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Robert Gordon University Garthdee, Strategic and Support Services Building nears Completion

08/04/2008

The new Strategic and Support Building for Robert Gordon University is nearing completion.  Last week the external scaffolding came down to give the first glimpse of the green timber oak cladding.

The structure comprises of three upper concrete suspended slabs using the semi-precast cobiax system.  The factory finish grade A pre-cast panels give the ideal soffit for this naturally ventilated building.  The exposed concrete finish utilises the necessary inherent thermal mass of the concrete to assist the control of temperature within the building.  The client was particularly impressed with the finish to the concrete soffit and resisted painting it.

The top floor has been constructed in steel as comfort cooling in this area was requested by the client.  From this roof construction we utilised cellular beams to allow services to be kept within the structure zone of the roof.  Designing metal structural decking and the fixings to the roof steelwork achieved the required diaphragm action needed thus mitigating the need for steel roof bracing.  These factors collectively reduced the height of the overall building and cladding costs.

At each short face of the building are cantilever sections.  On the east end the cantilever is 2.5m which is made up of steel beams bolted to the concrete frame.  On the west end the challenge from the architect was to provide a 6.5m cantilever projecting over the edge of the steep slope adjacent to the River Dee.  For buildability reasons we decided to form the cantilever section in steel trusses embedded into concrete frame.

The building is due to be complete next month.