Case studies

What Did The Job Involve?

The complete refurbishment of the Grade II listed Garrod Building in Whitechapel. Formerly housing the library of the Royal London Hospital, it is now a teaching space with an extensive collection of medical school research material. It also houses the Royal London Hospital Museum including the skeleton of John Merrick, the Elephant Man. The project involved the complete internal refurbishment of the building including the creation of new spaces for the student union in the form of offices, a cafe, a bar, a function room and gym. Teaching areas including the Milton and Ex Anatomy lecture theatres were refurbished.

New air handling units were lifted onto the roof and new heating and ventilation were provided to most spaces. The electricity supply had to be upgraded to cope with the additional demand caused by the new mechanical plant and commercial kitchen.

Over 150 doors were replaced many of which were in existing thick masonry walls. All ceilings were largely replaced and all areas were decorated. The flooring was replaced with a mixture of Milliken carpet and Amtico. The old library was restored to its former art deco glory with restoration work required to damaged plaster mouldings and the chandeliers.

What Were The Challenges?

There were many challenges to overcome most of which were associated with working an old building. Asbestos was required to be removed, damp eradicated and damaged drains cleared and renewed.

The site was land locked and agreement was reached with the NHS to lift from their neighbouring land. Deliveries had to be managed to avoid blocking local roads and with no external storage available all materials and plant had to be manoeuvred by hand on to site.

Beardwell’s Added Value

Added value was provided through budgeting, programming and through working with numerous client contractors and stakeholders. Extensive out of hours working enabled teaching areas to be handed over in time for the new term.

What Did The Job Involve?

As the incumbent contractor operating under QMUL’s MTC, we were initially asked to remodel parts of the 3rd floor before being commissioned to fit out new laboratories and refurbish the central corridor and ancillary rooms.

The works involved the transformation of offices into laboratories and the refurbishment and upgrade of remaining areas.This required the provision of new MEP installations throughout including new gas, mechanical ventilation and heating together with water and electrical supplies serving laboratory and ‘write up areas’.

A new fire alarm was installed along with over 300 new data cables linking the floor to both NHS and University servers. New finishes were provided to ceilings, walls and floors plus the whole of the area was redecorated. Finally, laboratory furniture including fume cupboards were installed.

What Were The Challenges?

The greatest challenge to the construction team was to ensure little or no disruption was caused by our operations to the Science Centre and that it remained fully operational throughout the construction process. Individual rooms were released on a progressive basis meaning that workflow was fragmented. This presented challenges in terms of logistics, particularly regarding access to working areas and storage of materials. Being a ‘live area’, noise and dust had to be strictly controlled.

The working day was divided into night and day shifts, with the former allowing us an opportunity to enter occupied rooms to upgrade air conditioning and fire detection systems. This thereby avoided disruption to the day to day activities of the University.

Detailed risk assessments were undertaken in collaboration with the University and BCL staff. These recognised the special conditions of working in a live research environment, setting standards and protocols to ensure the safety and wellbeing of the building’s occupants and our own operatives.

Material storage areas were limited and deliveries therefore required careful planning. To avoid disruption, materials and components were brought into the building either early in the morning or after hours .

Beardwell’s Added Value

In order to manage the interface with Research Staff and Students we held a weekly meeting with the client to report on progress and to outline activities planned for the forthcoming period.

Extensive validation surveys were undertaken to establish the integrity of the existing services and to determine their suitability for the proposed upgrade.

What Did The Job Involve?

This project involved the refurbishment of the iconic Albert Sloman Library at the University of Essex and fire compartment improvement works on the upper levels of the building. It is situated in the heart of the campus. Created by architect Kenneth Capon in the 1960’s and described as ‘Brutalist’, its architecture was designed to link social and educational space and to encourage a sense of community. 

Located on the ground floor podium level, the library underwent a significant upgrade including a new entrance and draft lobby, large reception desks, entrance barriers and offices.

The existing heating system was replaced with a modern efficient system and the lighting was upgraded significantly improving luminance levels throughout the space.

New fire-rated glass partitions were erected on the second, third, fourth and fifth floors as part of the building’s improved fire strategy. New flooring and sympathetic redecoration of the library provided the finishing touches giving the University a new modern working environment.

What Were The Challenges?

The building was located within the middle of the campus which provided a challenge to the arrangement of deliveries. This required significant forward planning.

Services to the building had to be maintained throughout the works to avoid disruption to other areas of the building.

The existing full storey-height windows had to be removed and replaced without compromising security or causing extensive damage. The windows and finishes were designed to co-ordinate with the existing fair-faced concrete structure.

Beardwell’s Added Value

Daily liaison and planning with university staff ensured minimal disruption to the building users. Local labour and sub-contractors were used throughout the project.

What Did The Job Involve?

The works included alterations and refurbishment of the existing Atrium (West Building), associated external works, and a new plant room extension. The external fabric of the building was given a makeover completely transforming it from the 60’s style to a modern teaching facility. This included replacing the windows, doors, curtain walling, over-cladding the existing brick façade to improve thermal performance, and extending the existing brise soleil.

Internally the existing atrium was given a makeover with improved lighting, comfort cooling and a new passenger lift serving the three floor levels. Existing rooms over three storeys were reconfigured to provide modern new teaching facilities now housing state of the art equipment including a 3D radiotherapy device, design hubs, and a 120-seater lecture theatre all surrounding an impressive café and social space.

What Were The Challenges?

Beardwell’s Added Value