Barbara Hepworth Building

December update

Welcome to the first Newsletter for the new Barbara Hepworth Building Project situated on Queen Street South in Huddersfield.

The project is still in very early stages and works are progressing very well.

The progress photo shows the first section of the piling mat at reduced level, ready to be built up in layers for the piling rig to start work. Both the piling mat and the piles for the building are expected to be completed before the Christmas holidays.

The initial works on site involved installing the temporary site accommodation, constructing a temporary haul road and installing hoarding around the perimeter of site. On top of this, temporary water and electrics have been connected to the site cabins which involved installing ducts between the Sir Patrick Stewart Building and the site.

The site works are still on programme for completion at the end of the summer in 2019.

The Morgan Sindall BHB site team would like to take this opportunity to wish all our neighbours and local businesses a very Happy Christmas and a safe and healthy new year.

January update

Welcome back to the second Newsletter. Works are continuing to progress well, and site works are still on programme for completion at the end of Summer 2019.  

Since the issue of the last Newsletter, the Contiguous Pile Wall has been completed and the Capping Beam has now been constructed on top of this. The CFA piles (forming the main foundations for the building) began mid way through the month and are due to be completed this week. Further to this, a section of the existing retaining wall along University Way has now been demolished and a ramp has been created to allow access to this lower level.
 
As we move into February the pile caps and ground beams will start to be constructed on top of and between the pile foundations. Additionally, the remainder of the bulk muck shift will be completed along with the demolition of a further section of the retaining wall on University Way.

Looking further ahead, the erection of the steel frame (forming the skeleton of the building) is due to commence in early March, with the installation of the pre-cast concrete wall planks following closely behind.

April update

Welcome to the third Newsletter for the Barbara Hepworth Building, the new School of Art, Design & Architecture.

We are now five months into the project which is due for completion at the end of summer 2019. Over the last two months we have begun installation of the steel frame, which provides the skeletal structure of the building. Pre-cast concrete floor planks are also being installed.

Edge protection is being added to the first phase of the building and drainage works are underway. Some substructure blockwork has been installed and wet works to pre-cast concrete floor planks have been completed to the first phase.

Looking ahead, over the next month we will continue with steel erection and drainage works. Ground floor slabs, SFS and CP boards will start in the coming months.

At this time we have erected 45% of the steel frame and installed 43% of the pre-cast concrete planks.

May update

We are now well underway on the project, which is due for completion at the end of summer 2019. While we continue with installation of the steel frame and pre-cast concrete floor planks, we have begun fireproofing the steel columns with intumescent paint. Edge protection is being added to the steel frame and the pre-cast concrete feature stair from Level 0 to Level 1 has been installed. Sections of the ground floor slabs on Level 0 and Level 1 have been poured.

Steel erection is due to continue for the next two months, along with drainage and installation of the ground floor slab. SFS & CP Board installation will start in June.

July update

Morgan Sindall are now well underway on the project and on track for completion at the end of Summer 2019.

In the last month we have completed steel erection and installation of the pre-cast concrete planks. Drainage works have continued and we have begun installation of blockwork to the lift shafts. Installation of SFS & CP Board, curtain walling brackets and the 1st fix mechanical and electrical works has also started.

Over the next month we expect to complete drainage works and the hot melt system to the roof. We will begin to install glass curtain walling and the building’s internal partitions.

September update

Welcome to our sixth update for the £23million Barbara Hepworth Building, the new School of Art, Design & Architecture for the University of Huddersfield.

Morgan Sindall are now well underway on the project and on track for completion at the end of Summer 2019.

In the last month we have commenced work on the internal partitions, continued work on the 1st fix mechanical and electrical and continued with the blockwork to the lift shafts. Externally we have installed glass to the East elevation and atrium rooflight, continued installing SFS and CP Board ready for the cladding to commence on the West and South elevations and completed the screeding work to the roof.

Over the next month we expect to start the rainscreen cladding system and continue with the curtain walling, internal partitions and mechanical and electrical works.

Late September update

Welcome to our latest update for the £23million Barbara Hepworth Building, the new School of Art, Design & Architecture at the University of Huddersfield.

Morgan Sindall have made good progress over the summer. We are continuing to install glass curtain walling supplied by HWA in Brighouse and roofing works are ongoing
to make the building watertight. Internally, Mechanical & Electrical works (plumbing and electrics) are underway and partition walls are going up. Externally, we have begun to install York stone sourced locally from Johnsons Wellfield at Crosland Hill. Landscaping works around the canal are due to start in early October.

November update

Welcome to our latest update for the £23million Barbara Hepworth Building, the new School of Art, Design & Architecture at the University of Huddersfield. Morgan Sindall continue to make excellent
progress on the project. Curtain wall glazing continues to be installed by HWA in Brighouse and hot melt roof works are ongoing to make the building watertight. Internally, Mechanical & Electrical works (plumbing and electrics) are ongoing and we have begun to board the second side of the partition walls. Externally, we continue to install York stone sourced locally from Johnsons Wellfield at Crosland Hill. Landscaping works started this month in the external area around the canal.

This month the Morgan Sindall team have hosted site visits and delivered guest lectures in digital technologies and cost management for students past and present from the University of Huddersfield. We have set up a rolling programme of work-based learning for Kirklees College to offer valuable hands-on experience to construction students. To celebrate Halloween, we challenged local primary schools to a pumpkin carving competition and displayed their scary pumpkins around the site. Meanwhile we have sponsored a road safety campaign aimed at local schools to help keep children safe in the darker conditions as British Summer Time ends.

March update

Welcome to our latest update for the £23million Barbara Hepworth Building, the new School of Art, Design & Architecture at the University of Huddersfield.

Construction works

The focus over the last few weeks has been on installation of rain screen cladding on the outside of the building. Screeding work continues inside the building and we continue to make progress with the first, second and final fix M&E installation. Radiator panels have been installed along with raised floor access inside teaching and computer rooms. Mist coat and second coat decoration work continues throughout.

Community engagement

This month we have given site tours to University of Huddersfield Architecture BSc and Masters students and to North Huddersfield Trust School, which sent over 40 female students from Years
8, 9 and 10 to get a closer look at STEM careers as a follow up to our Women in Construction event held last November. Our team has attended careers fairs at Spen Valley High School and at Greenhead College, where we also delivered a careers talk for A-level students interested in engineering.

Local jobseeker Mark Dailey has gained paid employment on site after working through a job training and work experience programme we are running in partnership with Huddersfield Jobcentre.
The project scored 45 out of 50 and received excellent feedback in its latest Considerate Constructors Scheme audit.