Premier Inn

Kingspan Timber Solutions were asked to consider a timber-frame construction for this 6-storey hotel and restaurant.

Location

Ipswich

Client

ISG Jackson

Architect

Lyall Bills & Young

Build System

Timber Frame

The Project

Kingspan Timber Solutions have worked with ISG on a number of challenging contracts. The new 82-bedroom Premier Inn in central Ipswich, built by ISG using a timber frame supplied and erected by Kingspan Timber Solutions, was no different. . The site is surrounded by a one-way system. Kingspan Timber Solutions’ Contract Manager Steve Tozer said: “Getting vehicles on and off the site presented a whole set of issues but we worked very closely on the logistics with ISG.”

The Design

This particular site was a challenge. The project was being constructed on a tight site at the centre of a busy roundabout in the centre of Ipswich. The build consisted of 5-storey timber frame on top of a concrete podium slab. The building was located in a high-traffic, historic dock area of Ipswich with no space for delivery vehicles. Careful consideration had to be taken regarding timing of deliveries and method of offloading. ISG consulted Kingspan Timber Solutions regarding the design for disproportionate collapse. ISG also required assistance with cost challenges within the project. An old drainage duct was discovered on the site boundary which was not shown on any drawings. ISG had to locate and divert this duct before they could install the foundations of the new build.

The building included specific design criteria for disproportionate collapse and incorporated steel columns and glulam posts. As the end user of the building was Premier Inn, the layout mainly consisted of hotel rooms with integrated bathrooms supplied as pre-assembled bathroom pods. These pods were delivered to site and craned into position. The build programme was 10 weeks, but there were problems with the adjacent buildings.

Published February 2015