Case study: Brunel University

The forthcoming 2012 Olympics provided a boon to Brunel’s already renowned sports facilities. The University, which has a long history of producing medal-winning athletes, was chosen as a training camp for Olympic sports teams, and a government fund enabled the facilities to be brought up to the highest international standards.

As part of the University’s £250 million modernisation and redevelopment programme, Blakedown constructed a new sports complex consisting of 2 full size artificial sport pitches, numerous tennis and netball courts, a running track, all of which were floodlit, a car park and paved access routes.

All of the sports facilities were landscaped as well as new concourse paving, consisting of Marshalls La Linia paving and Tegula block paving, main and slot draining, street lighting, disabled ramps, railings and street furniture installed through out the university site.

The construction included 15,000m3 of material being carted to tip and the installation of a drainage system that incorporated a 700m3 attenuation tank. Access roads, car parks, paved footways and completion of the complimentary landscaping were also part of Blakedown’s contract, as well as the provision of the field sport facilities and equipment store.

The landscaping design and logistics of the project were complex — the patterns and lines of the concourse paving were particularly intricate, with tolerances within millimetres only.
Works involved lifting the existing concrete flag paving and removing off site, then supplying and laying 3500m2 of Marshall’s “La Linea” paving. New drainage works to both foul and surface water were installed.
Ducting for new IT services was installed, along with associated draw pits and ornamental lighting. New Marshalls street furniture was fitted along the Central Spine works.
Through fluid interaction and discussion between Blakedown and all parties involved, including management contractor Mace, the client, architects, consultants and suppliers, positive problem-solving was achieved without the programme or budget costs being adversely affected.

Blakedown’s commitment to sustainability was also demonstrated in the saving and re-use of the original materials. The old paving was carefully lifted and retained for use in repair works by the University. Any paving not required was taken to a local recycling centre to be crushed, blended and returned to site for re-use as sub-base materials.

This project was fulfilled by