Timber frame for Redwell Primary School, Alloa
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Summary
Timber structure helps two schools to become one
For Clackmannanshire Council, through the hub East Central Scotland partnership, Robertson Construction provided a new primary school and nursery to meet the client's needs for a positive, modern school building with a strong identity.
Combining the St John's and Claremont Schools into one purpose-built facility successfully addressed ongoing issues with the existing schools, including the fabric of the buildings, disability access, running costs, and suitability for future educational needs.
444
pupils
80
nursery children
18
classrooms
A timber framed school
The main body of the building houses the games hall, nursery and dining hall, while three classroom wings extend outwards to create learning spaces.
The primary structural frame is timber, with the exception of the two-storey steel-framed games hall.
Quickly delivering a light, airtight timber structure
Robertson Timber Engineering manufactured, supplied and erected the school's structural timber frame.
The timber engineering team worked to a tight schedule to make sure the build programme was concluded with a handover to the local authority before the start of the school year in 2014.
Other challenges included integrating our timber frame with a traditional steel frame structure, which were succesfully overcome.
Ensuring the structure's airtightness requirements were met, we worked with BSRIA to integrate the vapour control layer within the timber frame.
Saving time through off-site timber manufacture
Use of factory-insulated, pre-fabricated roof cassettes saved considerable time on site. Traditionally trussed areas were constructed on the ground and then lifted into place, which meant operatives were not working at height and in turn sped up the process. Both of the above solutions reduced the need for expensive fall-arrest systems and provided a safer working environment for site operatives.
Working in partnership
Delivering the project through the hub East Central Scotland partnership allowed the design to be developed with the client and supply chain prior to the contract award. This partnering approach was critical in mitigating challenges and risks before the start of construction.
David Leng says: "This was a great example of partnership working. There are schools being built all over Scotland at the moment; ... that there was planning done with the schools and Robertson, which meant that they could develop the learning together. There was a real sense of ownership between both ourselves and Robertson."
- Main Contractor: Robertson Construction
- Architect: Keppie Design
- Civil & structural engineer: Blyth & Blyth
- Building services: Wallace Whittle
- CDMC: Kirk & Marsh
- Contract type: Design and build (hub East Central Scotland)
- BREEAM: Excellent
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