Topping out ceremony at Hope Street celebrates milestone of landmark project

Construction and fit-out specialists, Chisholm & Winch, have reached a key milestone at the ground-breaking project, Hope Street, celebrating the topping out ceremony on 18 October 2022.

The unique project for client, One Small Thing – a charity that supports women affected by the justice system – will provide a positive and healing environment for women and their children to rebuild their lives with peer support.

Located in the Southampton Conservation Area, Hope Street combines residential accommodation with a creche and community hub building including a cafe; where residents can mingle, gain access to support and workplace skills and take part in therapies and wellbeing activities.

As main contractor on the project, Chisholm & Winch has been pivotal to the project from the design stages, working closely and collaboratively with architects Snug, subcontractors, Harris Bugg Studio, as well as client, One Small Thing.

The Chisholm & Winch team has now completed the final stages of the roof area over the main Hub, by installing a cold applied liquid waterproofing solution from Bauder, as well as completing the 42 sq. m zinc roof over the Hub building.

Oriel frameless box windows are now in place, enhancing the centre’s trauma-informed approach to design which has focussed on introducing lots of natural light, the use of tactile materials and creating a connection to the outdoors. The windows have also added improved thermal efficiency to the building as a sustainable glazing solution.

The team has also installed the floor deck within the Hub and completed the plastering of the walls. The final floor finishes within the residential apartments are also complete.

Hope Street is on target to meet the top BREEAM rating of ‘Outstanding’, thanks to its excellent levels of thermal insulation, air source heat pump heat supply, natural daylighting and reduction of the embodied energy of the fabric through a cross laminated timber frame.

In attendance at the topping out celebration were members of the Chisholm & Winch project team, as well as Snug Architects and attendees from One Small Thing: Chief Executive, Claire Hubberstey, and the charity’s Chair and Founder, Lady Edwina Grosvenor.

Commenting on the topping out, Stuart Honey, Project Manager at Chisholm & Winch, said: “This is a really important stage of the project as we have installed the main roof and windows of the building and have completed the first stages of fit-out inside the apartments and Hub building.

“The scaffolding has now been removed from the main residential area as we approach the final phase on site. This is such a special and impactful project to be involved in, we’re all proud of how it’s coming together and we are really looking forward to handing it over.”

Claire Hubbertsey, Chief Executive of One Small Thing, commented:

“Women who are in prison are some of the most disadvantaged in our society, many having had long histories of trauma. The majority are on short sentences for non-violent crimes. In this time, women can lose their children, their homes, their jobs, and much more.

“The conception, evolution and development of Hope Street has been at the cutting edge of innovation in re-imagining how women interact with the justice system so that their lives, and the lives of their children, are no longer torn apart and can instead be positively impacted.

“The underpinning principle of working with Chisholm & Winch is about harnessing that common ambition to re-imagine the justice system. I am delighted that this topping out ceremony marks a significant milestone in the journey towards the completion of a pioneering residential community that will transform lives.”