RLF Arts and Heritage Capability

Arts & Heritage

About RLF
Our Values
Established in 1885, Robinson Low Francis has seen
so many changes in its 134-year history.
Today, RLF is an independently owned Partnership, 130 strong, working
across 5 UK offices. We offer an array of services to both private and
public-sector clients across the whole built environment.
We have an extensive track record in Cost Management, Project
Management, Health & Safety, Construction Management and Building
Surveying. Our expertise covers a portfolio of sectors including
Residential, Build to Rent, Commercial Development, Education, Sports &
Leisure, Science & Technology, Care, Industrial, Arts & Heritage and
Mixed-use developments.
At any one time, we are involved in over £2 billion worth of construction
and consultancy projects.
At RLF, we continue to grow from strength to strength across all our
offices, we embrace change and look forward to the next 100 years in an
ever-evolving construction industry.
One
Firm
We work in partnership
and see strength in our
interdependencies.
We put the firm first,
knowing that in the
long term this will
benefit us at a local level.
Pursue
Excellence
We strive to be better in
everything we do, always
looking to deliver at the
highest level.
performance and development of ourselves, our offices
and our teams. Read more
Accountable
We are accountable for our actions. We take
responsibility for the performance and development of
ourselves, our offices and our teams.
Ever
Evolving
We change, adapt and
transition with the times
to ensure we move
forward with the world
around us.
Fun
Our office environment
should be fun and
inspiring. Work should
be enjoyable and
delivered with passion.
Open & Communicative
Sharing information, learning and engaging with people internally and externally
is key to our success.

David Welch Winter Gardens,
Aberdeen
Museum & Visitors Centre
of Scouting, Gilwell Park
Client Name:
RLF Role:
Aberdeen City Council
Cost Manager
The project involved the phased re-glazing and structural
replacement/repairs to the existing Winter Gardens structures.
The works had to be carried out in an extremely careful
manner to avoid causing damage to the flowers, shrubs and
plants contained within the Winter Gardens Houses.
Client Name:
RLF Roles:
Atelier One / Scout Association
Cost Manager, Principal Designer
& Project Manager
The 17,200 ft² visitor’s centre located within Gilwell Park and will
provide accommodation, exhibition space, a climate-controlled
archive, a cafe and shop.
The focal point of the centre will be the 160 ft² tall ‘Big Tent’
canopy creating a central gathering space, made up of brightlycoloured
coated polyester panels symbolising a Scout neckerchief
representing the colours of the various troops worldwide.

Severn Valley Railway Station,
Bridgnorth
Volks Railway,
Brighton
Client Name:
RLF Role:
Severn Valley Railway
Cost Manager
Client Name: Brighton & Hove County Council
RLF Role: Cost Manager
The redevelopment of the Severn Valley Railway, comprising of a new
Refreshment Room and toilet facility, which provide a classic example
of twentieth century Great Western style architecture.
The new toilets have replaced the existing facilities and the interior of
the building has now been fully fitted out with essential items.
The finished building is a fine recreation of a 1910 station building
extension with the highest attention.
Comprising of two sites, seeing the demolition of an existing station
building and construction of a new station, visitor centre, and
conservation workshop with viewing gallery. The scheme comprised
of three prefabricated SIPs units, manufactured offsite and craned
into position; with the addition of a sidings for carriage storage, a
restoration area, a track line and a viewing gallery/visitor hub. The
external façade was a steel frame with rainscreen cladding panels on
metsec.

Novium Museum & Tourist
Information Centre, Chichester
Helensburgh CHORD,
Scotland
Client Name:
RLF Role:
Chichester District Council
Cost Manager
Client Name: Argyll & Bute Council
RLF Role: Cost Manager
The 11,840 ft² museum is constructed on an existing city
centre car park site, which was an original Roman Bath House
discovered and excavated in early 1970. The construction
of the two galleries on the first and second floors feature an
education room, study spaces, exhibit storage work spaces
and a shop area at ground floor level. RLF originally worked
on this with Keith Williams Architects in 2010.
Award-winning regeneration of the town and esplanade to
provide leisure strolling, with event points along the shore,
performance space, children’s play area, landscaped garden
and an outdoor museum.
The scheme won a RIAS Award, Scottish Design Award, Saltire
Arts in Public Places Award and was shortlisted for four other
awards in its category.

