with Iconsys was undertaken to ensure that we were capturing all of their requirements within the detailed building regulations and tender package. We also engaged with structural engineers and interior designers to co-ordinate all aspects of the build and fit-out before submitting the project for costing. Following a successful tender process the contract was awarded to Forster Tullet, based In Chester, who undertook the works under a contract that was managed and administered by Base.
The result
The building has now been occupied since November 2021 with excellent feedback from the end user. In terms of the finished product? We think the end results speak for themselves!
During the build it was great to be given the opportunity to review progress on a weekly basis, which provided us with an opportunity to monitor progress and workmanship and effectively manage stage payments. It was a real pleasure to see how quickly the building took shape over the course of the construction period.
