Merchant Gate MSCP Wakefield, 2009

This large 1400 space multi-storey car park was developed by English Cities Fund as part of phase one of the Merchant Gate development in Wakefield.

Whilst at careyjones architects Simon designed the new multi-storey to replace the former surface car park that covered much of this City Centre site. The brief called for a single car park building that provided 900 spaces for railway users, plus future development parking together with additional public short stay.

The MSCP is located to the side of the main East Coast Mainline with car access/egress directly off the new 'Emerald Ring' highway that forms part of the overall scheme. The location was chosen to facilitate the building of a new rail station which is planned immediately to the North of the car park with direct passenger links from the main lift/stair core.

Employing a twisted deck solution, to maximises efficiency whilst providing easy circulation there is also a short cut to access the upper levels, particularly important in this multi usage car park.

Architecturally the car park was conceived to express movement with reference to trains in the choice of panel colours. A random pattern of varying panel sizes utilising shades of graphite grey and an accent cadmium yellow are arrayed across the main facade from first floor level. Interwoven into the panel layout are openings which provide the required natural ventilation to the car park. The panels are carried beyond the plan form and terminated in a serrated slash, to further emphasise movement. The ground floor and gables are treated in an anodised expanded mesh, in order to help reduce the apparent mass of the whole, whilst visually floating the primary elevational treatment.

The final structural solution employed a galvanised steel frame with pre-cast concrete floor units. The whole formed a very cost effective solution which was critical to enable the overall development to progress.