Southampton College

Photography © Girtis Gailans

The Leadbitter Group completed phase 3 of Southampton City College’s regeneration of the college grounds and further education learning facilities.  Works consisted of both new build and remodeling of an existing concrete frame structure in a live environment.

The concrete frame of the remodeled building was altered to accommodate a new service riser and lift installations, which involved considerable temporary works design and support. Windows and facades were replaced using an insulated render system to upgrade the building’s existing U values and standing seam cladding. Internal walls, partitions and screeds were stripped back to the existing supporting structure and new services were installed throughout.

The new steel frame buildings incorporate exposed precast plank floors as part of the heating and cooling strategy. External wall construction comprises metal stud with the internal skin faced with brickwork, curtain walling, rain screen cladding, render and glass blocks. As part of the overall scheme, phase 3 included the construction of an energy centre building to facilitate the entire campus phasing when complete, with a CHP system installed to provide heating and power to the campus.

The new facilities provide a centre of excellence for construction. In addition, Leadbitter has played an active role in supporting the College’s educational offerings by participating in their Industry Week, assisting them in updating their construction curriculum with the latest information—using the live build to create case studies— and even constructing the facilities with removable panels to allow students to view the building structure and services as part of their coursework.