Islington, London
London Screen Academy was a design & build project which involved the partial demolition of part of the central and southern section of the existing 4 storey plus basement building. The logistics of building within a building was the most challenging aspect of the project
One of the biggest refurbishment challenges to the non-studio part of the project was the sagging and heavily deflected floors that were in the existing building. The beam-and-pot floor construction had been filled with terracotta void formers but over time this has sagged by up to 60mm across the full extent of the floor.
While the structural condition of its primary frame was generally good, there were some wear and tear problems associated with cracked lintels and corroded steel reinforcement helibars within concrete.
The refurbishment gives the building a major internal reconfiguration as well as adding a new steel frame structure which provides a three-storey film production studio and supporting facilities. The scope of works also included new windows and façade repairs to the existing building.
The existing 4 storey plus building was replaced with a 3 storey plus basement building and a third floor roof amenity space, provision of replacement doors and windows to include ventilation louvres, reinstatement of door on Highbury Grove frontage; provision of bicycle and bin storage and new fence along Kelvin Road frontage; new glazed roof on single storey extension to the south, and removal of the existing single storey structure on roof, extension of two existing stair cores and lift overrun, and provision of new balustrade, photovoltaic panels and a sedum roof at roof level in order to facilitate the use of the building as a specialist Class D1 sixth form school.
The former factory in Islington has been transformed into a new specialist sixth form-only free school for 1,000 16 to 19-year-olds, providing training in film and television, with specialist areas including editing suites and music and performance spaces.
The interiors team worked closely with the design team to deliver the project ready for the first intake of 300 students in September 2019, with the LSA expanding eventually to a capacity of 800-1000 pupils.
100% of payments made on time
98% of waste diverted from landfill
A key aspect was a heating system that makes use of passive heat recovery, using outdoor air to cool the building where possible.
Further low carbon technologies include 100% LED lighting throughout the building, with additional daylight dimming functionality and presence detection.
Extensive electricity, water and gas metering was installed and is monitored by the Building Management System (BMS) so that data can be analysed to further optimise energy usage.
The building’s roof has a green area to enhance biodiversity, solar PV panels to generate renewable electricity and export back to the national grid, achieving cost savings, improving occupancy wellbeing and retaining the building’s existing character.
Handover & Aftercare Contractor Promise
Email: james.wright@hants.gov.uk
Phone: 07761 330560
Email: guy.dawes@willmottdixon.co.uk
Phone: 07989179444
Client
Bay Education Trust
Project Manager
Torbay Development Agency
Architect
KTA Architects Ltd
Contractor
Midas Construction Ltd
Value
£2.4m
Contract Period
38 weeks
Procurement Type
Competitive tender – 2 stage
Form of Contract
JCT Intermediate Building Contract with Contractors Design 2016
Size
880m²
Apprentices
17
Supported by the Torquay Development Agency (TDA) and with capital funding secured via a Condition Improvement Fund from the Education and Skills Funding Agency, this project at Paignton Community and Sports Academy (part of the Bay Education Trust), saw construction of a single-storey, multi-use hall.
Delivered at the Academy’s live Borough Road campus, the new Events Centre provides a flexible working space suitable for a full range of sporting and extracurricular activities. The hall features retractable seating, a mezzanine level and dual-purpose lecture theatre/ performance space. The Centre includes a kitchen and dining area, entrance lobby and reception, and an external covered walkway.
Midas constructed the Events Centre following demolition of an outdated 1930s teaching block, further enhancing the Borough Road campus through groundworks, landscaping and improved car parking.
The project received a customer satisfaction score of 87% in the survey at practical completion.
Works took place on a live educational campus
The Academy took partial occupation of the building during the works
Challenging site containing several live services
Our Success
Our Learnings
Value Added
Apprentices: 17
Average AIR: 0.7
Average CCS: score 37
Waste diverted from landfill: 100%
Cost/m²: 2,874m2
Cost/m²: excl abnormals 2,189m2
A bespoke ‘BREEAM Excellent’, 3-storey engineering and research building, housing the world-leading VSimulator facility, providing specialist engineering facilities and open-plan, flexible workspace. The facility will play a major role in spearheading Exeter Science Park’s aspirations and reputation for research and innovation, stimulating a knowledge-based economy, delivering jobs, higher productivity and economic growth.
