PROJECT: 78 WHITFIELD STREET
CLIENT: DERWENT LONDON
VALUE: £3.5M
COMPLETED: SEPTEMBER 2016

THE WORKS
One of the earlier projects we worked on with Derwent London was a category A Commercial Office Refurbishment. As a Category A focuses on ensuring that the essentials are present in a commercial space, and that the premises adhere to health and safety requirements, the main purpose of the Whitfield Street project was to ensure the building was fit for purpose and suitable for an office fit out to commence.

The works included a full strip out including asbestos removal completed on Ground, 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th and roof. The client also asked our team to establish new roof terraces on levels 4 and 5, and support with the installation of new services throughout. Alongside this, there were several communal areas that needed to be upgraded, this included refurbishing the lift cars, installing new WCs throughout, as well as developing a new reception area, which included remodelling the main entrance to fit with the client’s overall vision for the premises.

THE CHALLENGE
The client requested this project be completed for an Autumn launch to the market. This represented a challenge to ourselves and the client team as it meant completion of the works 4 weeks ahead of the initial schedule (15% reduction). The important thing was to protect the quality of the product whilst meeting the accelerated programme. The existing building threw up a number of design challenges to be overcome.

OUR SOLUTION
It was clear from the outset that on-site reviews would be needed to resolve the arising design issues. In agreement with the client team, we set up a full day each week (Design Team meeting day) where the full team would be on-site together. This allowed arising issues to be dealt with swiftly as the project progressed. The most critical packages were continually identified by TTP and key members of our supply chain would always be present for the Design Team meeting day.

PROJECT GALLERY

THINGS WE LEARNED
The weekly "Design Team meeting day" drastically reduced the amount of online correspondence on the project for all parties. Instead of TTP continually raising formal design queries, they were reviewed on-site by the full team and closed out formally as client instructions thereafter. This approach is something we have since utilised on other projects, helping to streamline the sign-off process, ensuring both our team and the client are kept fully up to date on project developments at all stages and reducing the delay between design proposals being submitted and approval being granted.

ARCHITECT - de Metz Forbes Knight
SERVICES CONSULTANT - Peter Deer & Associates
STRUCTURAL ENGINEER - Akera Engineers
ROJECT MANAGER - Rougemont Property Consultants
PQS - Quantem

SERVICES USED
Contractor Design Management
Project Management
Office Refurbishment