New teaching block | Matravers School | Westbury

Clegg were appointed by Midas Construction Ltd as consultant engineers to deliver a new teaching block at Matravers school in Wiltshire. The project is currently at RIBA 4 tender stage. The information produced to date includes a full set of civil and structural drawings and a BIM model fully coordinated with the architect’s, M+E’s and furniture layouts. This project will provide high-quality teaching facilities for pupils and replace older existing facilities currently on the site. It is the latest in a series of significant investments being made in the school for the benefit of pupils and the wider community, through the government’s Priority School Building 2 programme. The new building designed by NVB Architects is expected to be completed by October 2019 and will house science, maths, ICT, technology and general teaching classrooms.

The process that we followed to reach this stage is based on standard BIM level 2 procedure and has involved sharing of BIM model on a fortnightly basis and clash detection exercises.

To help the contractor and the client with producing an efficient and robust cost plan, two different schemes were explored at an early stage (RC frame against steel frame). Both schemes were fully designed using complex 3D structural analysis software and costed by the main contractor. The steelwork option was deemed more cost-effective and the design has progressed on that basis.

Each of our submissions was reviewed by the client’s technical team and approved with very minor comments, in a timely manner, which allowed the project to progress in line with the overall SCF program which was defined at the outset.

We have produced a simple and cost-effective design, which complies with all the requirements set out by the ESFA. Using our skills in terms of structural analysis and BIM level 2 procedure we have managed to fully adhere to the tight and demanding program set out by the SCF.

The phasing of the project is being carried out to minimise disruption and avoid the need for temporary classrooms and will see the new three-storey 2,393sq m development built by Midas prior to the demolition and landscaping of an existing two-storey building on the school site.