GUNWHARF QUAYS – WHITEBOX PROJECTS

At AW Construction we like a challenge and when we were approached by one of our existing clients to whitebox 3 separate units on one of their sites we jumped at the challenge. As we had already completed previous projects at the same site, we were well qualified to take on such a complex project.

Running three whitebox projects simultaneously, all with unique challenges and with different requirements, completing at different times over a seven-week timescale, meant this was a huge project that needed a lot of planning of resources and materials to ensure a successful and timely completion.

Unit 1

• Divide an existing two floor unit, into two separate units, one on each floor
• Separate all services such as electric, HVAC & sprinklers into two separate supplies for the two separate units
• Strip out existing partition walls
• Remove existing racking
• Remove concrete filled steel staircase
• Install steel goalpost and metal deck to infill the resulting void
• Logistical challenge to get both concrete and then screed pumped up to the first floor
• Safe removal of a glass balustrade at the end of the open first floor, by installing a scaffolding crash deck
• Replacing the above with a 4m high by 8m wide 2-hour fire wall
• Remove all floor coverings
• Install a new tiled floor
• Create a new self-contained storage area, with security mesh hidden in the walls, with wire mesh ceiling
• Revamp communal areas with hold back fire doors, CCTV, floor latex & foyer vinyl lining
• Decorate throughout

Unit 2

• Fire stop all existing walls and ceiling, which had been penetrated from previous fit outs
• Install a new stud wall the whole 22m length, levelling off what was a disjointed unit
• Install a new raft ceiling, incorporating recessed lights, with a new HVAC system fitted with vents sited in a small upstand to the sides, to be hidden, giving a minimalistic look
• Remove all floor coverings
• Install a new tiled floor
• New electric, HVAC & sprinkler system throughout
• Install a new kitchenette with water heater
• Decorate throughout

Unit 3

• Remove all floor and ceiling coverings
• Remove all existing ply wall coverings, recycling all ply sheets into the other projects
• Cover all walls with new tape & joint plasterboard, blocking up a doorway
• Levelling a sloping floor to accommodate a new engineered oak wooden floor
• Install a new plasterboard ceiling with new recessed lights, new HVAC and sprinkler system with service hatches for future maintenance
• Install new ac condenser units in the underground car park below
• Decorate throughout