A new Institute of Cancer Studies is being built for the University College London and the laboratories will be entirely fitted out by Waldner
Waldner established a design and budget for the project based on its MC6 range of laboratory furniture and fume cupboards and utilising its system of pre-installed mechanical and electrical services.
One of the main design criteria given to Waldner during the design stage was the required flexibility of the system - a perfect opportunity of the MC6 range.
No other system offers that level of flexibility in case of a future change of requirements, according to Waldner.
Service outlets can be easily modified, taken out, replaced or added if the necessity arises.
The MC6 concept of pre-installed services was reportedly very well received by the client and all other parties in the design team including Faber Maunsell, the services consultant.
The project stakeholders soon saw major benefits available to them in achieving a competitive price for the laboratory furniture package including pre-installed M and E services, an easier definition of services interfacing on site, minimising different trades on site, reducing installation time on site, and improvement in the quality of the installation.
After Waldner had proven its competitiveness, the contract for the laboratory furniture and fume cupboards was awarded by the main contractor Shepherd Construction.
The new institute, designed by architect Nicholas Grimshaw and Partners, will boast seven floors of state-of-the-art laboratories and will replace a former nurses home on Huntley Street in the centre of London.
The city centre location has its own challenges for the project team.
The logistics of an installation of this magnitude is such that it can only be handled by a company with sufficient experience - another strength claimed by Waldner.
The site is only accessible via a narrow system of one-way roads - there is no parking and no storage possible on the site, and deliveries could block the road and must therefore be sufficiently coordinated.
This project is a further example of the success Waldner says it is achieving by means of its project partnering philosophy where an open and meaningful cooperation between all parties in the project team makes it possible to find beneficial design and construction solutions that are an effective balance between quality, cost, risk and programme.
This atmosphere of transparency and open, honest communication will enable the team to manage the project more efficiently which will ultimately achieve a better end result for the client.
