Entertainment building construction work

Tender description

In summary the refurbishment and extension works comprise the following: 1. additional creative leadership space, 2. a new, more flexible media production suite, 3. a reconfigured ground floor, creating a brighter, more open and welcoming public space with a new bar and café with flexible space for the local community to meet, 4. upgraded technical infrastructure throughout the building with high end digital provision improving the production and audience experience, 5. improved flexibility of the performance spaces, with better accommodation for a range of production styles, 6. new office accommodation creating opportunities for increased community activity and hireable space, 7. improved sound-proofing across the entire building allowing greater flexibility of use and simultaneous programming, 8. new environmental sustainability measures to ensure that Contact continues to operate to the latest level and standards, 9. improved external visibility and a more welcoming appr. Contact provides local, national and international life changing opportunities for the next generation of creative leaders, artists and audiences. Contact is located in the heart of Manchester's Oxford Road corridor between Manchester museum and the Whitworth. Contact's highly distinctive existing structure, designed by Alan Short and Associates and completed in 1999 was an amalgamation of new build with the original 1960's University Theatre and is naturally ventilated. In July 2014, Contact secured the Stage One development grant from Arts Council England which enabled Contact to carry out detailed design work, prior to submitting a Stage Two application in December. Planning permission was secured in January 2016. The project has been developed so far with input from a wide variety of people from within and outside Contact. In particular it has benefited from the active engagement from young people from the very first consultation stages including the establishment of the Con:Struct and Contact Young Advocates groups formed specifically to represent their views and needs and assist with the capital process and partnerships fundraising. As ideas and funding bids have been developed for this project they have also been actively involved in advocating for the project's support. The design aims as set out are all to be developed within Contact's project vision and are all intended to meet their four interlinked project criteria: 1. Increasing opportunities for Young People, 2. Strengthening Economic Sustainability, 3. Strengthening Environmental Sustainability, 4. Improving Accessibility. The new proposals shall sit respectfully alongside the distinctive 1990's building whilst providing an eye catching addition to the south facing elevation; this will make the building and the activities that take place inside it much more visible from Oxford Road. In summary the refurbishment and extension works comprise the following: 1. additional creative leadership space, 2. a new, more flexible media production suite, 3. a reconfigured ground floor, creating a brighter, more open and welcoming public space with a new bar and café with flexible space for the local community to meet, 4. upgraded technical infrastructure throughout the building with high end digital provision improving the production and audience experience, 5. improved flexibility of the performance spaces, with better accommodation for a range of production styles,, 6. new office accommodation creating opportunities for increased community activity and hireable space, 7. improved sound-proofing across the entire building allowing greater flexibility of use and simultaneous programming, 8. new environmental sustainability measures to ensure that Contact continues to operate to the latest level and standards, 9. improved external visibility and a more welcoming approach to the theatre, 10. re-modelling of the existing accommodation and creating 300 m2 of additional space.