A state-of-the-art new healthcare facility has been awarded first place in the Public Health and Education category in the biennial Architectural Ironmongery Specification Awards.
The Acre Mill outpatient centre has already won other industry awards for its £14m conversion of a 56,000sq ft Grade II-listed former wire mill in Lindley, Huddersfield.
This building was a derelict mill that was thought by many to be impossible to convert to an NHS outpatient department
It is the first UK health sector development project to be completed by a public private partnership, the Pennine Property Partnership LLP, on behalf of Henry Boot Developments and Calderdale & Huddersfield NHS Foundation Trust.
Dealing with a listed building and a tight budget impacted the architectural hardware decisions of Em-B Solutions and Jefferson Sheard Architects.
The specification took into consideration the need to conserve and retain the building’s natural features.
The majority of the doors have Grade 4 round bar return satin anodised aluminium (SAA) lever handles, and corridor doors also use SAA but on D-type pull handles.
The SAA finish was specified for its durability as it is better in high-traffic areas and can withstand abrasive cleaners. It is also easy and relatively inexpensive to maintain.
Other ironmongery specifications included digital locks for increased privacy and security, and the use of nylon handles on the laser treatment rooms to prevent interference with the sensitive laser machines.
Paul Bellamy, regional area manager at Em-B Solutions, said: “It’s a very interesting building that had a lot of technical elements that impacted on our hardware choices.
“We also had to consider longevity and whole-life product cost cycle, while staying on time and to budget.
“We’re really proud to have our project recognised in these awards, especially going up against other such outstanding projects.”
It was this overall attention to detail which caught our eye as making this project a worthy winner
The latest award was organised by the Guild of Architectural Ironmongers (GAI) in association with the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) and the judges looked at the scope of works, the suitability of the architectural ironmongery, and its fitness for purpose, as well as compliance with relevant regulations and standards and aesthetic excellence.
The judges said of Acre Mill: “This building was a derelict mill that was thought by many to be impossible to convert to an NHS outpatient department.
“The ironmongery specified and fitted was of a high specification, well matched to the internal feel of the building.
"Such was the care given to the project that every door, approximately 330 in total, was checked by a former fire officer for compliance, operation and necessary adjustments. This included closer power, speed and latching to suit each application, including accessibility.
“It was this overall attention to detail which caught our eye as making this project a worthy winner."
The Public Health and Education category award was sponsored by Forza Doors.
- Companies:
- Henry Boot Construction
- Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Foundation Trust
- Jefferson Sheard Architects
- Em-B Solutions