The Wilson,
Cheltenham
Hove Plinth,
Hove
Client Name:
RLF Roles:
The Wilson Art Gallery & Museum
Cost Manager & Building Surveyor
Client Name:
RLF Role:
Hove Civic Society
Project Manager
First class display areas were provided within an
environmentally controlled gallery space that enabled the
museum to expand on their varied range of exhibits.
A visitor information centre was also constructed to entice the
public into the museum.
The development of a new sculpture plinth featuring on
Hove’s promenade. The plinth features different sculptures,
rotating every 12-18 months.
The Hove Plinth project was undertaken as part of RLF’s
Corporate Social Responsibility on behalf of the Hove Civic
Society, a local charity in Hove.

The Keep,
Brighton
Provost Skene’s House,
Aberdeen
Client Name: East Sussex County Council
RLF Role: Cost Manager
Client Name:
RLF Role:
Aberdeen City Council
Cost Manager
RLF were involved in advancing the cost plan, selecting the
design and build contractor using the IESE framework, and
updating costs plans. Her Majesty The Queen officially opened
the building.
Works to the oldest house in Aberdeen, which is Grade A
Listed, will comprise some essential repairs and alterations to
form an exhibition space.
This project was shortlisted at the ‘2015 RICS Awards in the
Community Benefit and Regeneration’ category.

Marlborough Fine Art,
London
BA i360 Landscaping Works,
Brighton
Client Name:
RLF Roles:
Marlborough Fine Arts Ltd
Cost Manager, Building Surveyor
& Project Manager
Client Name:
RLF Roles:
Brighton Hove & City Council
Cost Manager, Project Manager
& Health & Safety
Complete refurbishment of a six-storey building, to create a
new contemporary gallery, office accommodation for gallery
staff and high quality commercial office space on the top two
floors for rental.
Works involved the removal of the existing roof to facilitate
the addition of a new mansard floor.
Public realm landscaping works to the East and West side of the
BA i360. The west area provides an event space and seating to
complement the restored arches that provide business premises for
independent retailers and food outlets. The east side landscaping
honours the historical heritage of the former West Pier with 24
cast-iron columns salvaged from the ruin, positioned in a spiral to
reflect the Golden Ratio.

Our Services
Cost
Management
Project
Management
Health
& Safety
Cost certainty is crucial to project
success. Independent, informed
advice is required to establish the
right budget, select an appropriate
procurement route and then to
rigorously control costs through
delivery.
Cost management is at the heart of
RLF’s business; our team is highly
experienced, commercially astute
and enviably well-connected.
They can provide clear advice and
management on both local values,
costs and market, and on national
benchmarks, from project inception
through to the final account.
As costs rise and industry capacity
tightens in an improving market,
project managers must take the
time to really understand client and
project objectives and then use their
experience, connections, commercial
insight and leadership skills to bring
them to fruition.
RLF’s project managers are well
qualified and richly experienced; all
worked in construction, engineering,
design or surveying before pursuing
their project management career.
We are able to offer the benefits of
independent project management
or a broader choice of services where
the efficiencies and simplicity this
brings are important.
Health & safety matters present
substantial risks to businesses and
construction projects, so having the
right advisor to guide you through
the plethora of regulations and
legislation is essential for both legal
compliance and risk management.
RLF’s health & safety team provide
a full range of construction-based
health & safety services. Our
consultants develop a bespoke
approach which balances detailed
knowledge of requirements with
the pragmatism that comes
with experience.
Building
Surveying
Construction
Management
Bank & Fund
Monitoring
When making decisions relating to
property investment, development
or maintenance, comprehensive and
accurate supporting information
is essential.
RLF’s team of building surveyors
operate across the UK and provide
a broad range of investigative and
advisory services to property owners,
occupiers, investors and developers.
These services include advice on
party walls and other neighbourly
matters, dilapidations, turnkey
delivery, planned maintenance,
surveys and due diligence.
Clients who are looking for greater
flexibility and control over programme
efficiency, quality and construction
risks, may consider a consultancy
approach to a directly managed
construction delivery through
Construction Management. This
requires the whole team to actively
‘manage’ the risks associated with the
construction process (that are retained
by the client) to maximise flexibility,
adaptability and opportunity for the
benefit of the client.
RLF can support this delivery either
through strategic consultancy, direct
structuring of a construction
management delivery team or
provision of construction consultancy
professionals to enhance a client’s
own in-house delivery capability.
Development is fraught with risk,
so lenders want to make sure
they invest wisely and that their
investments are protected. RLF
have a nationwide team which
provides monitoring services to
banks and other investors to assist
in the reduction of these risks.
With a dedicated team and
a network of regional offices
we take a personal approach,
forming strong relationships with
lenders and their borrowers and
developing a deep understanding
of their requirements..
Offices: Birmingham / Brighton / Glasgow / London / Stevenage
www.rlf.co.uk