Manufacturer’s aluminium glazing systems used again at Bournemouth University. Frequent Kawneer specifiers Atkins has used the manufacturer’s architectural aluminium glazing systems again, on a unique building which forms a new £27 million gateway to a leading UK university. Kawneer’s AA®100 zone-drained and capped curtain walling forms triangular screens some 25m
THE STEEL frame of the University of Nottingham’s new £13.5 million Power Electronics; Machines and Control (PEMC) research facility is now in place as Woodhead Group progresses with one of its largest builds to date. After being appointed as the contractor for the new building earlier this year, Woodhead Group
A £100 million technology and R&D business park in South Cambridge has taken a step closer to completion. The first phase of the new Unity Campus in Sawston has been completed, which included the construction of the campus’ largest Grade A business, research and development building, The Works. Housed in
A contractor has signed on to deliver a major project at the Harwell Science, Technology & Innovation Campus. Mace will deliver the Extreme Photonics Applications Centre on the Oxfordshire site with a £81m investment through the R&D-focused Strategic Priorities Fund. The EPAC development is a new purpose-designed building that will
Oxford Brookes University’s Sinclair building has been given a new lease of life courtesy of a £6.25 million refurbishment project. National contractor Stepnell delivered works at the health and life sciences building over a 92-week project. These works aimed to improve the building’s spatial and environmental efficiency and included the
Plans have been put forward for a new flagship library at the University of Bristol’s Clifton campus. The state-of-the-art library will accommodate learning and research space, with capacity for around 2,000 new study seats, approximately 420,000 books and 70,000 journals and new study spaces. There will be exhibition galleries open
A new pioneering engineering building is set to bring an array of cutting-edge facilities to the University of Exeter. National firm Morgan Sindall Construction has completed the development and handed it over to the university ahead of its scheduled opening in May 2020. The building will include VSimulators – a
The University of Birmingham has launched a new suite of frameworks to support its ambitious capital development plans. The new procurement frameworks will allow the University to build longer term relationships with key contractors and consultants who provide construction, design and surveying services. The University has made major investments in
The Grade II* listed Royal College of Surgeons (RCS) headquarters has celebrated a major landmark in its redevelopment, with a topping out ceremony in Lincoln’s Inn Fields, London. Professor Derek Alderson, President of the RCS, was joined by Sir James Wates, chairman of Wates Group, whose construction arm is carrying
Morgan Sindall Construction has been appointed by Derbyshire County Council to deliver a new £5.3 million primary school on Tutbury Avenue in Littleover, Derby. The project has been procured through the Scape Regional Construction framework (RCF). Morgan Sindall Construction will celebrate two years on the framework in February 2020. A
Manufacturer’s aluminium glazing systems used again at Bournemouth University. Frequent Kawneer specifiers Atkins has used the manufacturer’s architectural aluminium glazing systems again, on a unique building which forms a new £27 million gateway to a leading UK university. Kawneer’s AA®100 zone-drained and capped curtain walling forms triangular screens some 25m wide and 15m high for the main atrium at Bournemouth University’s 5,000m2 Poole Gateway Building, while Kawneer’s thermally-superior AA®720 entrance doors were used throughout the building and its AA®190 TB automatic sliding door was used at the campus side entrance lobby. In addition, Kawneer’s AA®541 fixed-light windows were used to create openings within both the rainscreen and masonry facades while thermally-broken AA®543 tilturn windows were used alongside aluminium spandrel panels as insertions to the curtain walling. Kirsty Pesticcio, senior architect at Atkins, said: “The glazed elements have a significant impact on the building and the Kawneer products interfaced really well with the masonry and rainscreen façade. “The triangulated gateway form was very complex in nature so we had to ensure fixings were angled with precision to tie into the structural members. Kawneer-approved installer Leay were engaged early within the design process to ensure the developing design met both our design concept and technical constraints of the products chosen.” The building was targeting a BREEAM “Excellent” score so upper BRE Green Guide ratings for material specification, aligned with budgets, was important. The Poole Gateway building is a state-of-the-art combined technical facility for the university’s faculties of Science and Technology and Media and Communication, the latter of which houses the UK’s only recognised Centre for Excellence in Media Practice. The two-year build by main contractor Willmott Dixon comprises a steel frame, SFS infill and composite concrete decked floors. Although the building is primarily divided by internal