Providing unique simulation capabilities far beyond anything available worldwide, the VSimulator facility will be used by academics and industry to support multi-disciplinary research factors. Helping to address critical issues of human engagement with the surrounding environment, it will present research, commercial and training opportunities within an endless range of disciplines.
Imperative to the successful project outcome, the Virtual Simulation Chamber had to be handed over to the specialist engineers on time to commence installation of the state-of-the-art motion platform and other equipment.
Additionally, the basement concrete floor had to be within a 2mm-tolerance level and strict water-proofing specifications had to be achieved prior to the VSimulator installation.
Further adding to the challenge were complex logistics and mechanical and electrical installations, and the involvement of multiple, including global, specialist installers.
Through sectional completion (in October 2019), we handed over the basement to the University for fitting-out of the simulator, whilst the remaining works continued. We worked closely with the University throughout the fit-out works, ensuring this was undertaken safely while the remaining works took place concurrently.
During early design collaboration, we were able to offer our experience with basement construction to align buildable-construction details with specialist tanking manufactured products. It was at this early stage when a significant change in tanking membrane manufacturers occurred and, with the help of our supply chain family, we were able to provide a quick solution to the benefit of the client.
Communication was critical to ensuring we kept to programme, and we successfully managed the co-ordination of overseas meetings, held virtually, regarding set-up, installation and delivery of equipment for the motion platform.
Drawing upon the expertise and skills of the project team, the challenging project objectives were all achieved, to the delight of the client.
100% payment within 30 days terms
BREEAM Excellent
99% waste diverted from landfill
100% timber responsibly sourced
Zero RIDDORs
CCS Score 43/45
38 No of SMEs
10 beneficiaries
4 jobs created
49 trainee weeks
Schools engagement: 28 students
£200 donations to charity
39 volunteer hours
88% social value created
Soft landings for handover
Dedicated Morgan Sindall point of contact
On-line portal for notifying any defects with 3 priority categories for response times
Email: kingsley.clarke@devon.gov.uk
Phone: 07805760622
Email: alan.smedley@morgansindall.com
Phone: 07967 686066
A new build four-storey steel frame building which includes two sports halls, three fitness studios, a health and well-being gym, a strength and conditioning high-performance gym and high-quality teaching facilities on a live university campus. The scheme also includes underground car parking.
The ambitious vision for the University was to create a new sports facility to improve and modernise the University’s offering and enable excellence in sport, health and fitness related degree programmes and associated teaching and research for staff, students and the local community.
The seminar and gym areas of the sports complex are fitted with 20mm soft joints between the room floor slabs. These help to isolate them and significantly reduce the vibration that passes through them. In the weight training area, they went a step further and introduced a cast in-situ reinforced concrete sprung floor. This innovation means that the sports hall can be enjoyed by everyone, no matter what activity they are involved in.
The iconic cladding system to the tower block represents the former use of the site with historical maps – a subtle presence in the perforation in the cladding system next to the standout face brickwork wrapping the sports halls. The building has provided a head turning modern build in Southampton’s old city centre.
The city centre project was constructed within a 86 week programme, delivering a four-storey sports complex with state-of-the-art gyms for both student and staff use. Along the stacked tower block of gyms and studios, the project had two full sized sports halls; one for multi-use catering for over 13 different sports, the other was dedicated to basketball, allowing Student Kestrels, the university’s leading sports team, a home court. Below the sports halls, basement parking was provided for staff, students and the public as well as accessible parking bays.
The project is a visually stunning, flagship sports facility which is enhancing Solent University’s offering in advanced sports degree courses, and it is already attracting more students to the local area and inspiring people to take part in sport.
