Building Design Partnership - Offices Development - Hampshire, Swanwick, NATS New En-Route Centre
Date: 29 Jan 2002
The most advanced air traffic control centre in the world swung successfully into operation on the 27 January 2002 - six years behind schedule, due to computer problems.
Designed by Building Design Partnership to provide Britain's air traffic control services well into the 21st century the NATS New En-Route Centre at Swanwick in Hampshire is the largest and most technologically advanced building of its kind anywhere in the world. The building will replace the existing facility at West Drayton; at 45,000 m the new centre represents a significant expansion over its predecessor and was handed over on time and on budget in February 1994.
The building nestles unobtrusively into its woodland setting, belying its size and high technology function. Despite a brief that was necessarily complex, the finished building is deceptively simple. Accommodation is ordered in plan and section to reflect the diversity of its parts. The main building is formed as two linked elements, the non-operational accommodation, which provides the support services for the centre's occupants, and the operational accommodation, which contains the 'ops' room from which the air traffic controllers will manage Britain's skies. Both parts are supported by a separate energy centre, which contains two emergency generators, (each capable of producing enough electricity for a small town).
Between the operational and non-operational accommodation lies the 'Street', a glazed ribbon forming the physical and social heart of the centre and marking the boundary between the secure and non-secure areas. It is from the 'Street' that air traffic controllers will enter the 'ops' room.
The 'ops' room is a column free space, half the size of a football pitch, which will be home to 200 air traffic controllers 24 hours a day. To make the ATCs' working environment as comfortable and safe as possible particular attention has been paid to the integration of architectural, mechanical, electrical and fire detection systems. Above the ATCs a specially developed ceiling follows the room's curved profile fulfilling the requirement to provide glare and reflection free lighting. A further innovation in the design of the 'ops' room allows the ATCs views out into the adjacent roof lit 'courtyard' and the countryside beyond, providing a visual relief to the stresses of their workplace.
All mechanical and electrical systems serving the operational areas are duplicated to minimise any chance of a catastrophic service failure affecting the building's function. Furthermore, in the event of fire the building has been designed to allow the ATCs to remain in the 'ops' room for at least half an hour to safely 'clear the skies' before their own evacuation.
The centre fully exploits the potential of the existing site landscaping. Both woodland and deepwater pools have been retained within the site boundary, and have been enhanced by extensive areas of new hard and soft landscaping. The desire that the building should be a good neighbour is further manifested by the nature centre for local community groups constructed at the site entrance, as well as the tunnels under the perimeter fence for local badgers!
Building Design Partnership was architect, structural engineer, mechanical and electrical engineer, lighting adviser, landscape architect and acoustics engineer. The quantity surveyor was Monk Dunstone Associates; the management contractor was Bovis Construction Limited and the fire consultant was Warrington Fire Research Consultants.
Swanwick House
Where do I go now?: » View the latest news items » View the news archive » Subscribe to Weekly Construction Newsletter » Submit news