stud partitions, there are many technical studio spaces which had to be designed and installed as a ‘room in room’ construction using timber frames. Specialist sub-contractor Leay had a team of up to six on site for three winter months. Leay’s business development manager Mike Watts said: “The main curtain wall screens are essentially large triangles. The transom locations were staggered in design in an attempt to prevent hard lines being established in the overall design. “The transoms were set out by us to keep glass specification the same thickness on the project and also to optimise the material on the project efficiently to keep wastage down and therefore cost. “The project was also designed to limit the amount of intermediate steelwork to make the atrium feel as open plan as possible as well as to dead load the full screen down onto the ground-floor slab. “We proposed the use of Kawneer products on this scheme from the outset as we knew they would represent the best value for money and also achieve the structural requirements of the scheme. Working alongside the architect from an early stage, we were able to quickly assist with mullion sizings to allow setting out to be established and avoid potential clashes at a very early stage.” Atkins’ brief was to deliver a new gateway building on the eastern edge of the university’s Talbot Campus which sits just inside the border between Bournemouth and Poole and would be predominantly used by students from the two faculties, providing a range of high-quality technical facilities to support undergraduate and postgraduate courses as well as research. Kirsty Pesticcio said: “We believe the client is delighted with the overall design and how it meets the original brief of a gateway building to their campus.” NESTA (National Endowment for Science Technology and Art) said: “Almost half of all graduates from specialist VFX [visual effects] courses who gained employment in the industry had graduated from Bournemouth University”. Graduates have worked on Hollywood blockbusters such as Lord of the Rings, Gladiator, Gravity, Star Wars, Madagascar and Interstellar, which won an Oscar in 2015. The Poole Gateway building is one of three at Bournemouth University which feature Kawneer systems. They have also been used on a £40 million new home for the Faculty of Health and Social Sciences. Again designed by Atkins, the Bournemouth Gateway Building features Kawneer’s AA®100 curtain walling with feature face caps on tall atrium screens along with AA®720 window vents and entrance doors and AA®190 TB doors. The Kawneer systems here were installed by fellow Kawneer-approved dealer Aluminium Sashes for main contractor Kier. The Bournemouth Gateway Building is due to open in September 2020. Kawneer systems were also used on the original £22 million BREEAM “Excellent” Fusion building which features Kawneer’s AA®100 zone-drained curtain walling, AA®541 top-hung casement windows, AA®545 low/medium duty swing doors and series 190 doors. These were installed by approved dealer AB Glass for Willmott Dixon to a BDP design.
THE STEEL frame of the University of Nottingham’s new £13.5 million Power Electronics; Machines and Control (PEMC) research facility is now in place as Woodhead Group progresses with one of its largest builds to date. After being appointed as the contractor for the new building earlier this year, Woodhead Group has led construction of the University’s entire Research and Innovation Centre for Power Electronics and Machines, which when completed will be home to the PEMC research group. As the largest-ever contract secured by Woodhead, the research and innovation centre will join a host of their other high-profile collaborations between Woodhead Group and the University, including the BREEAM Excellent rated Ingenuity Lab and the Research Acceleration Demonstration (RAD) building. The two- storey, 60,000 sq ft PEMC research facility, part-funded by Research England’s UK Research Partnership Investment Fund and the Wolfson Foundation, will be located on the University of Nottingham’s Jubilee campus. Once completed in 2020, the PEMC building will provide office and research accommodation for the world-leading Power Electronics, Machine and Control research group which sits within the faculty of engineering at the university. It will host academic offices, three laboratories for high power, power electronics and drives and will also contain open-plan research space, seminar rooms and exhibition spaces. There will also be a workshop and office space for 144 researchers and PhD students, further supporting the University’s dedication to cutting edge innovation. Commenting on the progress of the project, Robert Martindale, Project Manager at Woodhead Group said: “We’re very pleased with the progression of the PEMC site. The site team also applaud the relationship with the University team and their assistance whilst working on this demanding project. “The space is going to create such a great opportunity to grow and expand on some of the world’s leading research and engineering research for the University, and we’re incredibly pleased to be the main contractor working again with the University of Nottingham on such a ground-breaking research facility. “The University and Woodhead Group have developed a great