Park Barns
Photo Credit - WIG Engineering
Steel Frame
The Steel is in! We are very excited to be able to share these photos from our Park Barns site as WIG Engineering completes the steel frame. It is fantastic to see such strong progress made. The Park Barns project, located near Chesterton, Oxfordshire, saw the demolition of several derelict agricultural buildings. In their place, a new state-of-the-art building is being constructed which will house 1,201m2 of office floorspace alongside car parking and landscaping.
Photos Credit - Anderson Orr
Architectural Design
The stunning new offices are designed by architects Anderson Orr to house commercial premises for Dalcour Maclaren, an innovative engineering company that specialise in utility and infrastructure. The nationwide engineering company’s goal is to redefine land and the environment for a new era. With the company very much ‘planning for the future’ with their sustainable aspirations, their new office space needed to mirror their core values.
Photo Credit - SOLID
Anderson Orr’s design incorporates both sustainable and renewable options throughout. The materials, chosen to reflect the rural Oxfordshire setting, are both recyclable and locally sourced. Cotswold Stone forms the bulk of the external façade, punctuated by large expanses of glazing, whilst the roof is comprised of aluminium sheet. Passive heating and cooling systems will also be implemented. The large sections of glazing, walkways and openings onto the outdoor courtyards provide plenty of natural light and natural cross ventilation as well as potential solar gain.
Photo Credit - SOLID
Structural and Civil Engineering
SOLID are appointed as Structural and Civil Engineers on the project. Various structural options were considered, with a steel frame adopted to fast track the construction process, taking the traditional Cotswold stone elevations off the critical path. SOLID’s Structural team worked closely with the Architects to maximise the spacing of the internal columns. This provides flexible internal spaces, which can facilitate potential future reconfigurations of the open plan rooms.
The steel frame required careful analysis to suitably limit its horizontal deflections due to the large expanses of glazing, whilst still providing an economic solution which minimised the steel tonnage.
Photo Credit - SOLID
Our SOLID Civils team has taken a sustainable approach to the drainage design with the implementation of Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS). By utilising grass porous surfaces in the parking spaces, we have achieved self-sufficient drainage in that area. Moreover, we have employed a reinforced gravel road construction to attenuate water flow, ensuring improved management of runoff. The water is discharged through an orifice control chamber, maintaining a restricted discharge rate in line with natural green runoff. Our commitment to SuDS practices reflects our dedication to achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDGs).
Photo Credit - SOLID
We look forward to updating you on further progress over the coming weeks. If you are planning a construction project, contact the SOLID team to see how we can help bring your ideas to fruition.
Photo credit - WIG Engineering, Anderson Orr & SOLID Engineering.
