The company recently tendered a contract for the design and development of an all-new Integrated Control Centre (ICC) in Manchester as part of the national ICC programme whereby the company is co-locating centres in line with an overall operations strategy. The objective is to integrate these management hubs, realising immediate benefits for operational command and at the same time minimising delays.
To this end, the successful assimilation of ICCs has already taken place in Wessex, Sussex, Kent, Anglia and the London North-Western region.
The outline brief provided to CCD detailed the design and build of an integrated Control Room where three organisations (Network Rail in addition to TransPennine Express and Northern Rail) would come together within one working environment. With a requirement to meet operational specifications for all three workforces, CCD was appointed to project manage all aspects of the design and build of the Control Room desk space and furniture.
Efficient communication and interaction
Located on the 3rd Floor of the Network Rail building, the Control Room needed to optimise the operational performance within each organisation and generate more efficient communication and interaction between all three groups. CCD’s brief was to capture the operational requirements from the three organisations migrating to the new Control Room.
Conducting comprehensive research into the designated use of the space and the needs of those working within it, CCD identified and consolidated the various requirements of each organisation. All the while, CCD worked closely with the groups to communicate what was possible and agree upon where compromise would be necessary.
CCD then joined forces with the interior design team from BDG Workfutures and Square Dot, the fit-out contractor Overbury, furniture designer William Garvey, m&e consultant WWP and project managers GVA Grimley (represented by Nigel Woods) and Samantha Taylor from Network Rail to design and build a highly functional and innovative Control Room environment.
The furniture design and build, for example, comprises 39 ergonomically effective desks in three different variants, including integrated monitor brackets, cable management and data ports along with a number of circular and angled storage islands.
Joined up workstations and storage
All workstations have been designed to facilitate the best use of space, and to effectively open up lines of communication and interaction between all three workforces. Armed with comprehensive research findings and specific requirements from a number of decision makers involved in the project, William Garvey supplied CCD detailed drawings of seamlessly linked desking, workstations and storage.
Meeting the requirements of a number of organisations coming together in one location was always going to prove a challenge, and satisfying all parties required a fair amount of negotiation and organisation. Maintaining close contact with all those involved in the relocation to Manchester ensured that issues concerning the layout and furniture design were resolved during early discussions.
Operational difficulties were overcome through a process of user group meetings, while specific client requirements were carefully explored through the deployment of a plot-board and mock-up trials of the furniture. A full size MDF prototype of a desk was made and installed to check for total accuracy in terms of the furniture’s dimensions and the spacing of cabling/power points.
Every aspect of the design and implementation of the Control Room had to be thought through in the greatest depth. Durability of the finished furniture was key. The build quality had to be extremely robust to meet the demands of a 24/7 working environment. That being the case, materials were selected with strength and efficiency in mind.
Minimising glare from task lighting
The technical desk has been manufactured with an MDF carcass and finished with a matt linoleum which provides protection against reflection and glare from both natural and task lighting. The end result is easy to clean, non-reflective and built to withstand daily usage within any climatic condition. Boasting an anticipated 25-year lifespan, every part of the workstations and their associated storage is built to withstand the ongoing demands of a busy workforce.
One exceptional element of the Manchester ICC is a continuous desk that measures nearly 40 metres. This necessarily demanded intense logistical brainstorming and extreme accuracy in its manufacture. The desk had to fit exactly the footprint on the floorplan, a desire further complicated by the integral structural columns within the Control Room space.
Ultimately, the most crucial factor of the Control Room’s design and build was that of meeting the specific group requirements while also making the space work as a whole. The completed space works well on all levels. The three organisations housed within the Manchester ICC can operate independently, but also collaboratively. The finished workspace environment is clean, streamlined and ultra modern, a user-friendly Control Room in every sense which provides both a stimulating and enjoyable working environment.
Comments from the major players
Speaking about the installation, Martin Beal – operations manager for Network Rail in Manchester – comments: “A key element of the design and planning process for the space was to involve all staff who would be working in the Control Room, giving them the opportunity to submit ideas and comments via the working and steering group process. Each desk area has ample space to accommodate the various types of display and communications equipment, the volume of which was again decided upon by those who would be working within the Control Room.”
CCD director David Watts added: “This was a complex project on many levels. Central to the design was the need to successfully develop and strengthen Network Rail’s corporate brand identity within the working environment. The finished ICC is the result of successful integration of both designers and end users. By working closely with each party through the design process, every element of the workspace area meets the exact requirements of both the individual users and the teams housed at the Manchester ICC.”
Furniture designer and manufacturer Bill Garvey – director of William Garvey – also commented on the installation. He told SMT Online: “We’re extremely proud of the fact that not only was this project completed two weeks ahead of schedule, but the furniture was also built to such a high standard that after the initial defect liability period had elapsed not one fault had been reported.”
