Nottingham Railway Station named ‘Nottingham Hub Station’ is a Grade 2 listed complex, currently undergoing a significant redevelopment with a value of £18.5m. MBH PLC’s Hathern Terra Cotta brand is particularly proud to play its part, bringing a new lease of life to this remarkable architectural landmark.
Geoff Hollis, General Manager of Hathern Terra Cotta is extremely passionate about this project stating, “it is fair to say that the match between the existing and new is truly excellent. This is all down to our dedicated team of true craftsmen, individually producing over 350 bespoke terracotta and faïence blocks for the Railway Station.”
Pascall + Watson are the architects responsible for delivering this redevelopment scheme which lies in the heart of the city centre and retains its historic frontage. With an unrivalled reputation for expertise in transportation projects and as current market leaders in airport terminal design, the clients Network Rail and Nottingham City Council could rest assured; this project was in safe hands. Working alongside the architects for this phase were contractors Taylor Woodrow, Vinci Construction and specialist installation contractor Beech Restoration.
Improve passenger experience and boost local economy
The station had been badly maintained over many years and was suffering from poor passenger experience. The architect’s intervention for passenger circulation includes ‘Porte-Cochère,’ a 100m long front entrance, designed to enclose the existing station buildings and introduce a new passenger concourse with improved spatial experience. The highly decorated North and South Corridors which originally formed the processional entry routes into the station have also been reinstated after years of dis-use, hidden by previous historical developments. Work carried out is part of an ongoing £60 million redevelopment of the station which will include a new 950-space multi-storey car park and highway improvements to Queen’s Road set to be complete by November 2014. Its long-term ambition is to make train travel more appealing with the addition of 8,300 sq ft of new retail space and the realisation of a state-of-the-art public transport interchange. This gateway into Nottingham will allow trains to connect with trams, cars, buses, taxis, and bikes whilst improving disability access, for over seven million passengers using the station each year.
In an announcement about Nottingham Hub, Transport Minister Norman Baker said, “A modern railway station with excellent customer facilities can speak volumes about a town or city. Not only will passengers find the station more pleasant, the redevelopment will enhance accessibility and help kick-start regeneration in the area, bringing a welcome boost to the local economy.”
New terracotta arch giving access to the South Concourse from the Porte-Cochère.
Hathern Terra Cotta’s work was completed in March of this year and has added to the company’s reputation for excellent attention to detail and great customer service. Nottingham Railway Station specification involved two shades of red terracotta, requiring a complex and subtle blending process. Also included are a variety of green and brown glazed faïence blocks which can be seen at the Porte-Cochère, Booking Hall and Retail Units. MBH PLC is proud of its contribution, bringing a new lease of life to this architectural precedent which hopes to transform passenger experience but more importantly is built to last for generations to come.