100% payment within 30 days terms
99% waste diverted from landfill
100% timber responsibly sourced
Zero RIDDORs
CCS Score 44/45
36 No of SMEs
59 beneficiaries
18 jobs created & 184 trainee weeks
Schools’ engagement: 577 students
£3,046 donations to charity & 1,845 volunteer hours
84% social value created
Soft landings for handover
Dedicated Morgan Sindall point of contact
On-line portal for notifying any defects with
3 priority categories for response times
Email: james.wright@hants.gov.uk
Phone: : 07761 330560
Email: alan.smedley@morgansindall.com
Phone: 07967 686066
Client
University of Exeter
Architect
Stride Treglown
Contractor
Kier Construction
Value
£8.2m
Contract Period
December 2017 – February 2019
Form of Contract
NEC Option A with design
The design and construction of two buildings for laboratories and research facilities to allow further growth of Exeter Business School, the College of Engineering, Mathematics and Physical Sciences and the College of Life and Environmental Services.
This new Science Engineering Research Support Facility (SERSF) building provides facilities for around 200 researchers and postgraduate students specialising in science and engineering.
The new facility accommodates many disciplines, including the newly established Business School, the Centre for Ecology and Conservation, Renewable Energy and Camborne School of Mines. It is also the new home for Law, Energy Policy and Mathematics
A large glazed atrium forms the main entrance and the vertical circulation route to all floors. The installation of a key operated lift allows lab users to access the autoclave area on the lower ground floor which creates a link for users to transport any contaminated waste, safely through the building.
A new seminar facility provides space to facilitate linkage with external agency researchers in marine science and wildlife research.
Previously constructed buildings.
The project consists of three linked buildings. The first phase of the project had already been constructed, which made the construction of the next two phases more complex as we were connecting and linking floor levels.
Existing services and diversions on main vehicular route.
The site was riddled with existing services and diversions impacted the main vehicular route into the campus. These works were brought forward in an enabling package at a more convenient, less disruptive time for the university.
Our Success
Our Learnings
Value Added
Client
University of Exeter
Project Manager
Faithful + Gould
Architect
Faithful + Gould
Contractor
Morgan Sindall
Value
£1.06m
Contract Period
25 weeks
Procurement Type
Traditional
Form of Contract
JCT 2011 SFC
The works involved removing and replacing all existing external windows and external doors, providing a new fire alarm and emergency lighting system, new sub-main power installation and new heating distribution pipework and radiators. Due to the pre-construction stage being very short, our team had to ensure a speedy and accurate order for new windows which were manufactured by Nordic and immediately delivered to site for just in time arrival for fitting.
The works were completed within an occupied building out of hours ie all works carried out overnight from 6pm – 7am leaving the areas in a suitable condition for re-use by the building users the following day which included the relocation of furniture and all associated equipment. The works also included floor slab concrete repairs acting as lintels. The works were completed within an occupied building over a series of 24 weekly phases.
These phases were programmed in detail with the stakeholders to incorporate each of their requirements ie to take into account their busy times; for example there was a 3 week period within the central block when it operated as a 24 hour call centre for a telethon. Within the programme, consideration was also given for graduation weeks, exam periods and open days. Each phase was vacated at the end of each working day and all works delivered out of hours. Works also included the erection and dismantling the scaffold around the live building, campus and the car park for Northcote House.
Senior management occupation of building
The building is the main HQ of the University which is occupied by all of the senior management team at the University including the Vice Chancellor.
The window installation around the Vice Chancellor’s office (Executive Suite) needed to be within strict timescales to be “seen and not heard”. We created a scheduled timetable with the building occupants so they were all aware of busy and noisy periods enabling them to plan their meetings accordingly.
Exam period
There were to be exams held within the building throughout the duration of our works therefore a schedule was worked out around timetables. Works were then planned to commence out of hours and at weekends to hand back the offices on the Monday.
