Sandwell College
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Location: West Bromwich
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Sector: Education
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Service: Regional Building, Engineering
The new Sandwell College Central Campus in West Bromwich is an impressive modern building visible for miles around. Opened in February 2012, hosting 10,000 full and part time students, it brings together the three existing college campuses of Oldbury, Smethwick and West Bromwich into one state-of-the-art building.
Constructed using steel and concrete frame, this impressive 25,300m2 distinctive building is located on a logistically challenging site on West Bromwich Ring Road, directly adjacent to the main town centre Bus Station on one side and Metro line on the other. The landmark building provides flexible, easily adaptable, highly specialist vocational and teaching facilities for its 10,000 students. Unique qualities included a stepped form structure that climbs from the three storey eastern end to become seven storeys high at the western end, topped with a wave-shaped roof.
At a glance...
£56m
Project value
Sandwell College
Client
A large, welcoming atrium sets an example to its students. The building includes a state-of-the-art learning resource centre, engineering laboratories and lecture theatres, together with a mechanical engineering workshop. An added value feature includes an aircraft cabin simulator, which utilises the front section fuselage of a Boeing 737 giving Travel and Tourism students a first hand insight into the real life experience of working in a modern aircraft. The new building exceeds all expectations of our client, staff, end users and the local community – designed to set its students’ future careers on their way. It includes:
- State of the art computer suites
- Science laboratories
- Applied technology centre
- Four court sports hall
- Automotive centre
- Engineering laboratories
- Gas and electrical workshops
- 170 seat theatre space
- Break out spaces on every level
Challenges and solutions
Minimising disruption: The building is bound on three sides by infrastructure on a particularly restricted site. Minimising the disruption that our work could cause was hugely important, given the consequences that could arise.
Our teams worked on close consultation with multiple stakeholders to ensure the construction works, deliveries etc. did not impact on the Metro line, Bus Station or Ring Road. Notifications of work were issued to neighbouring properties and signs were placed around the site hoarding. Security and safety measures were put in place to prevent any danger to the public.
Sustainable building
Through the specification of innovative technology, equipment and materials, the building has achieved a BREEAM rating of ‘Very Good’. Our Waste Reduction and Prevention (WRAP) protocol was implemented and used in conjunction with a site waste management plan on the project to minimise waste production during the construction phase:
- The building improved upon part L Building Regulations by at least 10% in terms of Carbon Emissions
- At least 10% of the total building energy requirement is provided by renewable or low emission energy sources
- Incorporated a Zero Waste to Landfill scheme as well as a Designing Out Waste programme which promoted planning for end of life recycling
- Incorporated Thermal Mass into control of building temperature and used exposed concrete soffits for night time cooling of the building
Our partners
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Architect: Bond Bryan
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M&E Engineer: Couch Perry Wilkes
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Structural Engineer: SKM Anthony Hunts