Hemel Hempstead School, Sports Hall

Whilst constructing a new Music & Science block, we were appointed to complete a new sports hall for Hemel Hempstead School under a separate contract.

Following the demolition of the outdated existing facility, a new larger sports hall was constructed with alterations undertaken to live ancillary areas to provide enlarged changing rooms and a new access corridor. An adjacent dining hall was also enlarged by roofing an attached external courtyard and incorporating it into the existing space by removing the existing curtain walling and extending services and finishes.

For the sports hall, a brickwork & Trespa clad structural steel frame with an aluminium standing seam roof provided the envelope, whilst internally the hall was lined with painted blockwork & plywood boarding. A sprung timber sports floor with numerous equipment options, including roof mounted retractable basketball hoop mechanisms completed the internal fit-out. Heating was provided by high level radiant panels.

Surrounded by a live environment, the site location presented numerous logistical issues, particularly in respect of security, safeguarding, access, and potential disruption to regular school activities. Working closely with the education management team throughout, logistics plans were formulated, reviewed, and refined. Specific team focus and collaboration on the term time access requirements for lard plant and material deliveries led to a traffic management plan that met the school’s concerns whilst permitting site works to proceed as planned.

Weekend & holiday working was implemented for the largest deliveries of steelwork and roof panels where access was not available

By running the two music and sports hall projects in tandem, we were able to offer our client and the school the benefits of reduced prelims costs and only one site set-up.