To celebrate reaching the highest point of the build on a new £22m Space Technology Centre at Harwell, Oxfordshire, Willmott Dixon will hold a topping out ceremony.
Willmott Dixon Construction has been appointed by the Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) to design and build the new facility for RAL Space based at the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory. It will be home to the UK’s largest and most sophisticated space design, production and research facilities and is an extension to the existing laboratory, with Phase 1A due for completion in May 2015.
The integration facility will accommodate a coordinated set of space facilities, supported by world leading integration and calibration teams.
The 7,500 sqm facility will provide specialist areas including clean rooms, offering ultra-clean environments needed for the successful manufacture and testing of sensitive space-related equipment such as cameras and telescopes.
Matthew Raybould, Operations Director at Willmott Dixon, said: “This is a really interesting and innovative scheme for us to be involved in.
“As a firm we are working to a demanding and technical building in a tight timescale and have reached the topping out milestone within six months of being on site which is a great achievement. The success of this build is testament to a great team effort from all those involved.”
Their principal designers are The Fairhursts Design Group (architectural & landscaping), Glanville Consultants (structural & civil engineering), Briggs & Forrester (MEP services design & installation) and Clean Room Construction (clean room areas).
Sean Stewart, Regional Head of Estates and Facilities Management at STFC, said: “Central government is investing heavily in space-related activities and this new facility will link the European Space Agency HQ and the Satellite Applications Catapult at Harwell, creating a centre for excellence and highlighting the continued growth in the UK space sector.”
Mark Adey, a Director at The Fairhursts Design Group (FDG), said: “FDG has a reputation for designing world leading technical facilities in the science and research sector, so we were delighted to be appointed by Willmott Dixon to act as architect on the Space Technology Centre.
“Working on a scheme of national importance is extremely rewarding for the team and has allowed us to create a cutting edge home for the RAL Space Directorate. The design is influenced by the theme of outer space in its colour scheme and the materials used. RAL100 will also offer the public a unique opportunity to see a satellite inspired art installation, which is suspended from the ceiling, thanks to an extensive use of glass around the atrium and reception area. Now that we are reaching the end of the construction phase, it’s fantastic to see the building coming to life.”
Work on Phase 1B of the facility, providing further clean room facilities is anticipated to commence in June 2015, after the completion of Phase 1A.
