Challenge

The objective was the realisation of a value-engineered drainage scheme that could harmonise with the varied and sensitive visual environments around the refurbished Royal Shakespeare Theatre.

The challenge

  1. Provide a versatile system that can be adapted to widely differing landscaped settings.

  2. Be capable of safe operation under heavy pedestrian, cycle and vehicle loadings.

  3. Have sufficient attenuating volume to eliminate risk of prolonged standing water.

Solution

Managing surface water across the £127m redevelopment of Stratford-upon-Avon’s waterfront - including the Royal Shakespeare Theatre - is an integrated drainage scheme using ACO Water Management’s MultiDrain™ MD.

As part of the ‘World Class Stratford’ project a new traffic management scheme was introduced across the streets and public areas around the theatre. Aiming to improve provision for pedestrians, footpaths ere widened and new traffic calming measures introduced. In Theatre Square the roadway has been raised to footpath level to improve disabled and pushchair access and the area re-laid with granite paving to harmonise the visual appearance with that of the theatre’s façade.

980m of MultiDrain MD was installed on the Stratford project: 300m of M150D and 680m of M100D. To complement the heritage appearance of the street cast iron gratings were fitted to all the channels installed within the roadways.

In Theatre Square plaza and along the pavements MultiDrain MD channels were fitted with stainless steel heelsafe Brickslot gratings. At 10mm wide, the brickslot grating inlets are virtually invisible when installed, blending perfectly with the new granite slabs.

Outcome

Both performance and aesthetic requirements in the defined trafficked areas have been met by using two widths of ACO MultiDrain channel configured with an appropriate inlet grating. Runs situated in the roadways carry full-width cast iron gratings while narrow Brickslot gratings provide a safe, near invisible installation in pedestrianised areas. Says Ashley Tolley: “Being able to install just one drainage system with the capacity and flexibility to meet all the different loading and surface finish requirements meant that our teams could work to maximum efficiency and keep within the timeframe for each phase. For the adopting authority, Warwickshire County Council, the benefits of using a single system are also considerable as not only is a consistent, high quality finish guaranteed but ongoing maintenance costs are kept to an absolute minimum.”