Tally Ho Command Centre, Birmingham

Duration

39 weeks

Value

£1.6m

Location

Birmingham 

Sector

Blue Light

Interclass was commissioned by the West Midlands Police Authority to deliver its main Silver/Gold Command Centre for the coordination and control of major national incidents or events.

Due to the sensitive nature of the facility, the 690m² building was considered to be a potential target for terrorism and therefore had to be designed accordingly. The buildings orientation was such that the most vulnerable areas were furthest away from the nearby road and designed to overcome the potential threat of overlooking.

The building is gently dug into the site with the removed soil forming a tree lined landscaped bund around the building, again to reduce the visual impact and public presence on the road frontage.

Further design constraints were imposed on the building in that it was located within the Calthorpe Estate and surrounded by conservation areas.

Internally, the main Event Room is timber lined in birch faced acoustic panels and designed to be welcoming and calming in response to the extreme pressure the occupants may be under during their coordination of external events.

Externally, two elevations are tile clad with one elevation almost fully glazed.  The green roof is seeded with a mixture of wild grasses to help immerse the building into its green field setting.

The project was delivered to BREEEAM Excellent Standard and was the Winner of the Built in Quality award.

Testimonial

"This project was a great opportunity for Interclass to work with the blue light services and showcase our ability to deliver a quality finished product with an eye-catching design that you would not normally associated with a police operated facility."
David Jones
Managing Director - Interclass