Project Reports

Building a new people’s palace at Olympia

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Adding a host of new uses and spaces to a still-operational exhibition venue is a tall order. CN finds out how Laing O’Rourke is rising to the challenge Project client: Yoo Capital and Deutsche Finance International Main contractor: Laing O’Rourke Architect: Heatherwick Studio and SPPARC Structural engineering: Robert Bird Group…

Delivering HS2’s Old Oak Common station box

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The consortium digging out the box for HS2’s Old Oak Common station is operating on a grand scale Client: HS2 Ltd Contract value: £1.67bn (entire station) Contract type: NEC Main contractor: Balfour Beatty Vinci Systra JV Suppliers: Select (tower crane), Expanded (excavation plan). Structural engineering design: WSP Concrete frame/substructure: Expanded…

Building five pools and a football pitch in south London

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With movable swimming-pool floors, a football pitch perched on top, and 105 metres of waterslide, Morgan Sindall is having a lot of fun building the Woolwich Leisure Centre Contract: NEC 4 Option A Project value: £80m Main contractor: Morgan Sindall Client: Royal Borough of Greenwich Framework: Southern Construction Framework Engineer:…

East side story: proving the potential of volumetric construction

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A project in Walthamstow is proving just how far volumetric modular construction can go, with 75 per cent of two new towers being built offsite Project client: Long Harbour Contract value: £165m Contract type: JCT design-and-build Main contractor: Tide Construction Ltd Offsite manufacturer: Vision Modular Systems Architect: Assael Architecture Structural…

Full steam ahead: Willmott Dixon’s railway regeneration project

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An ambitious regeneration project to celebrate the engineering triumphs of yesteryear has required some clever engineering of its own Client: Darlington Borough Council Total cost: £34m Contract type: NEC (through SCAPE framework) Main contractor: Willmott Dixon Architect: SPACE Architects Groundworks: Wyn Construction Piling works: Roger Bullivant Mechanical: Leybourne Urwin Electrical: KM…

Suburban heights: Sisk’s NE02/03 Wembley Park scheme

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Sisk is slashing embodied carbon and optimising offsite-manufactured components in its latest job at Wembley Park Project client: Quintain Total cost: £230m (fixed-price contract) Contract type: JCT design-and-build Main contractor: John Sisk Architect: Haworth Tompkins Structural engineer: Elliott Wood/CampbellReith Groundworks: Harringtons Builders Demolition: Goody Demolition Piling: Keller Concrete cores and…

Urban quarriers: Cutting and carving at Panorama St Paul’s

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A former government building in the City of London is being painstakingly pared back to its frame and reclad using stone rescued from its previous facade Scheme: Panorama St Paul’s Client: Orion Capital Managers Architect: KPF Main contractor: Mace Contract value: £262m Start date: February 2022 Estimated completion: March 2025…

Hybrid welfare: MTX mixes modern and traditional

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A blend of building methods is speeding up the construction of a new centre at Colchester Hospital. Colin Marrs reports Project client: East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust Total cost: £50m Contract type: JCT (two stage via NHS SBS Framework) Main contractor: MTX ContractsArchitect: IBI Structural engineer: Rossi…

New kid on the dock: Everton Stadium

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A ‘no-blockwork’ strategy means every detail needs to be planned accurately on the construction of Everton FC’s new riverside stadium. Watch the video tour below... Project client: Everton Football Club Total cost: £555m Contract type: Bespoke design and build Main contractor: Laing O’Rourke Concept architect: MEIS Architects Delivery architect: BDP…

All change: The Stockport Interchange

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A £90m regeneration project near Stockport’s rail station aims to bring new life to the town centre Lead clients: Transport for Greater Manchester, for Greater Manchester Combined Authority Additional stakeholders: CityRise and Stockport Metropolitan Borough Council Main contractor: Willmott Dixon Customer lead consultant: WSP, working with BDP Contractor architects: Leach…