Locker Solutions for MMU’s New Science and Engineering Building
Background: Having previously supplied custom lockers for the MMU Institute of Sport, Garran was approached by the main contractor, Bowmer & Kirkland, to provide locker solutions for the £65 million project. This project involved replacing the existing John Dalton West building with a new state-of-the-art Science and Engineering building and refurbishing the remaining Dalton building.
Objective: The primary objectives of this project were to:
- Provide custom locker solutions tailored to the unique requirements of both existing spaces and new public and teaching areas.
- Ensure the lockers matched the finishes previously supplied to the Institute of Sport.
- Successfully install lockers across seven floors in two separate buildings within the set timeframe, despite the demanding refurbishment schedule.
Implementation Steps
-
Design Collaboration:
-
Garran worked from the initial drawings provided by BDP Architects, transforming the design intent
into working production drawings.
- Achieved successful sign-off on the designs before proceeding with production. Material Procurement and Planning:
-
Procured materials, including EGGER Maize Yellow HPL and EGGER Soft Black MFC, to match the
existing finishes at the Institute of Sport.
- Chose ASSA Abloy ML51 digital combination locks to ensure consistency with the university’s existing locking systems.
- Planned production to meet the delivery schedule for completion in mid-2023. Custom Solutions:
- The installation at the Dalton Building was phased over several months to fit the demanding refurbishment schedule, working in a live building.
- Adapted to on-site conditions discovered during the works, meeting all challenges and completing the project on schedule with full sign-off. Managed Installation:
- Garran stored lockers for the John Dalton West building for several months due to delays in the build.
- Safely delivered all lockers, frames, and panels to the site and stored them for use when required.
- Completed the installation as planned, in line with the main contractor’s schedule, by February 2024.
- Detailed schedules and strategies were developed to ensure the installation was efficient and unobtrusive.
We designed a variety of lockers, including public area mixed-size lockers, custom lockers for void areas in acoustic wall paneling, low-level lockers complementing bespoke balustrades, and bespoke acoustic lockers for the Superlab area. The lockers were spread over seven floors in two separate buildings.
Planning and Coordination:
Results
- Successfully installed a variety of custom lockers that met the specific needs of different areas within the new Science and Engineering building.
- Ensured the lockers matched the existing finishes at the Institute of Sport, maintaining a consistent aesthetic across the university.
- Completed the installation on schedule, despite the challenges of working in a live building and managing delays.
