A showstopping monolith has landed on London’s
Greenwich Peninsula. As in Stanley Kubrick’s 1968 epic sci-fi film,
2001: A Space Odyssey, it
heralds pivotal progress. It’s the Optic
Cloak, the 49-metre architectural flue stack of the new Low
Carbon District Energy Centre, the largest residential new-build
district heating system in Europe.
It’s also fitting that a Stannah
Piccolo lift stars in this sustainable and affordable energy
flagship.
Why? Because the Piccolo is supplied in its own
enclosure and represents progress – the evolution of lifts from
primitive, limited, manual contraptions to sophisticated, flexible
feats of electronic engineering. In this case, the Piccolo helps
welcome people of all mobilities to a facility that demonstrates how
district heating operates and how it benefits the wider community.
The Piccolo was specified by main contractor,
Kier. Stannah has worked with Kier on numerous projects in a variety
of market sectors, an ongoing alliance that reflects Kier’s
confidence in Stannah’s range of lift products; with the
new-to-market Piccolo attracting attention for its low-cost, flexible
solution to democratic access in constricted locations.
The Low Carbon District Energy Centre has involved
a multitude of organisations, including the Local
Authority and Greater London
Authority; architects: C.F.
Møller; developer: Knight
Dragon; main contractor: Kier
Group; British artist: Conrad
Shawcross, and Pinnacle
Power, the energy network providers responsible for the Centre’s
design, delivery, operation, maintenance and customer service, and
delivery of a fully managed and operational system network on the
Greenwich Peninsula.
In this case, the Piccolo empowers people of
compromised mobility to access the Visitor Centre, an interactive
educational suite (to be completed) ranged over the entrance hall and
first-floor gallery/ balcony. From bag-laden buggy-pushers to
wheelchair-users, the lift carries up to five people (400kg), easily
and safely. It also fits where other passenger lifts can’t – a
bright star of small space.
A goodlooking lift, it complements its
monochromatic environment, with a grey vinyl skin plate finish,
handrail, silver half-height mirror, black stud flooring, and
intercom – just in case help is needed.
Not only does this hydraulic, wall-mounted lift
fall under the Machinery Directive, it also ensures that the Centre’s
owners meet the requirements of the Equality
Act 2010.
As with all Stannah lift products, the Piccolo is
covered by Stannah’s comprehensive lift servicing plan, with two
service visits in the first year and continued lift maintenance by
the London
and the South East (Dartford) branch of Stannah
Lift Services, part of a nationwide network providing
comprehensive lift servicing and support.