Building remained fully occupied and operational throughout works
To enable the building to remain fully operational without disruption and accommodating the out of hours working, we photographed each room prior to the shift starting, moved all furniture away from the windows ready to remove and replace and then put the room back to how it was in the morning ready for staff to use the office space. The building was a large building and the works as such were done under multiple phases with each requiring very close liaison with the building users within each office area.
Our Success
Our Learnings
Value Added
Contract | Gateway 3 Contract Agreement | Gateway 4 Contract Completion | Variation |
---|---|---|---|
Time | 24 weeks | 24 weeks | 0 weeks |
Weston-super-Mare, North Somerset
Client
Weston College
Project Manager
Weston College
Architect
View Architects Ltd
Contractor
Midas Construction Ltd
Value
£2.9m
Contract Period
33 weeks
Procurement Type
Competitive tender – 2 stage
Form of Contract
JCT Design & Build 2016
Size
1,809m²
Apprentices
7
Created to address the increasing demand for a skilled construction workforce in the region, the Construction Training Centre provides state-of-the-art specialised teaching space, offering training specific to the construction industry and designed with employers’ needs in mind. Midas delivered this single-storey building in a semi-rural location to the west of Weston-super-Mare.
Made possible by match funding from Weston College and the West of England Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) through the Local Growth Fund, administered by the West of England Combined Authority, the Centre is taking a lead role in answering the construction skills shortage. The main teaching centre is a block of modular buildings, constructed off site, connected with a central corridor covered by a canopy. Adjacent to the modular block are three connected steel frame cladded sheds. The project includes several areas of storage and work yard together with a dig training area.
Enabling works included demolition and removal of old farm buildings, part piled foundations and excavations for ground beams, slabs and drainage, infill and diversion of two sections of a watercourse and formation of attenuation ponds with a new water route.
The client scored the project 91% in the customer satisfaction survey at practical completion.
Career Development
Weston College leased the land on a five-year basis
The client required the project delivered to BREEAM Good
A challenging site with a high water table and numerous watercourses, in an environmentally sensitive environmental area
The design team simultaneously worked on two projects for the client: the Construction Training Centre and the Health and Active Living Centre, and brought both in line with the client’s budget
Our Success
Our Learnings
Value Added
Contract | Gateway 2 Planning | Gateway 3 Contract Agreement | Variation |
Cost | £2,918,791 | £2,631,357 | -£287,434 (-9.8%) |
Time | 26.1 weeks | 25.9 weeks | -0.29 weeks (-1.1%) |
Client
UK Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA)
Project Manager
Ridge & Partners LLP
Architect
Ridge & Partners LLP
Contractor
Midas Construction Ltd
Value
£8.8m
Contract Period
54 weeks
Procurement Type
Competitive tender – 2 stage
Form of Contract
NEC3 Option A
Size
4,074m²
Apprentices
7
Delivered at the secure Culham Science Centre, a dedicated innovation and enterprise park in Oxfordshire, the Advanced Skills Centre is a flagship training facility. Owned and managed by the UK Atomic Energy Authority, Culham Science Centre is a world-class research site that hosts 40 businesses employing approximately 2,000 people in fields including aerospace, technology, autonomous vehicles and biotechnology.
Constructed in proximity to live business and educational facilities, the project included design and build of the Centre, together with sports and social facilities and associated external works. Works included site preparation and groundworks, followed by construction of two steel frame buildings – the Centre and a sports pavilion – with a cladding and render envelope and a single ply roof to the Centre. Midas completed full Cat A and Cat B fit out, including M&E, plumbing and service connections. Externally, the team completed car parking and hard and soft landscaping.
The purpose-built Centre has the capacity to train up to 350 apprentices per year, offering specialised training for apprentice engineers and technicians. Designed with these industries in mind and following consultation with local businesses, the three-storey centre provides labs and workshops to support training in specialised research areas including mechanical and electrical, robotics, cryogenics, fluids and vacuums.