collaborative relationship over the years. We’re dedicated to upholding its world-class reputation as an innovative leader in its field through the transformation of their campus.” Richard Wigginton, Head of Capital Projects at the University of Nottingham said, “We are pleased to see this key milestone has been reached, demonstrating the work towards an important facility that will be home to revolutionary research, helping to shape the future of the UK manufacturing industry.” Paul Ramsbottom, Chief Executive of the Wolfson Foundation said, “It is excellent to hear that the steel frame structure is now in place for the Power Electronics, Machines and Control facility. This is a step closer to the development of this research environment which will address the hugely important area of technological advancements in industry and science, and the decarbonisation of energy”. Working alongside Woodhead Group will be architects Bond Bryan and cost consultants Turner and Townsend. The project is managed by Aecom. To find out more, contact Woodhead Group at woodhead-group.co.uk or join the conversation @WoodheadGroup.
A £100 million technology and R&D business park in South Cambridge has taken a step closer to completion. The first phase of the new Unity Campus in Sawston has been completed, which included the construction of the campus’ largest Grade A business, research and development building, The Works. Housed in a pre-cast concrete frame and designed by world-leading architects, NBBJ, The Works will offer 63,000 square feet of innovative, multi-occupancy offices, R&D and lab facilities. The two-storey accommodation is constructed around a large, double height atrium housing shared breakout, amenity and informal meeting space. It is set in the heart of the South Cambridge Cluster on the former Sawston Trade Park site on London Road. Across the campus, parking space for 670 bikes and 703 vehicles, including disabled spaces, will be provided, alongside a new access road from A1301 and upgraded footpaths and cycle ways linking the estate with Whittlesford Parkway station. When complete, Unity Campus will boost Cambridge’s thriving business sector with 260,000 square foot of high quality, contemporary space to foster collaborative relationships and enable co-innovation. Morgan Sindall Construction is on site to deliver Unity Park on behalf of Howard Group. Bob Ensch, area director at Morgan Sindall Construction, said: “Unity Campus will provide a stunning location with unique and inspiring facilities that will enable businesses within the South Cambridge Cluster to foster world-leading collaboration and innovation. “We have enjoyed working closely with Howard Group to ensure the successful delivery of such an important part of the Unity Campus.” William Jewson, Director – Development at Howard Group, commented: “We have enjoyed working with Morgan Sindall Construction to help us kick off our masterplan for Unity Campus. Our goal is to create a business park which meets the needs of a new generation of employers and employees, with striking architecture, grade A infrastructure, a pedestrian and cycle friendly circulation space and excellent amenities both internally and externally. The completion of construction at The Works is a crucial milestone in realising that goal.”
A contractor has signed on to deliver a major project at the Harwell Science, Technology & Innovation Campus. Mace will deliver the Extreme Photonics Applications Centre on the Oxfordshire site with a £81m investment through the R&D-focused Strategic Priorities Fund. The EPAC development is a new purpose-designed building that will house a unique, state-of-the-art high power and high repetition laser system. The appointment follows Mace’s recent successful work on two other research projects for the STFC on the Harwell campus, including the National Satellite Test Facility and the Rosalind Franklin Institute. The centre will help researchers and industry better understand the composition of new materials and how they behave in different conditions. It is a highly strategic, disruptive technology and directly supports the UK Government’s Industrial Strategy. Mace will work with the STFC, designers, a global concrete specialist and our supply chain partners to deliver the whole project, including the experimental areas of the building where high intensity lasers will be tested. Professor John Collier, Director of the UK’s Central Laser Facility, said: “As our construction partner in the EPAC project Mace will be contributing, alongside the work of the team of the scientists and engineers at STFC’s Central Laser Facility and our colleagues in academia, to a project that will enable the UK to realise the potential offered by laser driven radiation sources to be genuinely disruptive and that will soon bring together the wider science community in a diverse programme of fundamental and applied research.” Terry Spraggett, Managing Director for Public Sector Construction at Mace, added: “We are delighted to be appointed to deliver EPAC, marking another step forward in our relationship with the STFC. The Extreme Photonics Application Centre is a technically complex and challenging project, and we will use our experience in delivering cutting edge research facilities to realise the client’s vision.”
