A Vision for Coleford&

Healthy Workplace

Andy Casey

A Vision for Coleford

We want our to vision to take advantage of the huge numbers of people visiting the Forest of Dean and estab-lish the town as a destination in its own right, not just a point to start walks and bike rides from.

The vision is in two parts, the first idea is to creat an event that would run for a weekend annually to raise the profile of the town, similar to the literary festival in Hay-on Wye. Coleford used to host a music festival and our proposal is to bring this back, using the market place in the centre of town as the main venue, but also having satellite venues around town, in pubs, public buildings and other open spaces.

There has been objection from traders in the town in the past to the festival causing them to lose business. By spreading the event around the town, we hope to counterract this.

The second idea is to create a tourist attraction that runs independently of the outdoor activities in the Forest of Dean and attracts people to the area that wouldn’t have previously been there. A micro-brewery builds on small industries already in the region and provides a venue for visitors in the centre of town. Increased num-bers of visitors would also benefit other businesses in the town from restaurants to hotels.

-Resurrect former festival -Raise profile of Coleford like Hay-on-Wye literary event-Make use of Market Square as main venue-Encourage satellite venues around town

-Builds on existing local industry-Tourist attraction that offers change to outdoor activities in Forest-Good way to end a day’s walking or cycling-Catalyst for other businesses, restaurants and hotels

Micro-brewery and craft workshops - 2 storey maximum. Forms north side of arcade

Healthy o�ce building - steps down from south to north, forms south side of arcade and sheltered court-yard.

Incubator o�ce facilities and music festival organiser’s o�ce

Additional community facilities - St John’s Ambulance and scouts - single storey building, encloses western edge of courtyard.

3-Storey o�ce building, stepping down to arcade

2 Storey brewery and craft workshops, featuring large northlit work spaces

Masterplan

Arrangement of buildings focuses on creating new access to Council Offices through a tree-lined arcade.

The arcade is lined to the north by the open frontages of craft workshops, giving space for people to sell their products and bringing life to the street.

To the south the healthy office building also opens into the arcade, the cafe spilling out among the trees in summer.

The arcade is terminated by the new micro-brewery building, which draws people down the street and brings more tourists into Coleford.

The healthy office building runs alongside the road, forming a boundary to the site and creating a sheltered courtyard inside the site.

Final building creates flexible community space and encloses western side of courtyard, creating smaller, more intimate space.

Site extent Axes through site Axes divide built form into three Public open spaces Buildings wrap around open spaces

Brief

To create a healthy workplace in the centre of Coleford that acts as a catalyst for local small businesses and for regeneration of the town as a whole.

To offer flexible workspaces, both open plan and in small offices, supported by a business advisor and all the modern facilities a small business would need.

To also act as a hub for the resurrected music festival, with an office for the organisers of the festival, a practice room for local bands and flexible spaces, inside and outside, that can be used for performances.

Most importantly to emphasise a healthy workspace, with facilities for cyclists, well ventilated and naturally lit offices, a social atmosphere throughout the building and a sustainable construction.

communal

o�ce space

open space

buildings

Programme

Communal Space

Reception, shop and cafe - 135 sqmMeeting and practice room - 45 sqmCycle-to-work facilities - 20 sqmCreche - 20 sqmStore - 20 sqmBreakout space - 30 sqm

Office Space

Business advisor’s office - 20 sqmFestival organiser’s office - 20 sqmOpen plan office - 90 sqmStar-up offices - 6 x 20 sqm

Ways of working exercise

Emphasised need for flexible workspace that could hold many interrelated layers of work - dynamic space where people can work together or individually.

A Healthy Workplace

The intention behind the design of this building was to create a workplace that offers a subtly healthier alternative to a normal office, rather than having one dominant feature. The social aspect of a healthy lifestyle was chosen as the main aim for the building. Because the building is an incubator for small businesses, one aim was to create a more social atmosphere, for people who may work alone or only with one or two colleagues. The wide, leisurely staircase encourages walking by offering an attractive way to reach the upper levels, but also incorporates breakout spaces, so that people can bump into each other and chat along the way. The cafe area also continues this theme, using long canteen style tables to make people sit together and meet others working in the building.

Enclosed courtyard provides safe outdoor play space and quieter area sheltered from traffic

Balcony provides space for people to work outside, but quieter than the main terrace, also works as solar shading for offices to prevent glare inside.

Smaller offices provide space for people that prefer working in a quiet environment

Stairs and breakout spaces

Creche allows people to balance life and work

Cafe creates space for everyone in the building to meet

Outdoor terrace provides space to work outside, lots of ventilation to first floor spaces in the summer and natural light and ventilation to the cafe space below

Cycle to work facilities encourage sustainable and healthy commuting.

Open plan office offers flexible space to those who like to work around other people in a busy atmosphere

North windows give natural even light to open plan office/studio space

New pedestrian street encourages walking by opening up access for pedestrians to new building and council house and allows cafe to spill outside in the summer