The contract required the project to be
handed over in 3 phases that meant that
the building would be occupied whilst
construction of the balance of the phases
continued. All services had to be installed
and commissioned in Phase 1 and care had
to be taken to make sure that the students
occupying the building during construction
were not impacted with ser vice
interruptions or construction activities.
Phase 1 of the project had to be handed
over in 8 months, which included 66
Units and 256 bedrooms. Phase 2 took a
further 5 months to complete and included
83 Units and 332 rooms. Phase 3 was
completed 5 months later and included
170 Units with 680 rooms. From start to
finish the entire contract was achieved in
18 months.
Due to the tight programme on
Phase 1 use was made of AAC blocks
Apartments on William
to achieve the completion date. The
balance of the phases were constructed
in conventional brickwork.
Notwithstanding the above the contract
was completed within budget and on
time, which was testament to all parties
concerned and the spirit of teamwork that
prevailed throughout the contract.
Materials
From the outset the requirement from the
client was that all materials and finishes
had to be robust and heavy duty in order
to limit future maintenance. The exterior
comprises of face bricks, stock bricks, AAC
light weight concrete blocks, plaster and
paint, powder coated aluminum door and
window frames, pre-painted concealed
fix metal roofs and fibre cement shading
devices. Flooring consists of ceramic floor
and wall tiles (in the units), polyurethane
floor finishes, carpet tiles (in the study hall)
and concrete pavers.
Sustainable Elements
The following sustainable elements were
incorporated in the design of the building:
• A central heat pump combined with hot
water cylinders.
• 100mm EPS insulation in the west
facing walls.
• Specially designed shading devices
alongside the west façade.
• 135mm PET glass wool insulation under
all metal roofs.
• LED bulbs to all light fittings.
Conclusion
Apartments on William represents a new
breed of student accommodation; mixing
stylish design with the practicality dictated
by the needs of the students.
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