Willmott Dixon Interiors has commenced work on a third major refurbishment project at an office building in West Yorkshire. We are reconfiguring and modernising c.14,000 sq ft of office accommodation on level 7 of the ten-storey Quarry House in Leeds city centre.
The project, which was procured under the Procurement Hub Major Projects Framework, has already received an excellent Considerate Constructors Scheme score of 43/45.
Eoghan Moriarty, Hannah Darby and Alex Turton from Willmott Dixon Interiors.
The achievement recognises our commitment to respecting the local community, caring for the environment and valuing our workforce.
These commitments include:
- Engaging with local careers fairs, schools and supporting Leeds Mencap via an Easter Egg collection
- Donating redundant furniture to a local prison
- Working to deliver Mental Health First Aid training to 100% of our workforce
- And, as part of our Now or Never strategy, targeting operational net zero by the end of 2030 for all new buildings and major refurbishments, and by the end of 2040 for net zero embodied carbon
Level 7 is the latest project we are delivering at Quarry House, and follows the CAT B fit-out and refurbishment of 64,583 sq ft of commercial office space on level 2 of the building.
Completed CAT B refurbishment for Level 2 at Quarry House.
Work is close to completion on a separate project on level 8, which is revamping 12,000 sq ft of office space to create modern, flexible office accommodation for as many as 130 people.
Phil Crowther, Director at Willmott Dixon Interiors said: “We are extremely proud to have achieved such an impressive CCS score. It not only underlines the professional manner in which we approach the delivery of projects but again highlights the many ways in which we make a real difference in local communities. Our teams continue to work incredibly hard to deliver modern and collaborative office space at Quarry House, where people can work safely and flexibly. We are confident that the knowledge and experience we have already gained during our time on site will ensure the completion of works on level 7 with minimal disruption for occupants.”
There has been considerable progress on the refurbishment and redevelopment of two former retail spaces. These units will be established into a new biomedical research & development facility within central Oxford, and will be known as Inventa.
There is a new extension to the front of the building. This extension includes fair face concrete columns and beams that also support the new floors, thereby providing a two-storey space. In total, 184 new CFA piles have been installed, with some going to a depth of 27m to support this larger structure.
The construction of the new first floor used an innovative method of rolled rebar from Hy-Ten Reinforcement, called Bamtec. Bamtec is a system for installing the reinforcement for an in-situ concrete slab in a much faster method than traditional loose bar. This process greatly reduces labour time, fixing requirements on site, and reduces the health and safety risk with manual handling. You can view the installation of this time saving process here.
In addition to the reinforced concrete structure forming the colonnade extension and mezzanine slab, the majority of the original steel work and existing red brick cladding has been retained, together with the original roof structure which was overlayed with a new metal roof system. This steel work will remain exposed and will be a striking feature within this CAT A project.
The precast stairs are now in place within the new stair cores. Furthermore, a curtain wall system has been installed to the front colonnade and the glazing is now in place. In addition to these large windows at the front, ribbon window will be installed to the back and sides of the building, additionally rooflights have also been fitted. This provides a light and airy space throughout the structure.
To reduce the carbon footprint of the building, 250mm insulation has been installed within the roof space. This will complement other heat saving features that will be incorporated as the project is finalised.
To see more about this project and to appreciate the scale of the refurbishment, you can see a bird’s eye view of the project from our drone footage.
For more information on what a CAT A fit-out is, see our blog.
Digital Construction process were applied throughout the design of the project and continue to be used throughout the build. To find out more about the benefits of this methodology, see here
Modern methods of construction can work to develop the design faster and more efficiently.
We are currently delivering the refurbishment and extension at Princess Royal Hospital for University Hospitals Sussex NHS Trust. This work is on an existing modular facility to create a new Urology Consulting Department. The project has been driven by the need to create more space and improved services. Involving the demolition and strip-out of the building, fit out, external works and MEP connection, we have been revamping the space. The new Urology department will accommodate over double the current capacity, at over 1000 new patients each month.
