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Brixton House Theatre and Workspace, Somerleyton Road
Brixton House is the new location for Ovalhouse, one of the most important centres for pioneer fringe theatre groups, previously located in Kennington. The Grand Opening was attended by the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.
Galliford Try has recently completed the construction of Brixton House – a modern, purpose-built arts and community destination in South London. Part of the Somerleyton Road Development Project in partnership with the London Borough of Lambeth, the new building houses two fully accessible theatres (120 and 200 seating capacity), seven flexible rehearsal rooms and a creative hub with large public café, while the neighbouring Victorian Carlton building, Carlton Mansions, has been refurbished to create two floors of creative workspace.
Copyright: Hufton+Crow
The Challenge
Surrounded by busy residential streets and a railway line, all while sitting atop London Underground tunnels, it’s no surprise this project required extensive collaboration, negotiation of intricate party-wall and land ownership issues and complex construction logistics. In addition, much of the project coincided with the Covid19 pandemic and the resulting lockdowns, requiring active management of resource and material difficulties.
A scaffold was needed to repair the existing Victorian façade at Carlton Mansions – the challenge was it needed to be erected just one metre away from the railway line. One of south London’s busiest passenger lines and a primary freight line, it is in constant use throughout the day and night.
The Solution
Following extensive engagement with Network Rail and our scaffold supply chain partner, Trad Scaffold, we had a daily 45-minute window to erect, and eventually dismantle, the scaffolding.
Copyright: Hufton+Crow
The Results
Scaffolding was installed and dismantled within programme and highest safety standards.
‘H&S procedures were well followed, and good behaviours were demonstrated by the site team and the operatives. The response to Covid was excellent.’
Bruce McRobie, London Borough of Lambeth
In addition, whilst resolving a key buildability challenge we presented the opportunity for London Borough of Lambeth to generate increased revenue across the lifetime of the project. Requiring construction over a London Underground tunnel, we developed a displacement foundation solution as an alternative to a piled solution. We then proposed utilising the void created for lettable space as recording studios.
Copyright: Hufton+Crow
14
Apprentices
£21.9m
SME Spend
£5.7m
Added Value
9/10
Client Satisfaction
Client Testimonials
Contractor Performance | Commitments
Safe
The project achieved zero RIDDOR, had an average CCS score of 42 and was able to continue to operate safely during Covid with no major outbreaks. During the construction phase, numerous safety stand downs were carried out, two in particular during Covid when social distancing was in place and with circa 140 operatives on site was no mean feat. During these stand downs, the site team utilised the basement area of the site, setup individual stalls manned by a different member of the team, and we had groups of six operatives work their way down each stall to discuss various Health and Safety topics including lifting operations, dust control, work at height and also mental health.
Legacy
Restoration of mural of local importance: Painted on the side of Carlton Mansions, the Nuclear Dawn mural was given a new lease of life. Created in the 1980s when Britain was in the clutches of the Cold War, it has been fully restored by local artist, Morganico, and muralists Paul Butler and Linda Jane James. Brian Barnes MBE, one of the original creators of the mural, has been a regular visitor throughout.
Local artwork: Rising up from the ground floor is a pink cantilevered staircase and greeting visitors and users of the theatre at each floor level is a mural from local artist Damilola Odusote. Known for his eclectic, intricate, illustrative work, Damilola was given free reign by London Borough of Lambeth.
Social value: Over 340 training weeks, 14 apprentices, 6 jobs created for local people and 85% employed local labour. We volunteered monthly from January 2017 until December 2021 at The Ace of Clubs in Clapham, offering support to vulnerable homeless people. This included preparing and serving lunch.
Fair
Payments were paid on time and this continued even when the site was closed during Covid. We helped pay some of our supply chain’s material order during Covid to ensure work continuity and agreed many final accounts ahead of project completion.
Sustainability
This project achieved BREEAM Very Good, EPC of A rating, and air permeability of 3m3/hr/m2. Other sustainable features include photovoltaics, sustainable drainage systems and both blue and green roofs.
Aftercare
Galliford Try Facilities Management will be on site for five years, aiding 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Our Project Director continued to stay on site 10 weeks post completion to make sure that everything was working as it should be and resolve defects promptly.
SCF Framework Manager
Alex Nelhams
Email: alex.nelhams@hants.gov.uk
Phone: 07717 003869
Contractor Framework Manager
Priya Parthi / Angela Purse
Email: Priya.parthi@gallifordtry.co.uk / Angela.purse@gallifordtry.co.uk
Phone: 07484037015 / 07593 561 855
Kingsbrook View Primary Academy, Aylesbury
The state-of-the-art school consists of a new build two-storey SIP construction teaching block and main hall, a sports pitch and associated external soft and hard landscaping providing 420 places and 52 nursery places.
