Following on from a major restructuring of their business, ICI, a world leader in chemical research and manufacturing, appointed Advanced Workplace Associates (AWA) to conduct a comprehensive review of their European research and development centre. The buildings, originally designed for occupation by a single major ICI business, were now occupied by diverse ICI businesses with distinct operations and identities as well as an increasing number of businesses not owned by ICI. ICI wished to maximise the asset value of the centre prior to disposal of the premises and facilities.
The objectives of the review were to:
- Assess the capabilities of the buildings and how well they were being used
- Determine the future workspace needs of the businesses who occupied the buildings
- Develop a strategy for use of the buildings that met the needs of the resident businesses.
The methodology employed by AWA for this assignment involved reviewing the work processes of the resident businesses, assessing the capabilities of the buildings, reviewing the facilities operating policies and service delivery being provided and surveying the workspace, its layout and utilisation through time. From an analysis of the data gathered, we developed proposals for a strategy for use which sought to reconcile the supply ? the capabilities of the buildings and their infrastructure, with the demand ? the future workspace needs of the businesses.
AWA proposed a strategy for the use of the buildings, comprising of a:
- Model form of building ? indicating how the centre could be reconfigured and serviced to exploit its capabilities and present itself as an effective environment for the chemical industry
- Accommodation use plan ? outlining how the existing resident community could be accommodated within the proposed new centre
- Development plan ? setting out a structured approach to the creation of the new centre, including a phased programme for the redevelopment of the buildings, details of the levels of investment required and funding options, and an action plan for the client to follow to bring about successful implementation.
This allowed ICI to demonstrate to potential purchasers of the site that it was feasible to convert the existing facilities into a multi-tenant science centre in an economic way.
