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Unity Street | Bristol
The former Merchant Venturers College, a Victorian Gothic building is located in the centre of Bristol. Built in 1865, the College was refurbished in 1907 following major fire damage. Following decades of use as a college, it was closed in 1992 and left vacant for 12 years until Carrot embarked on a major redevelopment and appointed Ellis & Moore as structural engineering consultants.
Falling within the College Green conservation area, Unity Street is a short walk from the business and leisure districts of the City. The scheme involved the conversion of floors one to three and the addition of two new floors to create 49 private residential apartments, duplexes and triplexes.
The structure had to be completely re-engineered with the addition of the mezzanines at all existing floor levels and the replacement of existing floors. A steel frame was fitted within the retained shell and composite floors used to maximise floor to ceiling heights. Mezzanine structures comprised fabricated steelwork and timber and were only 100mm thick. The scheme also included two commercial A3 units and "Combilift", an inspired car stacking system by "Wohr", the first to be installed in a residential development in the UK.
The existing auditorium was converted to house triplex structural units formed from load-bearing lightweight metal stud and manufactured timber I joists. Three new stories were added above the existing parapet level and the whole structure was engineered to provide resistance to progressive collapse.
Client Carrot
Project Management Rees Mellish
Contract Sum £7m
Awards Premier Guarantee Excellence Awards 2007 - Best Luxury Development