Name: David Saville MCIOB
Employer: Laing O’Rourke
Project: University Place, The University of Manchester
Contract: JCT 1998
Despite the constraints of the traditional form of contract on this project, David Saville’s implementation of modern managerial philosophies avoided any descent into adversarial relationships.
His collaborative management style embraced the client, forging strong relationships and working partnerships. He worked proactively with the ultimate users to ensure they would get what they wanted from the landmark scheme. His promotion of open communications and information sharing gave the client well-founded confidence that its time, cost and quality requirements would all be met.
His teamwork ethic extended just as much to the architects and engineers. He led the design meetings with vigour, offering the design team the construction, materials and buildability knowledge and understanding needed to reach the optimum solution for the client. Dave drove the design development in such a way that the client knew he delivered both quality and value for money.
As works progressed, he saw that a comprehensive design management mechanism would be advantageous to all. So even though the contract placed the majority of risk outside Laing O’Rourke’s ownership, he established a confirmation and change management system that underpinned a more proactive approach towards design.
For example, he introduced temporary steel structures to stabilise the frame, allowing safer and faster construction of reinforced concrete transfer elements after the erection of the primary steel. He drove the design of a contiguous piled wall in the basement that cut costs and the programme. And he proposed the substitution of the atrium’s traditional glazed structure with an innovative ETFE system. Again, it brought the client savings and was fully supported by the architect.
He also nurtured relationships with specialist designers and subcontractors. His success underpinned the production of the complex works packages, such as the post-tensioned concrete frame in one block and the steel frame in another. He maximised existing relationships with the preferred supply chain to draw on a wealth of practical experience, design knowledge and understanding.
Value: £43m