OSS Starbucks Derby
Challenge
The new Starbucks drive-thru store in Normanton, Derby forms part of the impressive new College Park retail complex. It is situated next to a large Aldi supermarket on one side and has a range of traditional shops on the other.
Working with the developer, Burney Group, Starbucks specified our modular construction solution for this project because they required the restaurant to open on an extremely short lead time. The store was expected to be trading as soon as possible in order to start delivering the projected return on investment.
The design of the restaurant had to take into account a requirement from planners to ‘open up the site and revitalise the visual character of the surrounding area’.
Our brief from Starbucks was for a contemporary design, using materials in keeping with the other retail stores on the park. It was felt that this would offer a modern contrast to the traditional shops on the opposite side of the road.
Minimising environmental impact and avoiding disruption on this constrained site – close to other retail outlets - were other key requirements set out by Starbucks at the very start of the project.
The solution
Our response to the brief was based on the Seismic platform because we know this approach is much faster and achieves a significant improvement in value compared to traditional construction techniques; an essential part of handing over the restaurant on a very short lead time.
Other features included high levels of insulation, and ceiling, floor and wall tiles made using recycled materials. The kitchen also incorporates a heat exchange that feeds into the dining area.
The lightweight structure of our modules minimised the need for carbon intensive foundations, which were completed at the same time as the modules, again saving time on the construction programme.
Our offsite factory in East Yorkshire completed around 80% of the Seismic modules before they were transported to site, minimising waste and maximising quality control, efficiency and speed of construction.
The modules were weather tight in just two days, meaning that onsite work could commence internally and externally at the same time, and well within schedule.
The restaurant is designed to allow relocation, reconfiguration or recycling, depending on Starbucks’ future requirements. All Algeco offsite modules are designed to have a have a 60 year structural design life.
As part of our sustainable approach, we utilise responsibly sourced and recycled materials on all our customer projects. The modules are constructed using a steel-framed system, a highly recyclable material sourced from a UK supplier with certified Environmental Policy Declarations. External cladding is made from larch, a sustainable timber.
Results
Starbucks in Derby sets a new benchmark for just how quickly we can complete turnkey leisure and retail projects. It was an astonishing accomplishment for our offsite team to hand over the Starbucks restaurant in just 6 weeks from start to finish, with the shell completed in just 2 weeks.
Handing over the restaurant in a matter of weeks meant that it started generating income much quicker than an on-site build, helping to achieve a faster return on investment.
Our offsite solution also meant fewer deliveries to site, with the modules being positioned out of retail hours, whilst completing the building shell in 2 weeks avoided disruption to the local area and unsightly building works.
The official opening took place at the end of June and the restaurant is now helping boost the local economy by creating employment as well as enhancing the build quality of the local area.
Following completion of the restaurant, multiple orders have been received from this customer and our modular approach has been incorporated as a standard design for Starbucks moving forward.
What is significant about the project in Derby is that we worked to Starbucks’ required specification whilst still delivering all the benefits of DfMA and Lean Manufacturing, and, significantly, a bespoke design. By handing over the restaurant in just 2 weeks, Algeco has set a new benchmark for the industry.
Our work at Starbucks in Derby has been shortlisted in the Offsite Awards Leisure Retail Project of the Year 2023. The awards are announced in September.