Name: Alan Grant ACIOB
Employer: BAM Construction
Project: Darwin Centre Phase 2 Natural History Museum, London
Contract: NEC 3
Alan Grant’s formidable construction brief would have had any construction manager swallowing hard. His task was to build a structure the likes of which had never been built before in Europe, let alone the UK. The stunning design was for a 65m-high eight-storey-spanning concrete cocoon incorporating all the latest environmental controls to protect 28 million natural history specimens.
Alan proceeded to give a bravura display of technical knowledge and insight, faultless construction control, and inspired boldness. He narrowed down the cocoon creation options to two – sprayed concrete or traditional formwork – and then delivered a value-engineering triumph by going with the first. It accelerated the programme, eliminated materials wastage, and meant he could get the shape right at the first attempt.
Given that concrete spraying is such a messy business and the cocoon design required careful consideration, it was an enormous decision and a calculated risk. But Alan’s methodology was faultless. As the structure was formed he chased the sprayed concrete shell up behind it, casting 600mm-square concrete columns to temporarily support the cantilevered floor slabs until the cocoon was complete and the shell had cured.
Alan followed up the structural success with a phenomenal finish. To ensure the highest quality, he wanted to let the cocoon’s insulation, reinforced render and polished plaster elements as one package. But polished plaster companies tend to be small, and Alan pretty well had to move heaven and earth to find one able and willing to take on the entire package. The stunning quality of the finish vindicated his decision.
Technical mastery was only part of the story. Because he recruited his core team from the best people he’d worked with, his obvious confidence gave the client immediate reassurance.
And when the design team initially voiced reservations about his procurement strategy, he didn’t dig his heels in but took a flexible approach to ensure the early design package information met the required dates. His consultative and collaborative management style became ever clearer as the project progressed, and he gradually won the team over to his way of thinking and working.
Value: £46m