Denny High School, Denny

This was a great project to be involved in – right on our doorstep!

Denny High School has a roll of 1600 pupils and 170 staff and includes facilities for local community use. The project was completed in 2009 and the main clients were Falkirk Council and Stirling Gateway Ltd.

Tree grilles and tree protection at Denny High School

We were asked to manufacture tree protection and cycle parking hoops by the main contractor Ogilvie Construction . The architect for Denny High School was JM Architects.

Steel cycle hoops outside the main entrance to Denny High School

For more information about Machan Engineering products and services please visit www.machanengineering.com or give us a call on (+44) 01324 824309 to see how we can help you with your project.

Sneinton Market Square regeneration project, Nottingham

This was a fantastic project to be involved for Machan Engineering.

The Sneinton Market & Eastside Gateway Neighbourhood Development Plan, produced by Gehl Architects in July 2008 identified the Sneinton Market Square area as forming the “bridge” between the communities of St Anns and Sneinton to the east, and the City Centre.

Artisits impression based on feasibility design

The vision saw the development of a new square as forming the heart of the area and creating a new sense of place, acting as a catalyst for the wider regeneration of the area.

Working with the City Council, Nottingham Regeneration Ltd. secured funding from the East Midlands Development Agency and the European Regional Development Fund to deliver a £6.8million scheme of public realm and connectivity improvements including the creation of a new public square adjoining the new Victoria Leisure Centre. This space will be used for markets and special events and create a new civic space at the heart of Sneinton Market.

The redevelopment of Sneinton Market was to create a fantastic new public space that would be a venue for events, markets, gatherings, performances, festivals and community use. Local residents and visitors alike would be able to enjoy the new square.

Patel Taylor architects developed the design for the new square.

Machan Engineering was contacted to produce bespoke arm rests and backs for granite seats as well as bespoke stainless steel tree grilles and tree guards that would compliment the mainly granite landscape design.

Sneinton Market Square project image taken from pateltaylor.co.uk showing Machan tree protection products in foreground

Sneinton Market Square project image taken from pateltaylor.co.uk showing stainless steel armrests on polished granite seat bases

Part of this regeneration project was a commission called ‘Orchard‘, which opened in December 2011 with the planting of apple trees in the new square. The trees were intended for communal use and celebrated the market’s long history as a centre for food production and distribution.

Working with Nottingham City Council and Patel Taylor architects the Contemporary Art Society appointed Neville Gabie as lead artist on the regeneration of Sneinton Market Square, Nottingham. Gabie donated apple trees of 100 different varieties through his Apple Tree Adoption network to local residents, schools and community organisations of Sneinton and St Ann’s in order to create a diverse urban orchard spanning the east side of the city.

Sneinton Market Square is now a beautiful focal point for the local community and visitors. Machan Engineering is greatful to have been involved in such a prestigious project that has involved local people, artists, traders and local government agencies alike and has seen this former pay and display car park turn into something that citizens of Sneinton can be proud of.

Sneinton Market Square project image taken from pateltaylor.co.uk

For more information about Machan Engineering products and services please visit www.machanengineering.com or give us a call on (+44) 01324 824309 to see how we can help you with your project.

Tree grilles and guards for Castle Square regeneration project, Stranraer

In this second blog post, we show how Machan Engineering can work with architects on specialist regeneration projects in historical settings and to tight budgets. And we look at how Machan Engineering can come up with inspired solutions to specifcation problems.

Edinburgh-based architects Smith Scott Mullan Associates received a commission from Dumfries & Galloway Council to transform Stranraer into a marine leisure destination following the closing down of the Stena Line service from the port. Part of the regeneration masterplan was a route that followed the Town Burn (a small stream running through Stranraer), connecting the seafront with Castle Square in the historic town centre.

Castle Square Stranraer, showing tree grilles and guards in finished design

As part of the re-design of the external landscaping in Castle Square, which surrounds the historic Castle of St John in the heart of the town, new tree grilles and tree guards were required. Architect Sarah Barron of Smith Scott Mullan contacted Machan Engineering – a company whose products she had successfully specified on several other occasions.

Given the sensitive historic setting, it was important that the hard landscaping looked just right. Machan initially quoted for stainless steel units, but eventually it was decided that cast iron grilles and guards would be more suitable to the project’s budget. The cast iron was painted black, making it blend in with the look of the Castle and the Square.

When the time came to install the tree grilles, it transpired that too small a gap had been left for them in the freshly laid stone paving. Rather than having to go to the expensive step of manufacturing smaller grilles, Machan came up with an inspired solution: the outside flat bars of the grilles’ support frames were removed to make their footprint smaller, and the frames were instead strengthened using supports and tags that would be invisible when installed. The re-engineered grilles fitted beautifully into their allotted spaces.

Dumfries & Galloway Council received robust, well-made products that came within their budget.

Detail of the artwork ‘Greywacke’, which comprises a low wall that rises into a boulder outcrop, with tree grilles in background

Smith Scott Mullan won the Scottish Design Award for Public Realm & Landscaping (2012) for the Castle Square project. In 2011, the project also won the Saltire Society Arts and Crafts in Architecture Awards – the first time in four years that the full award had been given.