As design and build contractor, Harrabin Construction, based in Harnall Row, played an integral part in the building design alongside the architects and projects managers of multi-disciplinary practice IDP whose head office is in Coventry, to win the Offsite Project of the Year award at the West Midlands Construction Excellence Awards held at the ICC, Birmingham, for its work at St Clair Gardens in Foleshill, Coventry.
Coventry and Warwickshire Mind provides nursing and recovery support for adults with multiple needs and mental illness in two-year rehabilitation and recovery-based therapeutic programmes at St Clair Gardens.
The £2.5 million state-of-the-art Recovery Centre for the national charity includes 14 bedrooms for adults with mental health issues, lounge areas and a large garden along with meeting rooms, offices and training areas for staff on the site of the former swimming baths in Livingstone Road.
Brian Harrabin, a director at Harrabin Construction, said they had proposed a modern method of construction as part of its tender submission and the award is the fruition of a successful partnership between the architects, project managers and Harrabin Construction.
He said: “The swimming baths were demolished when the site closed five years ago and the striking design by IDP has been recognised with the award.
“We worked with Coventry-based manufacturer Innovaré Systems to develop an offsite structural core as we followed Mind’s philosophy of promoting well-being and recovery and bringing IDP’s designs to life.
“While our staff at Harrabin Construction installed the foundations and slabs, the external and internal walls and roof were being constructed offsite. This enabled the main shell of the building to be erected on site in only six weeks and enabled us to start the fit-out ten weeks earlier than a traditional build.
“Working in this way meant it speeded up the construction process and was a very effective solution to the challenges that remained on site from its former use. It led to time and cost savings not only in the installation but long-term costs for the client.
“The major benefits are in energy consumption and the overall running costs of the building which are lower than in traditional building methods and St Clair Gardens has already become the most energy-efficient building in Mind’s portfolio.
“We are really pleased to have been involved in this scheme and it’s great that that the site has been put back to a form of community use at a time of increased awareness of mental illness issues.”
Steven Hill, CEO of Coventry and Warwickshire Mind, said: “It has been a pleasure to work with IDP and Harrabin Construction on the development of St Clair Gardens and we are delighted for their award.
“It has been Coventry and Warwickshire Mind's ambition to deliver the specialist facilities and services we are proud to provide at St Clair Gardens, and we are grateful to the team for realising this long-held vision through the creation of a unique space which will be enjoyed by residents to aid their recovery."
For more information, head to Harrabin Construction's website: https://www.harrabin.co.uk/
