Education
Our Lady's RC High School
Blackley, Manchester
Project overview
Our Lady's RC High School is a secondary school in Manchester. Work on an operating school estate typically involves new teaching accommodation, remodelling of existing buildings, or replacement and repair of building elements that have reached the end of their service life.
The structural engineering for education projects is rarely complex in isolation, but it is unusually constrained in practice. Buildings remain in use during term time, so the majority of significant construction has to be planned around holiday periods, with temporary works, propping and safe segregation designed to allow the school to reopen on a fixed date. Existing school buildings also span several construction eras, from traditional masonry to system-built frames, so appraisal of the existing structure and its capacity is often the first task before any new work can be designed.
Carl contributed to the structural engineering design and delivery of the project while employed at WML Consulting, working within the consultant design team.
Project highlights
- Live education estate
- Phased construction around term dates
- Appraisal of existing school buildings
- Temporary works and safe segregation
- Alteration and new-build interface
Project snapshot
- Sector
- Education
- Location
- Blackley, Manchester
- Employer at the time
- WML Consulting
- Structural form
- New and altered school building structures with existing structure appraisal.
Engineering challenge
Phased construction within a live school estate, where works had to be programmed around term dates and existing buildings of varied construction appraised before new structure could be introduced.
Prior professional experience
Experience gained while employed at WML Consulting, prior to the formation of Bebbington Engineering Studio Ltd.
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