Name: Nicholas Dodd (formerly of Verry Construction)
Employer: Now with Newhall Projects
Project: Newhall North Chase Phases 1 & 2, Essex
Contract: JCT 1998
In the constantly replayed clash between architectural aspirations and financial limitations, it is the construction manager who has to yoke both together in a combination strong enough to pull the project forward. Nicholas Dodd pulled off this trickiest of feats for a client that saw inspirational design and uncompromised standards as key components of its identity.
Five separate architects were commissioned to produce design concepts for this project. Through ingenuity, hard work and diplomacy, Nick managed the tortuous process of converting the resulting intricate detail and design complexity into buildable construction drawings that were acceptable to the client and design team.
Thoroughgoing value engineering was indispensable on the project. Nick reviewed virtually every component to make the savings that would give the client the look it wanted at a cost it could afford.
But the real key to creating a practicable scheme came from Nick’s ability to work out financially viable yet design-friendly fixing details for the concept architect’s timber veiling, which was to cover the rainscreen cladding. Covered by a provisional sum at tender settlement, the timber veiling still awaited a method of support and a way to operate the shutters. With the concept architect rejecting the project architect’s mock-up solution as overdesigned, Noel stepped in to resolve the impasse.
He organised a design meeting that had the designers sketching all over the walls to illustrate their different approaches to the veiling problem. The solution was to remove of all surplus-to-functionality support components and retain only the vital parts that would make the shutters move. The concept architect proclaimed his satisfaction and Nick saved the project budget nearly £400k in the process.
Once this breakthrough had been made, the rest of the project fell into place. Nick prepared and monitored the overall construction programme, but delegated the production of the short-term programmes and schedules to encourage team members to take ownership. The result speaks for itself: a bold scheme made buildable by Nick.
Value: £7.5m