Oxford Brookes University’s Sinclair building has been given a new lease of life courtesy of a £6.25 million refurbishment project. National contractor Stepnell delivered works at the health and life sciences building over a 92-week project. These works aimed to improve the building’s spatial and environmental efficiency and included the remodelling of internal space across three of the building’s five storeys. The build was given a sleek, modern look to complement the other facilities that currently populate the Headington campus, transforming it into a modern teaching, research and study space for the university’s faculty of health and life science. The scheme was designed by BGS Architects and created ten main laboratories with preparation and test spaces, two computer laboratories and 34 open plan offices with associated meeting and interview rooms. The renovation not only made the build more sustainable, but it also increased natural ventilation and daylight which is unusual for laboratory design. Rob Speirs, regional director at Stepnell, said: “We were delighted to have been given the opportunity to modernise one of Oxford Brookes’ key learning spaces. It is important that students have access to flexible working areas to enhance their learning experience and give them the flexibility that they need for different types of study. We hope that the refurbishment will increase efficiency both environmentally and educationally.” He added: “The team worked closely with Oxford Brookes to ensure there was minimal disruption caused to the daily activity of both students and staff. We’re very proud of the project and hope it will help to facilitate some amazing projects of the future.” This represents Stepnell’s third project for the university. Mary Pierre-Harvey, director of estates and campus services at Oxford Brookes University, added: “The Sinclair refurbishment has transformed the environment for the University’s faculty of health and life sciences. The building provides industry standard laboratories that offer a real-world experience for students, while high specification areas support our research and innovation. “Along with the new home for the Bioimaging Unit specialising in microscopy research, the Sinclair building provides world-leading campus spaces to match the University’s high-quality teaching and research.”
Plans have been put forward for a new flagship library at the University of Bristol’s Clifton campus. The state-of-the-art library will accommodate learning and research space, with capacity for around 2,000 new study seats, approximately 420,000 books and 70,000 journals and new study spaces. There will be exhibition galleries open to the public, an events space, a programme of activities, new public art and a café, all of which will be open to the whole community. Designed by a collaborative team formed by Schmidt Hammer Lassen, Hawkins\Brown and local engineers BuroHappold, the development forms part of the University’s wider plans to remodel its precinct around Tyndall Avenue. The library will replace The Hawthorns – a former hotel which currently houses some student accommodation, catering facilities and various offices. While modern in design, the library will be built in natural stone to be in keeping with the historic nature of listed buildings nearby. It features a stepped design to integrate with the local built environment. It will meet high sustainability standards, with a focus on natural light, a high level of energy efficiency, a low environmental impact, and green roof terraces. Plans also include a new civic square, with proposed new road layouts to improve traffic flow and public transport, enhance the pedestrian and cycling routes and make the whole area safer and accessible for everyone. A number of changes have also been implemented into the proposal thanks to last year’s public consultation, which sees a reduced scale above ground and new traffic management measures. Professor Judith Squires, Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Provost at the University of Bristol, said: “We are grateful to everyone for the feedback they gave as part of the consultation in October. Their comments have helped shape our latest plans for the creation of a world-class new University Library. “It will not only provide an outstanding new space for our students and staff to research and learn but provides a unique opportunity for the University to create a new cultural space for all the citizens of Bristol to enjoy. The ground floor will be open to all and will be home to a new Cultural Collections Centre as well as a cafe, gallery and event spaces to host talks and exhibitions. “We are also planning to enhance the public realm around the new University Library, turning a congested road junction into a calm and welcoming civic space, making the roads safer and creating new accessible public space for everyone to enjoy.” Dr Mike Entwisle, Partner and Global Education Sector Lead at BuroHappold Engineering which helped design the library, has shed some light on the engineering behind this major project. “Central to our engineering response was the University’s requirement to achieve a truly sustainable building, promoting health and wellbeing, while meeting their ambition of moving towards a zero-carbon future. “Floor to ceiling windows and an atrium at the heart of the space maximises natural daylight and views to the study spaces, promoting social connectivity. Suspended ceilings have been omitted in order to expose the elegant structure and utilise the thermal mass of the concrete frame to provide climate change resilience. “Extensive building modelling has been undertaken to optimise passive and active environmental strategies and analyse a variety of future usage scenarios. The building will transform the student experience and enhance community engagement, and become an exemplar of sustainable and healthy building performance,” Dr Entwisle added.
