Originally, we were instructed to design and detail a system of secondary steelwork to enable the brick skin facades to be supported without exerting loads onto the facade precast panels, in order to achieve the aesthetic simplicity Grafton architects sought. This required complex bespoke details and thorough coordination with a variety of supply chain contractors. Our good relationship with the design team and contractor meant we were subsequently employed to resolve a wide range of uncoordinated items within tight timeframes, so as not to hold up construction. This involved designing frames to support the large scale movable partitions which contribute to the ‘openness’ of the building, to undertaking vibration analysis on the two dramatic steel scissor stairs in the atrium. Kinston University has won the 2021 Stirling Prize.

The construction of three new blocks to replace some of the existing accommodation at Bay House School, Gosport. The new blocks interface directly with the retained existing blocks, and will house dining and library facilities, as well as general teaching spaces. Bio-solar roofs are proposed in order to achieve energy and sustainability requirements for the project. Blocks 1 and 2 are three storey steel frames with precast concrete floor and roof slabs. The building layout and architectural requirements dictate that vertical bracing is not feasible so lateral stability is achieved through portalisation of the building framing. Block 3 is a single storey steel frame with lightweight roof stabilised through a combination of vertical bracing and portalisation. Pad and strip foundations are proposed to support the frame and walls, with the ground floor constructed as a ground bearing slab. At the interfaces with existing buildings, foundations are sized and reinforced to allow for the eccentric loads from the frames.

The Medical School is a partnership between the University of Kent and Canterbury Christ Church University. It will be the County’s first ever medical school, bringing together the existing centres of excellence in health and medical education provided by the two universities and local healthcare organisations, to offer a new model of patient-focused medical education. The Medical School will also be an essential part of the solution for recruiting and retaining medical professionals in the region. The proposed three-storey building at the University of Kent, which will boast a 150-seat lecture theatre and a number of seminar rooms, will supply the school’s general teaching facilities where students will focus on patient-centred care. We have designed a hybrid CLT & Steel framed solution which responded to the short construction programme and provided simple detailing and an exposed structural finish. Our high level of 3D coordination meant we were able to identify and model the below ground obstructions whilst integrating them into our model and designing around them.

We are delighted to announce that our Heathfield Academy project has won Building Project of the Year <£10m at the Constructing Excellence Awards 2018.  The whole team worked together to find new products and efficiencies to conserve funds and make programme gains.  The team also overcame many technical challenges, made quicker decisions and achieved high quality throughout the build. Lyons O’Neill were brought onto this project at a late stage in the design process to bring the previous design through to completion. However, it was found that the structural design would not be able to accommodate the required services and going back to planning would lead to a delay in the school opening time which was unacceptable to the client. Lyons O’Neill completed a full review of the existing structural steel scheme and developed several other schemes which would meet the clients brief. It was decided that a reinforced concrete flat slab was the most efficient structure given the building constraints and challenges. We were able to modify the structure in incorporate the services design but leave the façade unaffected and so avoid going back to planning.

This 1FE school expansion project for Smitham Primary School, Coulsdon, included the provision of a new build classroom block, refurbishment of teaching accommodation and site-wide landscaping. The structural frame solution for the new build classroom block uses a combination of cross-laminated timber for the floors, roof, external and internal load bearing walls along with steel beams and columns where structural framing elements are required in order to suit the architectural space planning. A raft foundation was favoured instead of strip foundations to provide a more cost effective solution. Lyons O’Neill have also designed a new infiltration system to discharge the additional surface water run-off generated from the additional impermeable area from the site to the water table.

This project consisted of a three storey school near the Fiveways intersection in Croydon. Lyons O’Neill developed a structural steel scheme for the administration and hall section of the building. Working with a lightweight gauge specialist designer, we developed a cost effective raft slab solution that would allow for the large amount of small point and line loads. The raft slab was favoured by the contractor as it proved to be more cost effective than pads or strip foundations. The project was to meet a BREEAM target of “Excellent” and as part of that Lyons O’Neill designed an infiltration system to discharge the surface water from the site to the water table. The credits earned by using these SUDS techniques were invaluable in achieving the Excellent score.

Croydon Council has undertaken the construction of new primary schools throughout the borough to meet their growing educational needs. As part of this, the Chestnut Park Primary School is set to deliver space for 90 reception children on opening. In conjunction with the contractor, Lyons O’Neill developed a design for a piled raft slab which would support the complex series of loads coming from the three storey steel frame super-structure above. A raft foundation was found to provide the most cost effective solution and gave greater flexibility for alterations to the superstructure design. We also developed a design for the front boundary wall which was designed to resist vehicle impact loads to protect the children within the site.

Lyons O’Neill have provided the foundation design for the new extension at Woodcote Primary School. In conjunction with the contractor and modular installer, Lyons O’Neill developed a design for concrete strip foundations which would support the series of loads coming from the two storey modular structure above. Strip foundations were found to provide the most cost effective solution. We also produced drainage and pavement design for the site and identified structural issues with the existing buildings on site.

Lyons O’Neill became involved in this project in early 2016. After completing a technical review of the existing design proposal, it was decided that to better provide a quality building to our client that a complete re-design would be required. Several options were considered for the structural frame and foundations. Through working with our partners, we were able to eliminate piling to the majority of the building and use a ground bearing raft which provided significant cost savings and would reduce the impact on the neighbouring properties. The frame itself was designed to be able to adapt to the unique and creative teaching methodology that is used by the school. The tight site provided many challenges including crane access, working in close proximity to existing structures and contamination present within the ground. Lyons O’Neill were also responsible for the below ground drainage & enabling works for a close by temporary school which was located on an existing playing pitch while the school was constructed.