Finalist |
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Category: Projects under £4m |
There aren't many projects that can claim to have amassed a large collection of balls by completion, but for Stewart Johnson they're a telling index of the risk factor of this scheme. Built within the grounds of a city centre school, this new sports block bordered a major link road in an area prone to vandalism and theft, and had 1,400 curious pupils just the thickness of a Heras fence panel away.
Stewart insisted on site safety, a greater degree of tidiness than normal and the need to pay extra attention to the security of equipment. His constant vigilance paid off, with no accidents occurring onsite to either workforce or public.
He also showed himself an excellent resource planner, recovering a significant delay because of late engineering information. He constantly revisited management, planning and scheduling to deal with a number of variations during the contract. The extra works included the excavation of 800 cubic metres of unstable ground and major structural alterations to an existing gymnasium, which involved propping the upper floor while two support columns were removed.
The co-operation and participation of all parties was essential to delivering the project on time and to budget. Stewart involved all contractors in buildability as the works progressed to avoid foreseeable issues, encouraging all trades to identify potential problems. The strategy also promoted camaraderie within the team.
The excellent relationship he built with the design team allowed minor decisions to be taken without constant reference to the architect. The sound professional relationships ensured smooth progression of the works and continued financial viability by keeping within cost projections.
The result is a sports centre that has been built to an enviable standard, and which has left both client and architect immensely satisfied.
