Founded in 1886, Royal Holloway is one of the UK’s leading research-intensive universities, with 21 academic departments and over 9,000 students. The Founder’s Building is one of the world’s most spectacular university buildings, and home to the famous Picture Gallery containing Thomas Holloway’s fine collection of Victorian paintings and a beautiful chapel. It also houses a dining hall and library and provides a home for 500 students.
The campus is world renowned, with numerous teaching and study spaces, bars and cafés, high-quality accommodation and sports facilities, all set in 135 acres of parkland.
John Rowan and Partners were appointed to assist with multiple small refurbishment projects on lecture facilities, break areas, design and use of space, fit-outs and other minor updates alongside the universities in-house team. The project time-scales were short, time for tendering was limited and much of the work needed to be completed throughout the summer months when student numbers were minimised on campus, this would reduce any health and safety issues before the baulk of students return for the start of term in September.
A quick start was needed, the work was complex dealing with multiple stakeholders needing to agree, meetings would consist of 30-40 people all with an interest, or needing to be made aware of all aspects of the project before completion. This required good process management to make sure everyone was in agreement and the specifications at the required levels.
Despite the challenges, the amount of stakeholders and time constraints, we delivered just over a 10% saving on the budget and everything was finished on time.
We are continuing our work with the University with the surveying of various buildings, developing investment plans and long-term maintenance requirements. We have introduced some innovative systems to collate data that will help to plan a detailed schedule of works needed and the potential costs involved for the university going forward.