Modular Construction
Modular units were recently delivered to the project to form the building’s super structure. These units were created off site and delivered to the project across three days. This was the chosen process for the project due to the nature of the existing building already being modular. Creating an extension in a modular way fitted with how the existing building was built. There were 10 modular units installed by our team during their delivery, which will help to form the Urology department.
Key benefits to adopting modular construction:
- Reduced programme
- Shorten time on site
- Reduced disruption to the customer, users of the building, and local residents
- Reduced need for storage on site
- Lower volume of waste
Martin Glazebrook, Capital Project Manager for the Urology Investigation and Treatment Centre said, “This project combines the refit of an existing building with these new modules to provide a large, purpose-designed unit for our colleagues in Urology. It’s a real pleasure to work on projects that you know will make such a difference to the experience of patients.”
Providing a more sustainable building
Not only does this save time and reduce disruption, it also further enhances the sustainability of creating the building. Impressively, it can reduce waste by up to 90% than traditional methods of construction. The way in which the units are created minimises the amount of energy used in the process of manufacturing the building.
Likewise, a reduced programme has its sustainable benefits. This results in less travelling to work, reducing traffic movements by up to 90%. Leading to less traffic on the roads also further minimises disruption to local residents and staff at the hospital.
Innovating the way we do construction
Our experience in modular units at Princess Royal Hospital add to a body of innovative work to reduce programmes and create an efficient, high-quality refurbishment. We implemented a similar process for University Hospital Sussex NHS Trust on our refurbishment at their Royal Sussex County Hospital for their Urgent Treatment Centre.
As pressures further increased on the NHS during Covid-19, with an increase of patients in A&E, the hospital’s need for additional treatment space was highly critical to support their everyday work. The customer needed this project to be completed at a fast-pace and effectively. Manufactured off-site, modular units were delivered and installed on site in an efficient manner to vastly reduce the programme length.
Containing 5 treatment rooms, a reception waiting room, accessible toilets, and a utility room, as well as commercial office space, this innovative way of working was successful. This was effective in building in a modular way for University Hospitals Sussex NHS Trust, helping to reduce the pressures of the Urgent Treatment Centre with additional space and improved patient flow.
To hear Andy Gray, Construction Manager, speak about the process of modular construction and the benefits, click here.
Two construction professionals from Willmott Dixon Interiors are leading the refurbishment of a landmark West Yorkshire office building they helped to construct more than 30 years ago.
Senior build manager, Brian Cole, and his colleague, build manager, Stephen Smith, were part of the original team that delivered Quarry House, a ten-storey building in Leeds city centre.
Build manager, Stephen Smith and Senior build manager, Brian Cole.
The pair are now spearheading Willmott Dixon Interiors’ CAT B fit-out and refurbishment of more than 90,000 sq ft of commercial office space at the building on Quarry Hill – the first time it has been refurbished since it officially opened in July 1993.
Former joiner, Brian Cole aged 54, moved to Yorkshire from South Wales in the late 1980s and was recruited by local firm, GF Joinery to work on the original Quarry House build. He has been based in the region ever since.
Brian Cole, Senior Building Manager
Brian said: “It was like stepping back in time when I re-entered the building, although I still couldn’t find my way around it! I was just starting out on my career when Quarry House was first built. I remember it being cold and the ground outside was boggy but it was one of the few construction sites where the facilities were good. At the time, Quarry House was one of the largest government buildings to have been built since the second world war and was designed to entice people out of London. It had a really impressive main entrance, with lots of amenities.”
Quarry House provided new headquarters for a government ministry and cost £85 million to build – equivalent to c.£190 million today.
It housed 2,500 staff and boasted its own hairdressers, nursery and dentists, as well as a gymnasium and tranquil gardens. Visitors were greeted by a specially-woven water theme carpet in the foyer and could access facilities including a luxury swimming pool and bar.
Stephen Smith, a 65-year-old former roofer from Sheffield, describes the building as an “impressive place” and recalls its multi-levelled gardens. He also carried out maintenance work on the duplex housing estate that occupied the site prior to Quarry House – one of the first projects in his near 50-year career in construction.
