Case studies

What Did The Job Involve?

Beardwell were appointed by Braintree District Council to Design and Build this 21st Century Building – a £2.3m state-of-the-art centre of excellence for construction innovation. The two-storey hub consists of workshop and demonstration spaces, a technology lab and conference facilities.

Using off-site construction methods this building demonstrates a best-practice example of how modern-day building techniques can support construction and improve efficiency. This was initiated by the client and was translated by us into the completed design by our designers, Barker Associates.

Achieving BREEAM Excellent. The Building showcases sustainable development standards by looking at the building design and operation including management, energy, health and well-being, transport, water, materials, waste, land use, ecology and pollution.

Working with different sustainable materials and systems using a mixture of structural technologies required careful consideration of details and interfaces before work commenced.

What Were The Challenges?

The challenge for the whole team was to pick up on the stage 2 design already completed and to translate this into a final project that met the funding criteria of being Breeam Excellent. Many items had to be revisited to ensure that the final credits could be achieved. The design was altered and various aspects were incorporated to avoid disappointment. This was led by the direction provided by Edwin O’Connell, our appointed Breeam Sustainability Consultant.

Beardwell’s Added Value

From the outset, Beardwell supported by our appointed design team led design and developed construction techniques in partnership with all stakeholders to ensure we met the challenging targets set by the brief. We are extremely proud of the result a showcase of just how a true collaborative partnership can deliver even the most challenging of projects.

What Did The Job Involve?

The project in Pemberton Row involved the full refurbishment of a Grade II listed office building located near Fleet Street in Central London. The building comprises a basement, ground and three upper floors with a roof terrace. The property is situated opposite New Street Square, near both Fleet Street and Fetter Lane. The area is synonymous with legal practices and the next-door building is the birthplace of the first comprehensive English dictionary, otherwise known as Dr. Johnson’s House one of the earliest residential houses in the City of London.

The building was fully stripped out including the removal of all services and walls demolished to facilitate the new layout. Repairs including waterproofing were carried out to the fabric and drainage. Structural alterations were undertaken to facilitate the new layout and access and basement access. The windows were fully refurbished and the glazing was replaced as required, The roof was overlaid and the handrails were upgraded.

Internally the offices were fitted out with new lighting, power, heating and cooling. A lift was installed and the stairs were renovated. New lobby division walls were installed with slatted acoustic treatment to ceilings. A shower room and kitchen were installed in the basement and the WCs on each floor were renovated to modern standards.

What Were The Challenges?

The primary challenge was access. Due to the land-locked inner city location there was no parking or storage facilities on site. Beardwell had to carefully coordinate just in time deliveries and wait and load waste removal. Our welfare and offices had to be contained on site which meant phasing the project.

Beardwell’s Added Value

Due to the type of work there were many unexpected items encountered. It was therefore important to assist the client to manage the contingency and risk allowances. Regular cost updates and value engineering exercises were undertaken to ensure the project remained within budget.

What Did The Job Involve?

This project was in two phases. Firstly the mezzanine floor meeting area including refreshment zone was refurbished. Secondly, a new bar area was created on the 5th Floor with stunning views over the London skyline. The conference room, staff kitchen, breakout and outdoor seating areas were also created in the same area.

The work itself comprised soft-strip and some minor alterations including new steelwork to the 5th floor. The finishes to the meeting rooms on the mezzanine were completely renewed with new victorian style internal glazed partitions. A media wall was constructed in each area with feature lighting being installed and new furniture.

Services were altered and renewed to suit the new layouts. MVHR and air conditioning were provided with supply and extract ventilation above a feature MF ceiling to the 5th floor. A new semi-circular bar with fixtures and fittings was installed in place with shelving and furniture units to the rear. The flooring to the bar area was precisely set out to ensure that the bar feature shape could be preserved.

What Were The Challenges?

Working in a live operational environment required not only the erection of physical barriers in the form of specially constructed acoustic and dust proof screens but also close liaison with Red Bull staff. Conferences and training events were accommodated by altering working patterns.
Restricted access meant deliveries had to be carefully scheduled.. Storage on site was limited and so materials had to arrive just in time or be moved constantly so work could progress.

As with many high-class fit-out projects design changes had to be accommodated during the works and this required the complete co-operation of our supply chain and our operatives on site.

Beardwell’s Added Value

Client specialists for AV and Sound Systems accommodated towards the end of the project without impact.

We brought forward a section of work into phase 1 to allow for a client conference.

What Did The Job Involve?

What Were The Challenges?

Beardwell’s Added Value