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Technical
CIOB Awards 2024: High Rise Accommodation
CM Staff
Winner Gold Award: Chris Warren, Willmott Dixon
Project: Perry Barr Regeneration Scheme Plots 8 & 9 Scope: 430 apartments in eight blocks Client: Lendlease Construction (Europe) Form of contract: NEC Option A Value: £79.8m
Chris Warren joined Willmott Dixon in 2019 to head up its Perry Barr projects, bringing two decades of experience in offsite construction.
For what was originally bid as an in-situ concrete frame and brickwork, Warren proposed an alternative solution using various modern methods of construction (MMC) which overcame the problem of limited resources for traditional builds – and added more apartments.
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Willmott Dixon’s contract involved two plots, 8 and 9, delivering 217 and 213 apartments respectively – each plot with four blocks ranging between four and six storeys.
Other finalists
Chris Homewood MCIOB Higgins Partnerships, Hanwell Square Paul Murray MCIOB McAleer & Rushe, Creed Court, St Paul’s London Aaron Pearson Willmott Dixon, Gascoigne East Phase 2 – Block E2 Dan Royce MCIOB Willmott Dixon, The Trilogy Rotherham Andrew Ziadi Bugler Developments, Central Parade
Warren’s MMC-led proposal saw the use of a lightweight gauged steel frame, Corium brick slips and 700 bathroom pods.
This gave a 30% improvement in floor-to-floor cycle times and reduced the weight of the building, leading to a 70% decrease in the foundations, reducing waste and lowering the embodied carbon of the development.
The biggest technical hurdle for Warren was obtaining Fire Regulation 38 sign-off for the interfaces with the lightweight gauged steel frame.
He instructed the suppliers of the frame to undertake several offsite fire tests and employed an independent body to assess some elements.
Warren achieved practical completion for the plots two weeks and three weeks ahead of the contract programmes.
Winner Silver Award: Eoin McCarthy, JJ Rhatigan
Project: Abbey Place Scope: 245 apartments in two buildings Client: Hub Form of contract: JCT D&B 2016 with Amendments Value: £53.4m
The delivery of this 245-apartment development in Abbey Wood, London, was JJ Rhatigan’s first project for Hub and saw Eoin McCarthy manage the construction of two buildings, 13 and 21 storeys high.
When the project was paused due to funding issues, McCarthy used the lull to propose an alternative facade material. Rather than the specified glass-reinforced concrete cladding, he suggested a more affordable aluminium lookalike.
McCarthy deployed bathroom pods to take the 349 bathrooms off the critical path. And he proposed the construction of a new Energy Centre – rather than upgrading an existing one – because it would deliver better long-term value.
Deploying digital tools to meticulously control progress and quality, he achieved early handover.
The November/December 2025 issue of Construction Management magazine is now available to read in digital format.
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