A new pioneering engineering building is set to bring an array of cutting-edge facilities to the University of Exeter. National firm Morgan Sindall Construction has completed the development and handed it over to the university ahead of its scheduled opening in May 2020. The building will include VSimulators – a multi-disciplinary research platform funded by a £4.8 million grant from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council. VSimulators offers a state-of-the-art, world class facility, combining virtual reality (VR) technology capable of immersing up to nine occupants simultaneously in headset-projected VR scenarios. A 4×4 metre, custom designed motion platform, linked to the VR scenarios, enables users to perceive realistic motion as they move around in a virtual world, while optical and inertial motion capture systems and an array of force plates will record their experiences. VSimulators will be used by academics and industry to support multi-disciplinary human factors research and innovation. Speaking at the handover ceremony, Paul Cockram, area lead and operations manager at Morgan Sindall Construction, said: “The University of Exeter’s ambition for new facilities has been at the heart of the delivery of this project and we’ve enjoyed the opportunity to work collaboratively with the university to bring this unique vision to life. “We’re pleased to be handing over the new building on schedule, which will provide a stunning new home for the university’s engineering, mathematics and scientific researchers. “As a centre of excellence, the new facility will open up new opportunities for research and innovation, helping to further bolster the University of Exeter’s world-leading reputation as a critical thinker in this field.” This new facility will boost the innovative science, technology, engineering, mathematics and medical, or STEMM, offering in Exeter, acting as a pivotal centre of excellence for the College’s world-leading structural engineering research. Hugh McCann, estates business partner at the University of Exeter added: “This is an exciting new facility for the College of Engineering, Mathematics and Physical Sciences, and the University as a whole. “I am delighted that we have taken delivery of the new facility, and look forward to marking the launch of the VSimulators facility later this year.”
The University of Birmingham has launched a new suite of frameworks to support its ambitious capital development plans. The new procurement frameworks will allow the University to build longer term relationships with key contractors and consultants who provide construction, design and surveying services. The University has made major investments in its campus facilities in the last 10 years, with the construction of a new library, major green space, Collaborative Teaching Laboratory and Sport and Fitness Centre, to name just a few. Further developments are in the pipeline, to ensure that students in future generations have buildings that are exciting and innovative as well as being fit for purpose. Director of Estates Trevor Payne said: “We have an ambitious plan for the future of our campus and our objective is to create the best possible environment in which our students can achieve and our academic colleagues can undertake world-leading research. The creation of our own construction framework is a natural next step, as we look to secure the support of the very best in the industry. The frameworks will be for 10 years and will be open for use by all HE Institutions, reflecting the vision we have for the University and the sector as a whole.” Head of Procurement Jonathan Jones said: “The University of Birmingham has always prided itself on its scale of ambition to deliver first rate services and resources for its students and staff. With a planned additional infrastructure investment of £500 million over the next few years, we also wanted to develop further procurement opportunities by creating our own University construction framework. This framework not only allows the University to optimise its value for money, but is also available for other universities to use and benefit from the collective spending power and contractor relationship development. “By working closely with our key contractors we can collectively develop additional opportunities with initiatives such as social value, environmental enhancements and sponsorship opportunities.” Six frameworks have been created under the umbrella of University of Birmingham Build Higher Construction Frameworks. They are: · Construction companies for project value up to £2.5m · Construction companies for project value £2.5m-10m · Construction companies for project value £10m+ · Client side surveying support · Architectural-led design · Engineering Services design The successful partners for each framework are: Main contractors for projects over £10m – Morgan Sindall, Galliford Try, Willmott Dixon, Bam Construction Ltd and John Graham Construction Ltd. Main contractors for projects £2.5m-£10m – Morgan Sindall, GTH Construction Ltd, Galliford Try, G F Tomlinson Ltd, Willmott Dixon and Midas Group Ltd. Main contractors for projects up to £2.5m – GTH Construction, Graham Asset Management, Sutton Coldfield Construction Ltd, Murray and Willis Ltd, J Tomlinson Ltd, Chief Construction Ltd, Seddon Construction Ltd and Novus Property Solutions Ltd. Surveying – AA Projects Ltd, Currie and Brown Ltd, RLF LLP, Faithful and Gould, RLB Ltd and Pick Everard. Architectural – Glancy Nicholls Architects Ltd, Associated Architects, BDP, Sheppard Robson Architects Ltd and ADP Engineering Services Design – Hoare Lee, Ove Arup & Partners Ltd, Couch Perry & Wilkes LLP, WSP UK Ltd, Pick Everard, Cundall Johnston and Partners LLP. For further information about the framework, please contact m.home@bham.ac.uk [Picture caption: Guild President Joshua Williams, Vice-Chancellor Professor Sir David Eastwood and Professor Kathy Armour mark the recent opening of the new Teaching and Learning Building on campus.]
The Grade II* listed Royal College of Surgeons (RCS) headquarters has celebrated a major landmark in its redevelopment, with a topping out ceremony in Lincoln’s Inn Fields, London. Professor Derek Alderson, President of the RCS, was joined by Sir James Wates, chairman of Wates Group, whose construction arm is carrying out the heritage project, to mark the occasion of reaching the highest point of the build. The RCS began as the Company of Barber-Surgeons, established in 1540, and has been based at Lincoln’s Inn Fields since 1796. The historic home of advanced surgical education in the capital is being refurbished to enable it to continue providing the best learning, examination and research resources for the nation’s surgeons, while retaining elements of its illustrious history. In 2019, the number of people waiting for operations across the NHS rose to 4.4million, increasing the urgency of training more surgeons to cope with demand. With the introduction of new robotic, AI and VR technology in surgery, the shape of surgical training is also changing. The £75m redevelopment of the RCS will provide a modern learning facility that will play an integral role in training the next generation of surgical practitioners. As a specialist in heritage works, Wates Construction has ensured the historic neo-classical frontage, heavily influenced by Charles Barry, the architect behind the House of Parliament, will be maintained. Humidity control in the library spaces will preserve the historic timber construction, while the Hunterian Museum, which opened in 1813, is being expanded to occupy the majority of the ground floor, allowing greater accessibility to the museum’s internationally-important historical collections when it reopens in 2021. Upon completion, the Royal College of Surgeons will have an environmentally friendly building, incorporating a highly insulated, air-tight envelope to ensure thermal and energy efficiency; photovoltaic panels on the roof providing a sustainable energy source; and space for 120+ cyclists to store bikes and shower, encouraging greener travel in the capital. Speaking at the ceremony, Professor Alderson said: “This marks an important milestone in transforming our treasured home and the world-famous Hunterian museum. We will create a modern, state-of-the-art headquarters for training the next generation of surgeons, and to continue our long history of supporting the exchange of learning and ideas on the future of surgery. The building has been designed to retain our rich surgical heritage, while embracing the cutting-edge future of modern surgery. “The RCS has over 27,000 members across the UK and internationally. Our new building will be the nerve centre for the development and proliferation of the best surgical training techniques and practice in the world. Surgical skills taught here in the coming century, will radiate into operating theatres around the world, for the benefit of millions of patients.” Mark Craig, Operations Director at Wates Construction London, added: “The RCS requires modernised facilities to help it continue improving surgical standards through education, research and clinical performance. At the same time, it has a tremendously rich heritage going back hundreds of years in central London, which it is important to preserve. “This is just the type of challenging build that our team love, using modern methods of construction to balance proud history with the need for a facility fit for the 21st century. Best of all, once construction is complete, the RCS will have a world-class home for its community of trainees and surgeons, its museum and library, supporting its mission of driving forward the standard of surgical practice through years to come.” Wates’ extensive portfolio of heritage projects across London also includes the refurbishment of the V&A Museum extension at Exhibition Road, the Metropolitan Police Service’s Grade II listed Hammersmith Police Station and multiple buildings on Parliament’s Westminster estates.
