university of east london
DESCRIPTION
University of East LondonTRANSCRIPT
Excellence in precast concrete
Bell & Webster
The University of East London relocated to the
Docklands site as part of their consolidation and
expansion. The £110million programme of expansion
and renewal has created a world class learning
environment that is attractive, accessible and
welcoming, open 24hrs a day, seven days a week.
The student residences project commenced by HBG
Construction Limited in September 2005 and was
completed in March 2007.
UEL Student Residences Accommodation
The development for the University of East London’s
campus at Royal Albert Docks, provides 788 student
bed spaces and ancillary facilities on a previously
vacant site adjacent to the University’s existing
Docklands campus. The site is opposite London City
Airport, is bounded by the Royal Albert Dock, a
publicly accessible dock edge path to the south, the
Docklands Light Railway, Gallions Reach Roundabout,
University Way to the north and Woolwich Manor
Way to the east. The building was constructed
using precast concrete in the main because of its
robust nature, acoustic and thermal properties, the
elimination of wet trades saving time and money and
the speed of erection.
The design was in close liaison with London Borough of Newham
Planners, the Mayor’s Architecture and Urbanism Unit and also
passed detailed scrutiny by CABE’s Design Review Panel. Detailed
geotechnical studies were conducted to mitigate the impact of
the scheme, which also involved close consultation with the
Royal Docks Management Authority to meet the requirements
of spectators during rowing events, and with the City Airport
to negate impact on radar and physical safeguarding as well
as meeting the requirements of Docklands Light Railway which
bounds the site to the north. The five, seven-storey blocks have
been orientated to open up the site to the south where they
face the docks and to allow for as many windows as possible to
enjoy a view of the water.
The Design and Appearance
The rooms are arranged in five, seven-storey rendered blocks
orientated north-south and three, three-storey timber clad blocks
connected east-west. The accommodation in the seven-storey
blocks is predominantly single study bedrooms, each of which have
an en-suite shower room, grouped in flats of between four and
seven sharing a communal kitchen-dining room. In the three-storey
blocks the accommodation is individual self-contained studios.
In addition twelve wheelchair accessible bedrooms are provided.
The buildings are in harmony with the other rendered buildings
in the vicinity, using bright colours with clean lines.
speed of constructionconstruction
The blocks are generally constructed from precast concrete panel
walls, floors and roof. The ensuite shower rooms are precast
concrete pods chosen by HBG Construction Limited and supplied
by Sterchele. The bar and the ground floor of Longbridge House
have been constructed in insitu reinforced concrete.
External finishes have been selected to complement the existing
campus building and the new campus, and also for their
robustness and compliance with the thermal and acoustic
performance requirements for the development. The seven-storey
blocks are finished with a through-coloured insulated render.
Windows have high performance UPVC frames finished externally
with a grey foil with low E, argon filled double glazed units for
very high thermal and acoustic performance.
Between the windows, recessed panels of insulated render are
designed to visually link the windows into horizontal bands.
Curtain walling to the central circulation cores, communal kitchens
and bar is a thermal break curtain walling system with polyester
powder coated aluminium clad coloured Spandrel panels in the
south elevations facing the dock.
The roof finish on the seven-storey blocks is standing-seam
aluminium, with circular roof top plant rooms clad in uninsulated
Alcuabond panels. The roof finish for the three-storey blocks is a
Hydrotech bituminous waterproofing system finished with brown
roof biodiversity rubble as part of the ecology strategy for the
site; provision of a habitat for the very rare Black Redstart bird,
which colonises parts of the urban derelict landscape bordering
the lower reaches of the River Thames.
elimination of wet tradeswet trades
Gabion walling has been used to create a base to the blocks along
University Way where there is a significant level change and also
to clad the powerhouse at the Gallions Reach entrance to the site.
Internally, the precast concrete walls and ceilings are painted with
drylining only to the lightweight internal partitions in the central
core areas and sections of the Metsec in corresponding external
wall structure.
Particular attention has been paid to creating vibrant facades
that advertise the presence of the University and complement the
existing campus buildings.
Innovative Use of Concrete and Integration of Services
The Bell & Webster’s RoomSolutions® Concrete precast frame
provided a fair faced finish to both walls and ceilings, negating
the need for plasterboard or plaster skim. The Bell & Webster
frame also incorporated all internal and external walls into the
structure (excluding pod riser wall) omitting the need for the
internal drylined walls and external metal framed walls.
This system also provided the acoustic rating required for the
external envelope along with the insulated render increasing the
dB rating further and complying with the building regulations
for internal party walls and party floors with no other surface
treatments being necessary. These attributes of the system helped
reduce the overall cost and programme of the project.
excellent insulationinsulation
! Fair faced finish to walls and ceiling minimised the need for drylining or suspended ceilings and wet trades
! Conduit cast into slabs not walls
! Good acoustic rating
! Speed of construction
! Following trades can commence on the lower floors as the upper floors are being erected
! Toilet pods installed as frame erected
! Safe access at all times
! Designed to avoid progressive collapse
The Benefits
A member of the Eleco Group plc
Bell & Webster Concrete Limited, Alma Park Road, Grantham, Lincs. NG31 9SETel: (01476) 562277 Fax: (01476) 562944 Email: [email protected]
Web: www.bellandwebster.co.uk Cad: [email protected]
Our range of products is constantly under review. Data relating to new products will be issued when available. We reserve the right to amend our specifications. September 2011
Bell & Webster’s precast concrete RoomSolutionsTM
enabled the University of East London’s Docklands
Campus to be completed on time and on budget.
Bell & Webster