The client required the project delivered to BREEAM Very Good
Achieving the client’s budget
Managing works at a secure, sensitive site
Contract | Gateway 2 Planning | Gateway 3 Contract Agreement | Variation |
Cost | £8,881,816 | £8,810,919 | -£70,896 (-0.8%) |
Time | 48.1 weeks | 47 weeks | -1.14 weeks (-2.4%) |
KPI Graphs
Apprentices 7
Average AIR 2.1
Average CCS score 37.5
Waste diverted from landfill 94.5%
Cost/m2 £2,170m²
Cost/m2 excl abnormals £1,542m²
Client
Weston College
Project Manager
Weston College
Architect
View Architects Ltd
Contractor
Midas Construction Ltd
Value
£6.7m
Contract Period
48 weeks
Procurement Type
Competitive tender – 2 stage
Form of Contract
JCT Design & Build 2016
Size
2,841m²
Apprentices
7
Delivered for our valued clients Weston College, the Health and Active Living Skills (HAL) Centre is the region’s first state-of-the-art learning environment for sport, health and social care. The Centre provides modern facilities for students and the public, aiming to increase the community’s health and well-being.
Constructed at the college’s Loxton campus, to the south of Weston-super-Mare, this three-storey building houses a sports hall and associated changing facilities, classrooms and sport science labs. Outside are an all-weather 3G sports pitch and a natural football pitch.
The HAL Centre features a range of facilities to benefit the college and community. The multi-use sports hall includes provision for badminton, basketball, netball and five-a-side football, plus retractable basketball hoops; and the Centre includes community use space, a reception and public café.
The Centre provides an innovative learning environment with science labs, a health therapy suite with separate clinic and therapy room, and a six-bed simulation ward including high-tech patient mannequins.
The project received a customer satisfaction score of 92% in the survey at practical completion.
The client required the project delivered to BREEAM Excellent
Weston College’s Loxton campus, where the project took place, remained open throughout the project.
The design team simultaneously worked on two projects for the client: the Health and Active Living Centre and the Construction Training Centre, and brought both in line with the client’s budget.
Contract | Gateway 2 Planning | Gateway 3 Contract Agreement | Variation |
Cost | £6,918,904 | £6,780,718 | -£138,186 (-2%) |
Time | 46.4 weeks | 46.4 weeks | 0 weeks (0%) |
KPI Graphs
Apprentices 7
Average AIR 0
Average CCS score 40
Waste diverted from landfill 100%
Cost/m2 £2,352m²
Cost/m2 excl abnormals £1,799m²
Client
University of Chichester
Project Manager
AECOM
Architect
Stride Treglown
Contractor
Galliford Try
Value
£21.3m
Contract Period
85 weeks
Procurement Type
Two-Stage
Form of Contract
NEC3 Option A
Size
6,340sqm
Apprentices
700 weeks
The Engineering and Digital Technology Park provides a purpose built facility for the Engineering & Design and Creative & Digital Technologies departments. A landmark STEM building that was officially opened by the Duke and Duchess of Sussex.
In addition to providing a range of research and practical spaces for these two departments, the new building includes the creation of a Research Centre for Sustainable Operations and Departments of Data Science and Advanced Engineering & Design.
The building is available for use by the industry and provides a large multipurpose engineering laboratory incorporating workshop, cleanroom and wet area, facilities to teach electronics and Computer Aided Design (CAD), a fabrication laboratory, prototype manufacturing facilities and collaborative co-working spaces.
The Creative & Digital Technologies Department includes 2no. sound stages, digital editing studios as well as a TV production studio, green room, social learning spaces and ancillary facilities.
The site is located within a flood zone 3 area, which posed a significant challenge for the design and construction, involving Galliford Try and the design team undertaking significant flood risk assessment modelling to ensure the design was deliverable.
This important project for the area was opened by the Duke and Duchess of Sussex in October 2018 and achieved BREEAM Excellent.
Value Added
Contract | Gateway 2 Planning | Gateway 3 Contract Agreement | Variation |
---|---|---|---|
Cost | £32m | £21.3m (included scope reduction) | -33.60% |
Time | 77 weeks | 85 weeks | 10.70% |