Steve Smith, Building Manager
“I worked on the original estate which was demolished in the 1980s. I didn’t realise quite what Quarry House was going to be used for at the time and I never got to see the finished article as we’d completed our part of the project before Brian arrived to work on the interiors.”
Willmott Dixon Interiors was appointed to fit-out and refurbish 64,583 sq ft of commercial office space on level two of Quarry House in 2018. The contractor delivered modern and collaborative work space on a single-level, large floor plate, providing office accommodation for 800 government employees.
It is currently working on two additional projects to upgrade c.12,000 sq ft of commercial office space on level eight of the building and a further c.14,000 sq ft on level seven.
The project team has secured a national Considerate Constructors Scheme Award for the quality of its delivery and Brian Cole was recognised as a finalist at the CIOB Construction Manager of the Year Awards for his personal contribution.
Brian and Steve have helped to deliver several of the biggest construction projects in Leeds in the last three decades, including Leeds Station, Trinity Shopping Centre, the Prudential Assurance Building and Leeds Magistrates Court.
The refurbishment of Quarry House will be Stephen’s last construction project, as he is set to retire in April 2023.
Steve said: “Leeds is a booming city and although Quarry House no longer dominates the skyline like it once did, it’s still an important building. This project has taken on added significance since the pandemic. It’s all about delivering a safe space for people to come back to work in, with a light, open and user friendly environment. It’s been a real privilege to come back here and have the opportunity to give the building a new lease of life that will hopefully last for another 30 years to come.”
Find out more about our projects at Quarry House here.
Refurbishment of Quarry House, Leeds
Willmott Dixon Interiors has completed the £47.35 million refurbishment of London South Bank University’s (LSBU) London Road Building.
The national fit-out and refurbishment specialist contractor has redeveloped the university’s learning environments as part of one of the biggest transformation programmes in its history.
The new learning hub features modern workspaces, amenities and technology, designed to support individual learning needs and create new and different ways of engaging students.
LSBU staff and students will benefit from 191,000 sq ft of dedicated learning spaces, including a new state-of-the-art library and learning resource, as well as improved Academy of Sport facilities, with a fully equipped gymnasium.
There are new open access computer rooms with updated equipment, private rooms for group work and study, additional lecture capacity and new and improved places to eat.
The transformation has also completely overhauled the arrival experience at the London Road Building, with a new entrance lobby, staircases and lifts greatly improving accessibility.
Willmott Dixon Interiors has delivered the BREEAM ‘Very Good’ rated space to maximise natural daylight, removing existing facades and installing skylights in the library and concourse areas. It features a building management system to support the efficient use of energy and uses LED lighting throughout.
Sustainably sourced natural materials are a feature of the design, including a birch plywood feature wall showcasing a large fabric artwork, which injects colour and vibrancy into the building. Externally a new blue roof system and rain attenuation tank have been installed to attenuate and manage stormwater.
The project used BIM Level 2 methodology, with works delivered by Willmott Dixon Interiors and its supply chain partners during the pandemic and within a live campus environment. It is a key part of LSBU’s wider redevelopment project at its campus at Elephant and Castle, which aims to consolidate its position as a leading modern university, and provide benefits to students, staff and the wider community.
Graham Shaw, managing director of Willmott Dixon Interiors, said: “This is a bold and exciting project that realises LSBU’s vision for revolutionising the student experience. It has made best use of space across the entire campus, delivering dedicated learning zones and the capacity and facilities to serve students, staff and the wider community for many years to come.
“We have a substantial presence in the university sector and have built a deeply collaborative relationship with LSBU during the course of the project. It has provided us with the opportunity to showcase our full range of capabilities in structural refurbishment, interior fit out and working in a busy campus environment.”
The project was delivered by Willmott Dixon Interiors and a team including Wilkinson Eyre Architects, Eckersley O’Callaghan as structural engineers, BDP as services engineer and Fulkers LLP as project manager and cost consultant.