Morgan Sindall Construction has been appointed by Derbyshire County Council to deliver a new £5.3 million primary school on Tutbury Avenue in Littleover, Derby. The project has been procured through the Scape Regional Construction framework (RCF). Morgan Sindall Construction will celebrate two years on the framework in February 2020. A ground-breaking ceremony was held this week to celebrate the beginning of onsite works. It was attended by representatives from the main contractor and Derbyshire County Council, alongside members of the Spencer Academy Trust and Lungfish Architects. Spencer Highfields Academy will be governed by the trust, which runs primary, secondary and sixth form provisions across the East Midlands. Derbyshire County Council has commissioned the scheme in anticipation of a population surge generated by Highfields Estate, the new build housing development where the school will be situated. Once complete, the school will provide 210 primary and 26 nursery places. Plans outline a single-storey, 15,510 square foot main building. This will house seven general purpose classrooms, a reception, nursery and a double storey main hall. External facilities include a soft play area, a large playing field, and a MUGA pitch. Students will also benefit from a visitors’ garden and allotment area. There will also be a parking area and cycle storage facilities. Designed by Lungfish Architects, the new development is using offsite modular construction methods. Modular building allows for greater time efficiency within the build programme, alongside considerably decreased carbon emissions. Offsite work has already commenced on forty-five pre-fabricated modules at subcontractor Eco Modular’s factory in Hull. These will then be delivered to site and completed in time for the new academic year. Rob Cant, Framework Director at Morgan Sindall Construction, said: “Modular building is proving incredibly popular in the education sector – and with good reason. Advances in technology mean that modern methods of construction can deliver high-quality 21st century learning environments within constrained time scales and with minimal disruption to day-to-day school life. “Offsite construction results in reduced subcontractor traffic, and embodied carbon, while the expandable nature of the design facilitates easy expansion should population growth necessitate it in future. “We’re naturally very pleased to be working with Lungfish Architects on another key education project for Derby; and to be delivering it through Scape Group’s Regional Construction framework (RCF), which we celebrate two years on next month.” Derbyshire County Council Cabinet Member for Young People Councillor Alex Dale said: “We’re very pleased to be working in partnership on this exciting project and making the best use of our resources to provide a high-quality modern school for local children and for use by the wider community. “We approved the requirement for a new school to respond to the need for more school places due to significant housing developments in the area and also to provide much-needed nursery provision. “We were pleased to be involved in its design and it is our first whole school modular build – a building innovation recommended by the Department for Education – which makes it quick, efficient and cost-effective and also reduces construction disruption for local residents.” Mark Robinson, Scape Group chief executive, said “future proofing our education facilities now in preparation for the increase in population is vital to ensure that education standards can continue to improve. It is reassuring that Derbyshire County Council has taken this strategic approach and is further investing in its constituents’ education with Spencer Highfields Academy.” Simon Reid, Lungfish Architects Managing Director, commented “By working collaboratively with Derbyshire County Council, Morgan Sindall and utilising our expertise in designing schools using offsite modular construction techniques, we are creating innovative, engaging spaces that will enhance the learning experience for the pupils.” Work is expected to complete on the project by September 2020. Last year, Morgan Sindall Construction and Lungfish worked together on the nearby Hackwood Primary Academy which opened in September. The modular project has been hailed for the speed of delivery, which saw work progress from planning to completion in less than a year.
