View source for Conwy County Council headquarters, Colwyn Bay

==Article in [http://www.newsteelconstruction.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/digi/NSC_Nov17digi/page_17.html NSC November 2017]==
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'''Council project spurs regeneration'''<br>
A [[Braced_frames|steel-framed]] solution, offering a cost-efficient and [[Multi-storey_office_buildings#Speed of construction|quick construction]] programme, was the answer for a new council HQ and [[Car_parks|car park]] in Colwyn Bay.<br> 
''By Martin Cooper''<br>

Work is under way on a new [[Braced_frames|steel-framed]] civic building in Colwyn Bay town centre, North Wales, which will provide the local authority with a four-storey, [[BREEAM#BREEAM scoring|BREEAM ‘Excellent’]] headquarters. Providing 9,200m<sup>2</sup> of office space, it will accommodate around 750 staff and replace up to 13 existing [[Multi-storey_office_buildings|offices]]. The scheme also includes an adjacent three-level, 354-space [[Car_parks|car park]], which is also a [[Braced_frames|steel-framed]] structure. Overall, the scheme will contribute to the Council’s continued regeneration of Colwyn Bay, having already invested over £50M in recent years for the modernisation of the promenade, as well as extensive coastal defences.

Regeneration specialist Muse gained planning approval for the project in August 2016. The company was selected as the Council’s preferred development partner in September 2015 following a competitive procurement process. Main contractor Bowmer & Kirkland’s early involvement in the project began with a look at the design’s framing solutions. “Originally the frame was concrete for the [[Car_parks|car park]] and office [[Concept_design#Concrete or steel cores|cores]], however through value engineering and a desire for cost savings the scheme switched to a full steel frame during the final [[Design|design]] stage,” says says Bowmer & Kirkland Project Manager Mark Hooson.

“The [[Long-span_beams|large spans]] in the office and [[Car_parks|car park]] lend themselves to a steel solution. The use of [[Steel_construction_products#Cellular beams|cellular beams]] ensures sufficient space to [[Service_integration|distribute services]] within the ceiling voids,” adds AHR Associate Director Geoff Goodman. “Steel is also the most efficient and [[The_case_for_steel#Take a load off your foundations|lightweight structural solution]] to realise the building’s very distinct roof form and [[Steel-supported_glazed_facades_and_roofs#Atrium Roofs and Sky lights|glazed atrium roof]], and steel also brings the benefit of programme savings through its [[Multi-storey_office_buildings#Speed of construction|speed of construction]].”
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With the new [[Design|design]] in place, Bowmer & Kirkland started on-site during November 2016. It initially demolished the existing buildings, clearing the site and then completed the groundworks in preparation for the [[Construction#Steel erection|steelwork erection]], which began in June this year. “Prior to the [[Construction#Steel erection|steel erection]] starting we also installed the piled foundations and laid the concrete slab throughout the site,” explains Mr Hooson. “The slab provides a [[Health_and_safety#Site arrangements|clean and safe surface]] for the steel erectors’ [[Construction#Mobile cranes|cranes]] and MEWPs to work on.” EvadX is [[Construction#Steel erection|erecting]] the project’s steelwork simultaneously on both the [[Multi-storey_office_buildings|offices]] and [[Car_parks|car park]] with two [[Construction#Steel erection|erection]] gangs, each with their own 50t-capacity [[Construction#Mobile cranes|mobile crane]].

The steel [[Design|design]] of the [[Car_parks|car park]] is based around a 7.5m × 16m [[Concept_design#Floor grids|grid pattern]], using Westok [[Steel_construction_products#Cellular beams|cellular beams]] supporting [[Car_parks#Hollow core pre-cast units used compositely with the steel beams|precast planks]]. The [[Car_parks|car park]] has three floors, including an open rooftop level. In order to accommodate the footprint’s slope, the middle floor has a split level.
“Planning dictated that the [[Car_parks|car park]] structure’s height had to be kept to a certain height and so all of the beams are a maximum 575mm deep,” explains Blue Print Engineers’ (the company detailing the steelwork for EvadX) Paul Dean. “This size of beam is sufficient to create the required headroom clearance, form the long 16m span, support the [[Car_parks#Hollow core pre-cast units used compositely with the steel beams|planks]] and 75mm floor topping, and create a light airy environment because of the cellular holes that allow light into the inner parts of the building.”

Although the adjacent [[Braced_frames|steel-framed]] [[Multi-storey_office_buildings|office block]] is linked to the [[Car_parks|car park]] at ground floor, both buildings are structurally independent.

Kloeckner Westok provided value engineering [[Design|design]] services to EvadX for the scheme’s clear span solution. Kloeckner’s Design Team Manager John Callanan said: “We were delighted to work with EvadX to realise the economic clear spans required for the project. Considering the strict beam depth limits throughout the structures, pre-cambered Westok [[Steel_construction_products#Cellular beams|cellular beams]] ticked all the boxes.”
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The [[Multi-storey_office_buildings|office building]] is designed around a regular 7.5m × 15m [[Concept_design#Floor grids|grid pattern]], which repeats throughout the building’s four floors, giving the [[Multi-storey_office_buildings|offices]] the desired open-plan environment. [[Steel_construction_products#Cellular beams|Cellular beams]] have been used to support [[Steel_construction_products#Decking for floors|metal decking]] in a [[Composite_construction|composite design]], as well as to accommodate all of the [[Service_integration|services]] within the structural void.

Positioned in the middle of the building is an [[Steel-supported_glazed_facades_and_roofs#Atrium Roofs and Sky lights|atrium]], creating a full-height void that is topped with a glazed roof. Allowing natural light to penetrate the inner areas of the building, the [[Steel-supported_glazed_facades_and_roofs#Atrium Roofs and Sky lights|atrium]] also accommodates stairs and a [[Concept_design#Concrete or steel cores|lift core]]. Supporting the [[Steel-supported_glazed_facades_and_roofs#Atrium Roofs and Sky lights|atrium’s]] glazing is a series of 10 × 15m-long tubular bowstring [[Trusses|trusses]] that span the void at roof level.

The main elevations of the office structures feature steep pitched roofs, mimicking and in keeping with the town’s 19th Century buildings. The pitched roofs are formed with propped rafters from the flat low level roof on the inner portions of the building. The outer sides are supported with perimeter columns along the outer elevations. These outer columns are either full-height or start at third floor level. In total, there are 12 pitched roofs, one [[Steel-supported_glazed_facades_and_roofs#Atrium Roofs and Sky lights|atrium roof]] and also a high level flat roof above the main [[Concept_design#Concrete or steel cores|lift and stair core]] area.

Summing up, Muse Development Director Phil Marsden says: “This is a very important project for Colwyn Bay and the ongoing regeneration of the town. We’re working closely with Conwy Council to develop the scheme which will help them to operate more efficiently and reduce their carbon footprint by bringing a number of key services together into one energy-efficient and accessible building.” Cllr Dilwyn Roberts, Leader of Conwy County Borough Council, adds: “This new [[Multi-storey_office_buildings|office building]] will not only help to streamline our office accommodation, but it’s also a key part of our regeneration programme.”

{|class="wikitable" width="400"
|-
|'''Architect'''||AHR Architects
|-
|'''Structural Engineer'''||Arup
|-
|'''Steelwork Contractor'''||EvadX
|-
|'''Main Contractor'''||Bowmer & Kirkland
|-
|'''Developer'''||Muse Developments
|-
|'''Main Client'''||Conwy County Council
|}

[[Category:Case studies - Multi-storey office buildings]]