Cobiax - Projekte

Newcastle College, Newcastle
– Tyne & Wear (UK)


Key data
Owner:	Newcastle College

Building type:	Education Block

Case:	New build

Architect:	RMJM

Engineer:	RMJM

Contractor:	Sir Robert McAlpine

Technical data
Slab thickness:	300 mm / 325 mm

Ball diam:	180 mm

Span:	7.5/8.5/7.5 m x 5.5 multiple span

Total surface:	about 4'685 m²

Further project pictures

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Background

RMJM’s proposal for the new 7,000sqm Beauty, Sport and Tourism building aims to further enhance the dramatic and contemporary face the recently completed Performance Academy is creating for Newcastle College's Rye Hill Campus. The initial design features a black façade pierced with hundreds of rectangular, juxtaposed windows and is punctured above the main entrance with a large, extruding urban window, providing students with views across the campus and the Tyne Valley.

The £10 million development involves the regrouping of separate satellite college buildings, which are planned to house the food, hospitality, beauty, travel, customer services and sport departments and provide teaching spaces, with the facilities being open to the public, creating real working environments for the students.

The primary benefits of using cobiax for this project were:


	Speed of construction - Prefabricated slabs with «just-in-time» delivery ensure speedier construction

	Aesthetics - Because the cobiax modules are Factory produced, they are delivered to site with a high quality surface finish to the soffits. Quality and integrity of finish is assured and the associated risk of doing this work insitu is eliminated.

	Environmental - Reduces concrete consumption and the production of CO2 emissions by around one third

Solution

For this project the cobiax CBSP system was used. The cobiax semi-Precast (CBSP) modules are prefabricated by Hanson Building Products under Factory conditions to produce a high quality fair-faced finish and where labour is located in close proximity to the operation; creating further savings in man miles of road travel when compared to typical British sites.

The cobiax Cage Modules (CBCM) were positioned precisely and set into a 70mm concrete «biscuit». At the factory each individual module was tagged with a unique reference number to allow the contractors on site to drop each into it’s specific position.

The CBSP lattice girder or pre-stressed plank system hybrid, that has been integrated into proven technology gave the advantages of permanent formwork and factory production and can improved the speed of deck construction. The modules were designed with two-way reinforcement so that a true lightweight flat slab construction was possible without the use of beams.