Behind the Building

 

In today’s look Behind the Building, we’re hearing from Architect, Andrew Morris. Andrew is the Architect for Plymouth’s new Community Diagnostic Centre, which will help transform how diagnostic services are provided across the city.

As the Architect for the CDC, what does a typical day in the life look like? 

Early-on in the project, we're meeting with different users almost on a daily basis, looking at the various designs that we've created for the building from a diagrammatic, schematic way. Then, once we get to the more detailed stages. I also work on the appearance of the building externally as well, and how that relates to the site that it's been designed for. I liaise with the City Council as well as the trustees on how they want to work with the site that they've been provided with.

Now, as the project is nearing completion and is being constructed, it's more day to day involvement with the main contractor, BAM. We’re working out exactly how we're going to build it, working with the site managers to ensure that the design is as it should be and fit for purpose.

Have you faced any challenges during the project?

So, probably one of the main challenges to begin with was just making sure that we worked with the site that we were provided with. There's some quite complex things underground at the site, with an existing sewer, which meant that we were constrained with the width of the building. And then because of the requirements, we needed to fit a generator and, a high voltage transformer into the building. So, to fit all of those was quite challenging to begin with. However, once we got those fixed, we then were able to run away with it, which has been really exciting.

What have been your highlights?

One of the most rewarding things is just seeing it actually come to life now.

Especially the brick work going on has been something that's been really key for me. To look at a tiny little sample and then to actually see it at scale on the building is fantastic. And to see the rooms that I've modeled in the software that we use; to see those rooms become a reality and see where we've placed all those different bits of specialist equipment that I spoke about earlier.

What has been like working with clinical teams from University Hospitals Plymouth

It's been fantastic to work with, the consultants from UHP. The various different clinical staff, as well as the operational staff, working with them to understand exactly how all those different rooms and different spaces work together to enable the patients to have the best experience they can possibly have. So I just find it fascinating, for me as a little architect, who just wants to design buildings to be getting to speak to these highly qualified specialists, members of staff from UHP, who understand so many different complexities that I would never be able to understand. But to be able to provide them with spaces that enable them to do the work that they need and can do to enable better futures for the people of Plymouth and the surrounding areas.

What was your first impression seeing the building once you could get in and take a look around?

First impressions are just, wow, it's actually here. There was points probably three years ago where we were just beginning the project, when we've been dealing with cost and things where it possibly wasn't going to happen.

So to actually step into a building, even when we just had a ground floor slab without any structure, just to literally see something going into the ground was fantastic. So whereas now, like I said, to actually walk into rooms and see as we've designed them, it's just it's just so rewarding. And really exciting to, to see what this is, this is going to do for the people of Plymouth.