Project Information
Procurement Type: Two stage
Form of Contract: JCT 2016 D&B
Contract Period: 48 weeks
Size: 2,515 m
The Challenge
- The need to undertake a complete redesign of the school at the start of the PCSA period due to adverse comments from the Local Planning Authority on the RIBA Stage 2 design.
- Ensuring our developed red line boundary aligned with both the council position and the developer’s team.
- Designing to budget
- Speed, safety and cost of construction
The Solution
- The complete redesign of the school building and landscape was completed at the outset of RIBA Stage 3, and the overall PCSA design programme was still met.
- Early in the process we worked closely with the developer’s team to engage on incoming service locations, drainage connections and tie-ins to local S278 highways. In order to ensure tie in positions were suitably coordinated Morgan Sindall ran a separate combined model which was shared with the developer’s design team so an external ‘clash’ process could be used. Once fully coordinated, Morgan Sindall supported the council on key deliverable dates which formed a key part of the land transfer legal documentation
- The design was market tested during RIBA Stage 3. We managed the design and budget throughout the PCSA using our supply chain early to market test packages and set a realistic and achievable cost plan from the outset achieving the contract sum below the agreed PCSA cost plan. We performed a sanity check on the Pick Everard stage 2 cost plan.
4. SIP construction is much faster than traditional building. At Kingsbrook, using SIP construction allowed the programme to be significantly reduced whilst still producing a quality building.
The Results
- Planning approval was achieved with no pre-commencement conditions.
- Once the land transfer was signed, no delays were parted onto the project as a result of developer delays. Once the contractual side had been finalised, we worked alongside the developer to produce a combined traffic management plan which ensured interfaces on deliveries and loading zones were fully coordinated to avoid any disruption to the local residence in the vicinity of the school.
- No VE was required at CP stage. The client, Morgan Sindall and the design team worked very well together, taking a ‘one team’ collaborative approach where design matters were discussed openly and always in a constructive and objective way. The design was delivered within the client budget which was agreed very early on in the PCSA. This cost plan was updated with package fees as they came in and shared with the Client PM on commercial catch-up calls scheduled weekly creating an open-book collaborative working relationship from the outset.
4. The SIP installation was 12 weeks allowing following trades and internal works to progress. Additionally, due to the nature of SIP construction all internal walls had been installed and therefore this removed the 1st fix process of drylining, reducing installation time and in turn associated costs. The site establishment was required for less time and therefore overhead costs of accommodation, site setup and management costs are minimised. Due to SIP construction consisting mostly of offsite production this significantly reduced risk on site, the panels were produced in a controlled factory environment away from the construction site, leaving minimal works to take place on site.
14
Apprentices
80%
SME Spend
£394k
Added Value
9/10
Client Satisfaction
Client Testimonials
Contractor Performance | Commitments
Aftercare
Soft landings for handover
Dedicated Morgan Sindall point of contact
On-line portal for notifying any defects with 3 priority categories for response times
Safe
Zero RIDDORs
CCS Score 43/45
Fair
100% payment within 30 days terms
Sustainability
The high-quality, energy efficient building is designed to enhance the character of the local area and provide a positive contribution to the public realm and includes a number of landscaping features to help complement its surrounds including planting choices to maximise benefits for wildlife.
Air tightness achieved required performance of 4m3/(h.m2) at 50 pascals, 98% waste diverted from landfill, 100% timber responsibly sourced, Solar panels on roof, Thermally efficient reducing carbon emissions helping LA meet its carbon reduction targets, Electric charging points installed; cycle and scooter storage, Wildlife area and forest school
Legacy
25 beneficiaries (36% aged 16-25)
8 jobs created
266 trainee weeks
Schools engagement: 120 students
£5,000 donations to charity
112 volunteer hours
89% social value created
SCF Framework Manager
James Wright
Email: james.wright@hants.gov.uk
Phone: 07761 330560
Contractor Framework Manager
Alan Smedley
Email: alan.smedly@morgansindall.com
Phone: 07967 686066
The Bottle Yard 2 Studios
Project Details
Procurement Type:
Two stage Design & Build
Form of Contract:
NEC 4
Contract Period: 34weeks
Size: 82,000 sq ft
The Challenge
Bristol City Council (BCC) contracted ISG to convert the industrial property at Hawkfield Business Park, less than half a mile from the main Bottle Yard site, into three new state-of-the-art studios in South Bristol (The Bottle Yard 2).
