Bowman case study

The BOWMAN centre demonstrates the way in which innovative solutions, based on sound facilities design and management principles, can have striking and measurable benefits on the way organisations can function. There is a temptation to see such thinking based primarily in the private sector, but as the BOWMAN Centre shows, innovative thinking in the public sector is alive and well.

The BOWMAN centres in Bicester, Oxfordshire and Pirbright, Surrey, are new facilities developed by Westland Helicopters for the training of the armed forces in new wireless technology. The Ministry of Defence, in conjunction with both Agusta Westland and General Dynamics, identified the need for a training facility that could make the best use of technology to provide a tool for the development of armed forces' personnel. Most important was a move away from a traditional, desk-based learning environment to one that promoted interaction between trainers and trainees and the application of technology to replicate real-life situations. This is particularly important given the logistical and financial constraints on the use of simulators, which have been the traditional means of emulating real-life scenarios.

One of the other main requirements was to develop an extensive facility for large numbers of people. The centre needed to incorporate twelve classrooms for up to twenty people in each, so the environment also had to feature a large number of public spaces, meeting rooms, break-out areas and a reception.