Bespoke picnic benches for Birmingham City Council

In this example of Machan Engineering solutions, we look at how Machan Engineering works with councils on specialist regeneration projects in estates, with specialist considerations given to ease of use for disabled people.

The Castle Vale area, north east of Birmingham city centre, has been the subject of major regeneration initiatives from the early 1990s onwards. The area has gone from being held up as an example of a failed post-war overspill estate to, currently, a showcase of successful community-led improvement.

Farnborough Fields, Birmingham

The Farnborough Fields community play space and picnic area in Castle Vale is managed and maintained by Birmingham City Council, and needed new picnic seating. These were to be pleasing to the eye and comfortable to sit on. As the area is used by people of all ages and abilities, there was also the need to make sure that the benches met accessibility requirements.

Machan Engineering was called in to design and manufacture bespoke picnic benches for Farnborough Fields. The company consulted closely with the client, who had specific preferences when it came to the choice of material, finishes, sizes, optional features and colours

It was decided to make three of the picnic benches with only three seats, to ensure ease of access for wheelchair users. Another feature was also added to help comply with DDA guidelines and make the seats more pleasant to use for older people: an extra thick powder coating with minimal thermal conductivity was used, giving the seats a ‘warm-to-the-touch’ quality compared to when a regular powder coating is used.

Bespoke stainless steel picnic benches with green extra thick ‘warm-to-the-touch’ powder coating and space for disabled access.

 

A neutral, light moss green colour was used to make sure the picnic benches blended in well with their environment.

The client received bespoke picnic benches that are suitable for all age groups and levels of ability. The benches were produced cost-effectively and within budget.

For more information about Machan Engineering 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.