Name: David Wilson
Employer: Morgan Sindall
Project: De Grey Court York St John University
Contract: JCT 1998
With 76 capital projects undertaken over the last eight years, David Wilson’s extremely demanding client has plenty of scope for making construction manager comparisons. Yet David comes out top, achieving the nearest thing to perfect delivery the university has ever experienced. The client even delayed his annual holiday so that he could support David in his interview for CMYA.
Having played a key part in winning the contract, David tackled the major construction and logistical challenges with zest. Three major arterial routes, including the busiest intersection in the city, converged on the 4,800 square metre site, which was surrounded by a public car park, residential properties, shops and other university buildings.
Further complications included a high-tech M&E spec and innovative technologies: chilled beams, underfloor heating, passive heating and cooling, and automatic ventilators. There was also underpinning and refurbishment of listed buildings, contamination, archaeology, student and staff movements, 57 planning conditions, and a no-slippage-countenanced programme that had to be complete for the next academic year.
David applied his extensive construction and technical knowledge, lateral thinking and can-do mentality with considerable force. His transparent, open and proactive management approach delivered the intense and challenging value engineering required to let the contract, overcoming the significant cost pressures.
His communication and problem-solving skills were excellent and he was ready to get to grips with the detail of any issue. He combined effective resource planning and co-ordination with great discipline, enormous motivation, an infectious humour, professional integrity and confidence. He showed respect for the skills of others and gave praise and criticism in equal measure.
He argued and debated issues of design, detail and quality with the architectural team with combativeness, but also with wit, wisdom and a clear desire to find a fair resolution to every problem. Crucially, he appreciated the value of design and was good at balancing objectives; never more so than when things seemed to be going wrong and the right decision needed to be made quickly. As a result, the project has been entered for numerous prestigious awards.
Value: £9.4m