Construction Management is the highest circulation construction-based publication serving the UK built environment.
Technical
CMYA 2021 – Refurbishment & Restoration over £10m
CM Staff
GOLD: Chris Linfoot MCIOB - Willmott Dixon Interiors
Project: Old Admiralty Building, Westminster, London Scope: Refurbishment of grade II-listed building into 250,000 sq ft of office space across five floors, completed in 176 weeks Client: Department for Education Contract: NEC, option A Value: £54m
At the building where James Bond author Ian Fleming once worked as a naval intelligence officer, Chris Linfoot proved he had a licence to thrill. When asbestos was discovered, he reined back the potential time and cost consequences through fast action, regular resequencing and smart solutions.
Other finalists
Anojkumar Canagasundaram MCIOB Galliard Homes, New Capital Quay, London Stuart Cowan Glencar Construction, Project Hawk, Ocado, Andover Jeremy Mann Kier Construction, Shire Hall, Gloucestershire Jocelyn Whittaker-Smith Willmott Dixon Interiors, Riverside House, London Mark Wolverson MCIOB Willmott Dixon, The Globe, Stockton-on-Tees
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To turn the cellular office spaces into a modern working environment, extensive new services were required which demanded frequent penetrations through load-bearing masonry. Chris saved time by developing a scheme of steel props surrounded by reinforcement to support the structure while shuttering was installed and concrete poured.
He also came up with a clever alternative for levelling the uneven slabs of the pot-and-beam floors. Rather than laying large timber packers in the low areas, adding significant weight, he switched to cementitious pads laid at one level to support the pedestals for the raised access flooring. The lighter pads also eliminated shimming time.
Chris marshalled the supply chain and professional team with his technical knowledge and a detailed understanding of the intricate challenges they faced, and ensured they understood the quality demanded. His commitment and energy were key to turning a beautiful but neglected building on a constrained site into a modern and efficient facility.
SILVER: Dale Harris MCIOB, Morgan Sindall Construction Central
Project: Pantycelyn Halls, Aberystwyth Scope: External restoration and internal refurbishment of grade II-listed building, completed in 67 weeks Client: Aberystwyth University Contract: JCT 2011, design and build Value: £16m
This refurbishment of a grade II-listed building on a limited budget required extensive value engineering. Dale Harris’s careful challenges to the design saved nearly £1m.
Changes included ditching offsite bathroom pods, because there would have been few standard sizes, changes to acoustic insulation and different internal finishes. He showed his mastery of modern construction techniques with the offsite fabrication of the reception and main entrance in modular components.
Tenacious and enthusiastic, Dale brought the best out of the delivery team to ensure the start-of-term deadline was not missed. With a no-defects completion, the client awarded him a 10/10 score.
The January/February 2026 issue of Construction Management magazine is now available to read in digital format.
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