Name: Gavin Colton ICIOB
Employer: Kier Marriott
Project: Victor Miller Building, Bowbridge Primary School, Newark
Contract: NEC 3
Incorporating glulam timber technology from top to bottom, Gavin Colton’s project was not for the faint-hearted. The double-curved lamella roof, structurally insulated wall and curved roof panels, a grid shell of glulam timber beams and posts, and plywood floor panels skin-bonded to timber joists all made for a complex and innovative build.
It also made for a project constantly teetering on the budgetary brink. By the time Gavin was appointed, the design had been under development for a year, and the project was considerably over budget and in danger of being shelved or so heavily reworked that the unique sustainability-focused design would be compromised. Already heavily value-engineered, the project had only a tiny amount of contingency factored into the cost plan.
Gavin’s involvement rescued this project. He offered a stream of sensible ideas, thoughts and practical ways that all helped bring costs under control.
His keen interest in the nuts and bolts of the timber technology also gave him the technical insight to realise that critical design issues had been overlooked. He immediately organised a series of meetings with the key subcontractors for their specialist advice on how to reconstruct the programme.
His open, straightforward and collaborative approach won the commitment of the subcontractors. He gave them equal ownership and responsibility in developing the schedule, and they in turn willingly bought into a tighter finishes programme that ultimately proved a success.
The strength of Gavin’s ability to form powerful and productive relationships is clear from his response to the departure of the original project architect just before site work started. He quickly gauged the new architect’s aspirations for the project and forged a relationship so good that the architect has asked for Gavin to work with his teams on future projects.
Relations with the other stakeholders were equally exceptional. Not one complaint was received from the neighbours, despite the obvious potential for problems from the dead-end access road and the substantial volume of construction operations. The school was also fully onside, with each class following the progress of the build and periodically visiting site.
And despite the very real difficulties of making the budget stretch to the vision, Gavin did it, delivering fine quality and minimal defects at handover as well as the innovative sustainable build.
£3.3m