Gold Award Winner: David John MCIOB, Willmott Dixon Construction
Project: Millwrights Place and Coopers Court, Bristol
Scope: Construction of 15-storey and 10-storey blocks with 297 apartments, completed in 168 weeks
Client: Cubex Land
Value: £57m
Handing over a defect-free residential tower is notoriously difficult. David John not only managed the feat, on time and to budget, but delivered a quality that blew the client away.
Covering everything from sample apartments to fire-stopping details and envelope sections, his early benchmark apartment was described as “insanely good” by the scheme funder, and the standard was maintained through to completion.
Meanwhile, the local authority’s building control inspectors have recognised the project as an exemplar as a result of John’s absolute attention to detail on fire safety compliance.
Other finalists
Matthew Baglow JJ Rhatigan Building Contractors
Mark Brady McAleer & Rushe
Zak Carroll MCIOB McLaren Construction
Mark Chamberlain FCIOB Willmott Dixon
Paddy Connolly MCIOB McAleer & Rushe Contracts UK
Andy Howarth MCIOB Willmott Dixon
Oliver Lester FCIOB Willmott Dixon
The problematic logistics on the city-centre site, with no storage space, included not blocking the route of fire engines at a neighbouring fire station. John’s response was to rent an offsite materials storage yard and bring in a logistics manager. After organising a lessons-learned workshop from a previous project, he created a more robust and cost-effective building by prefabricating the balconies and bolting them on.
When serious hold-ups to an adjacent development prevented him deploying a 60-tonne piling rig to operate from an upper ground floor, John had a propping system designed and installed to cut short the setback.
Faced with a nail-biting, months-long delay – beyond his control – in connecting to the district heat network, John devised a solution that allowed the structural frame to progress while accommodating network installation later on. What client wouldn’t have been thrilled?
Silver Award Winner: Matthew Legg, Vinci Construction
Project: New Victoria, Manchester
Scope: Construction of 520 apartments in a 20-storey and a 25-storey tower, completed in 159 weeks
Client: Muse
Value: £122m
Matt Legg saw off multiple challenges on this towers project. The tight city-centre location demanded constant diplomatic but decisive engagement with Network Rail and other stakeholders. He facilitated 15 service diversions and disconnections before construction began, rerouted a sewer via a pair of 14-metre-deep shafts, and incorporated a £5m link-bridge variation mid-construction.
When Network Rail insisted the project’s piles exert no force whatsoever on its culvert under the site, threatening to halt the scheme, he found a solution. The relieving slab structure added nine weeks to the programme and £350k to the budget but kept the project moving.
Legg cultivated robust relationships with his responsive approach. He delivered the scheme, to budget, with impressive quality, and a thumping 24 weeks early.
