ExxonMobile Staff Cooperative Shopping Center (Design Alternative)

Description:

The Project is firstly viewed as commercial development with potentials of self-sustenance by way of generation of funds for construction and maintenance. Then after, as a prestigious recreational facility for the entity of the ExxonMobil Staff Cooperative Multipurpose Society Limited.

This largely dictated the design of the brief in consonance with statutory requirements for town planning approval.

2.0  THE PROJECT BRIEF

  The design brief seeks to attain the following. Thus:

2.1.  A commercial & entertainment, self-funding and viable project for the Cooperative.

2.2.  A facility that addresses the immediate and future intention of the cooperative as briefed

2.3.  A flexible sporting facility to accommodate both indoor and outdoor sporting activity on a medium scale.

2.4.   A facility capable of hosting a medium size congregation of up to 200-people at social events

2.5.  A prestigious shopping and entertainment facility for funds generation to operate and maintain the entire facility.

2.6.  An edifice that meets all statutory planning requirement, and depicted as “Sporting Edifice” as designated in the regional planning of the locality.

2.7  An energy friendly facility with minimal running/maintenance cost.

2.8  An aesthetically appreciable facility of recognition, and associable with the highly recognised brand – Seplat

3.0.  THE DESIGN CONCEPT

The concept adopted for the proposed development recognises the statutory designation of the proposed site for sporting facility. Therefore, the concept adopted, aimed to reflect same; in planning and visible external features of the proposed development. The sporting arena, therefore formed the hub of the entire planning, like the bicycle spoke, about which other facility revolves.

4.0  URBAN PLANNING PRINCIPLES

The project is particularly planned for the 3,519 sqm corner shaped piece of land, and bounded on two side by its access roads.  Its site planning and concept therefore recognised the need for access and exits from the two adjoining roads. The project is further planned as a community facility for the locality, by virtue of the plot size, shape, road access and location.

Generally, traditional concept of space organization based on hierarchy, security and celebration of dominant and public spaces was adopted in the conception of the edifice for the project site.

5.0   THE BUILDING, FLOOR PLANS AND OUTLOOKS

The resultant analysis of the proposed site largely dictated the building U-shape, with the sporting arena forming the nucleus of the entire facility. The sporting arena is a medium sized area of 540sqm pitch, and equipped with a central electronic viewing screen at the line of the buildings bi-lateral symmetry.  The sport arena also prides a  200-seater galleried spectators seating arrangement smartly locked  on the ground floor in a stadia-like arrangement. The pitch is the standard 5-aside football pitch, and flexible for the multiple arrangement of other outdoor and indoor sporting activities – Basketball, Badminton, squash, lawn and table tennis etc. See drawings on options of combined and flexible arrangements of the standard pitch. Also see the option of indoor squash facility.

Designated on ground, first and second floors respectively, the sporting block parades the array of  medium and large shops around the central sporting facilities. The central pitch also has the option of either being open to the sky or covered.

Aside the parade of visible glass façade shops on each floor of the edifice, the building also feature well designated service/central cores that accommodates the main and escape staircases, lifts and electrical collection points as prescribed by building codes and regulations.

The general external physiognomy of the edifice is sport symbolic, both in its form, function and façade.

The building is self-expressive, and convey the dominance of the intended use, howbeit also commercial. It is simple, services detailed, entertaining and also corporately post-modern and aggressive.

6.0  GENERAL BUILDING SERVICES

General building services of water, mechanical and electrical services, sewage disposal, air-conditioning, fire control, burglary control and general security, communication lines etc are all viewed and incorporated in the conception of the sporting block. Deliberate duct for these services are all smartly incorporated in the planning of the floors and the site.

7.0   STRUCTURAL PRINCIPLES

The entire facility is designed in simple columns and beams rigidly held together on a purpose designed grid system, and also in line with the demarcation of spaces accommodated. The concrete cover over the L-shaped walkway on the ground floor is held in space by way of overhang concrete beams, while the structural support for the optional manual or electric fibre roof cover over the sporting arena is supported by purpose designed cantilever beams to receive tubular  lattice  or geodesic  steel trusses to structural engineers details.

8.0  MATERIAL USAGE AND

CONSTRUCTION METHODOLOGY

Materials for construction are reinforced concrete, sandcrete blocks of varying sizes, panel walls and glass. Tubular steel trusses are applicable to the fibre cover of the pitch, and also the football dome at the roof level, and expressed as a focal symbol of the edifice. The specification for surfaces is paints and stone walls. Lush natural grass is specified for greenery on landscape, asphalt for driveways and taped artificial grass for the sporting/events pitch. Walkways shall be in marble stone, and shop floors in vitrified tiles.

9.0  CONCLUSION

The Sporting / commercial edifice is a presentation of a realistic pursuit aimed at evolving a cost effective, viable, timely and responsive development to meet requirements beyond the need of Seplat Cooperative. It is also seen as functional and facility requirement for the neighbourhood in terms of facility offer.

Project Cost: $1.3m

Project Status: Schematics Drawings Completed

Practice Engagement: Architects, Engineers, Quantity Surveyors and Project Managers.