BCC was heavily focused on increasing the sustainable performance of the studios as well as delivering a social value target of £230,500.
During the Preconstruction Service Agreement (PCSA) period ISG’s team worked alongside AHR, Method and CMB to develop the mechanical ventilation strategy after an initial survey indicated that the original natural ventilation strategy would not be sufficient to service the volumetric needs of the studio spaces required to meet regulatory requirements. The new mechanical ventilation systems had to be carefully designed to integrate the acoustic requirements of the sound stages.
The new system had to be designed to provide flexibility at height to accommodate the lighting, staging and sound rigs within the studio areas.
The Solution
Due to the internal scale of the rooms, standard building regulations and compliance had to be carefully considered to deliver compliant low energy mechanised ventilation system with heat-recovery and fan coil units delivering hot/ cold air into internal spaces. ISG worked with Method and CMB to develop a series of thermal models to define how the studio space would perform through each season. Their mechanised ventilation system features ceiling mounted textile baffles which align with the customer’s need for highly specified acoustic performance and minimal suspended services which could interfere with the staging rigs. The system’s benefits include:
- Superior acoustic control
- Meets user requirement for minimal roof-based services
- Better user environmental control
- Reduced in operation carbon
Designed to provide enhanced sustainable and operational performance, The Bottle Yard 2 (TBY2) adds three new sound stages measuring: 20,000 sq. ft, 16,000 sq. ft and 7,000 sq. ft to the existing Bottle Yard facility, accompanied by ancillary spaces including production offices, prop stores, costume/ make-up and break-out areas totalling 82,000 sq. ft.
ISG worked with Bristol City Council who were committed to following a performance and evidence based approach to social value, based on National Themes, Outcomes and Measures (TOMS) developed by Social Value Portal. ISG worked in partnership with BCC, Social Value Portal and their supply chain to develop a bespoke social value plan.
The Results
The new studios are one of the first Studios to be awarded BAFTA albert’s inaugural Studio Sustainability Standard. It was the second highest scoring studio out of the 12 participating in this first cohort. The project also won a 2023 Global Production Award in the Sustainable initiative category at Canne Film Festival.
Since its completion in November 2022, the expansion to The Bottle Yard, from eight to 11 stages, has ensured the continuing growth of this already established facility and secured Bristol’s status as a UNESCO City of Film, allowing growth via clients such as BBC and Amazon.
Overall, the investment in the current Bottle Yard Studios site and additional studio provision at the new TBY2 facility located at Hawkfield Business Park is expected to create 135 jobs during the refurbishment process, with a further 863 jobs created over the next 10 years through an accompanying Workforce Development Programme focused on high-end TV skills and targeting development of new talent in South Bristol.
The project has created a legacy in South Bristol. It has generated £3,153,615.37 of social value at completion versus a target of £230,589.44. Outperforming the target by 1,367.63%. The collaboration between BCC, ISG and members of the TBY2’s integrated delivery team played a critical part the project’s success in promoting investment in the local economy and surrounding community.
72
Apprenticeship weeks
£3,060,172
SME Spend
88%
Client Satisfaction
Improved performance in operation and end-user wellbeing due to improved thermal & acoustic strategy
Added Value
Client Testimonials
Contractor Performance | Commitments
Fair
100% payment within 30-day terms
Sustainability
Up to 70% off annual running costs
Safe
Zero RIDDORs
CCS score: 44/45
26/27 CLOCS Audit Score
Aftercare
Handover & Aftercare Contractor Promise
Legacy
Support local community projects:
Heart of BS13 – Volunteer day to help set up the new sustainable flower farm
Wild Goose Charity – Volunteer day to refurbish and paint worn cafe furniture
Inclusion for disabled and neuro diverse colleagues’ training for 3 staff members
11 community events
5 jobs created
SCF Framework Manager
Kingsley Clarke
Email: kingsley.clarke@devon.gov.uk
Phone: 07805760622
Contractor Framework Manager
Bristol Humanities Hub
The new state-of-the-art Humanities Building is in the Arts Complex surrounded by a series of handsome of Victorian villas with Woodland Road nearby.
Project Details
Procurement Type:
Two Stage
Form of Contract:
NEC version 4
Contract Period: 86 weeks
Size: 29,375 sq ft
The Challenge
Restricted footprint – The dimensions of the site were 30 x 70m in a complex urban live environment adjacent to occupied Grade II listed properties.
