Osney Mead Development

SOLID have been appointed as structural and civil engineers for award winning developer Robin Swailes Design and Development's new office development on the Osney Mead Industrial Estate in Oxford. The development will offer flexible science orientated open plan office space with laboratories at the heart of the planned regeneration of the Osney Mead site, and within walking distance of Oxford’s main transport links and City Centre.

Visualisation provided by Robin Swailes Design and Development

The building will be built with Kingspan TEK panels on a steel frame and clad in metal sheeting. The first stage of the work was to construct a piled wall across the width of the building.

A Thames water mains traversing the site, with strict rules of the proximity of works, lead to an L shape configured building footprint and positioning tight to the boundary. SOLID have been involved in coordinating permits with the required authorities, to ensure the greatest utilisation of the site. Poor soil conditions necessitated the use of piling, including piles tight to existing obstructions on the site boundary.

The first stage of the work was to construct a piled foundation across the site. These were required due to the significant depth of made ground and soft alluvial deposits.

The unique architectural character of the building holds some interesting structural engineering challenges such as a substantial curved cantilever on the Northern side. Additional features include projecting quarter round roof light which will support photovoltaic cells and mechanical ventilation plant. These features, along with the Kingspan TEK panels will contribute to the development's low energy ambitions.

The building has been designed with a flexible approach to structural loading to allow an additional floor to be added in future. At present, the roof deck may be used as a roof terrace by the building users to provide suitable external break-out space, which is particularly relevant in the COVID era.