Bradfields Academy SEND Teaching Block

Working for a contractor under design-and-build procurement, the new block for Bradfields Academy in Medway comprises 12 new classrooms for children with special needs and disabilities, specialist teaching rooms, a library and two large activity teaching spaces.

Working in close collaboration with the selected cross-laminated timber off-site fabricator, we exchanged designs and details using IFC 3D models. This greatly reduced the risk of design error and ensured full coordination by default.

Construction began three months after the commencement of technical design and the building was handed over in August 2023, just seven months later, perfectly showcasing the speed-benefit of off-site fabrication. The volume of mass timber used means that 450 tonnes of CO2 had been sequestered from the environment during tree growth. We believe this illustrates that carbon-negative regenerative materials will play a significant part in the future of construction on its path to net-zero carbon.