Demolition in a confined live environment – The confined nature of the site required sensitive demolition.
Impact on adjacent Grade II Listed buildings – The original site comprised of an existing single storey building and external courtyard space, located behind the two main Grade ΙΙ listed villas.
Basement design – A key project driver was the basement solution confirmed as this was vital to achieving the budget and programme.
Design of the retaining structure – With budget and programme constraints to consider, a hybrid solution was developed, which moved away from the simplest option of using contiguous piling in all three areas.
Ventilation solution and occupancy level assumptions – We reduced occupancy levels, which enabled natural ventilation to be considered. This supported the aspiration in line with BREEAM Excellent.
The Solution
Restricted footprint – Due to the confines of the site, we could not use mobile cranes as these would have required lorries to support the mobile cranes, increasing congestion of local roads to an impractical level for our neighbours. As an alternative, we used a tower crane which occupied less room occupying only 5 x 5m and preventing unnecessary disturbance to the local community.
Demolition in a confined live environment – Demolition was planned to have minimum impact on students, faculty and adjacent privately owned student accommodation during holiday periods starting in July 2018. In collaboration with the client’s facilities management team, we isolated fire alarms and ensured there was a temporary fire strategy for retained buildings following demolition of existing structures.
Impact on adjacent Grade II Listed buildings – Adjacency to existing buildings was immediately identified during the pre-construction phase as a key area of design risk. Early works involved re-evaluating the basement perimeter, to increase the area between existing buildings and the boundary, whilst maximising the footprint to accommodate a lecture theatre, cinema, and plant room.
Basement design – The original basement depth and proximity to existing structures (party wall) and retained teaching facilities presented a risk to construction. During the design phase we relocated the basement, minimising the risk to programme, cost, and buildability. Our design team reviewed spatial planning and reconfigured internal layouts which were agreed in collaboration with the client’s project manager and client stakeholders. Our solution used off-site manufactured pre-cast basement walls which reduced programme time. This demonstrated a six-week saving to the original programme.
Design of the retaining structure – Retaining structure solutions:
- Contiguous pile wall to part of the perimeter as a retaining system for two sides of the lecture theatre on the Northeast of the site, this is pinned with free standing cantilevers
- Slope batters at 2.1m for remaining basement wall structure
- Waterproofed contiguous pile wall with masonry face, incorporating drainage gulley
- Precast wall favoured for remaining walls, with integrated damp proof membrane and stone backfill placed between the building’s steel frame structure
Ventilation solution and occupancy level assumption – We introduced natural ventilation on the first floor. Using thermal modelling we reassessed and rationalised the mechanical to natural ventilation. This aligned the scheme with the client’s aspiration to have natural ventilation wherever possible. This allowed reduction in the requirements of ventilation. We reduced large ducts within and on the side of the building creating additional floor space. We removed the need for large risers allowing us to provide extra cupboards and increased floor plan space.
The Results
- To overcome the restricted footprint, ISG worked closely with Bristol City Council Highways Department to create a traffic-controlled loading lane on the busy Tyndalls Road. This enabled the efficient offload of materials via the site tower crane
- By sequencing the demolition, we prevented possible uncontrolled collapse. This was achieved by the buildings being munched down to ground rather than dropped
- Vibration monitoring ensured piling works for both the adjoining wall and the basement floor, from which the steel frame is mounted, did not impact on adjacent properties
- The priority was to re-design the basement perimeter, with the requirement to both minimise risk to adjacent properties and enable sufficient space to construct the retaining walls. By re-positioning, the plant room, and subsequent risers, whilst maintaining the position of the lecture theatre, adequate space was created
- ISG aligned the scheme with the client’s aspiration to have natural ventilation.
6
Apprentices
79%
SME Spend
£760k
Added Value
84%
Client Satisfaction
Client Testimonials
Contractor Performance | Commitments
Fair
100% payment within 30-day terms
Sustainability
100% waste diverted from landfill.
BREEAM Excellent
Green roof, photovoltaics, natural ventilation
Safe
Zero RIDDORs
CCS Score 42/50
Legacy
4 Open Doors sessions
34 attendees to a Women in Property site visit
WOWEX (World of Work Experience) – 18 attendees with 5 accepted onto ISG’s apprenticeship programme
10 school and college visits engaging 400 young people
15 community events
10 jobs created
Aftercare
Handover & Aftercare Contractor Promise
