THE PROJECT
Construction of six new community buildings and nine residential blocks for the AMA’s redevelopment of their 25-acre site in Surrey known as Islamabad. The AMA acquired the former MOD camp site 20 years ago to establish a retreat, education centre and accommodation for their followers.
In September 2016 Beard won the competitive tender for this first phase consisting of a new mosque, residence for the Kalif (spiritual leader), multi-purpose hall, 3 administration / teaching blocks and extensive external works. This lead to the award in 2017 of the eight accommodation blocks on a design and build basis.
Each building is unique in its form and construction, with the mosque involving a complex twisted steel conical structure over a cast-insitu concrete base wall. The Kalif’s residence will be his main UK residence and incorporates high quality finishes and protected construction around a grand courtyard.
Through detailed consultation with the AMA, we developed the nine blocks from RIBA Stage 2 on a design and build basis. The project provides 30 houses, 4 flats and an 8 bedroom dormitory block.
£22.1 M
CONTRACT VALUE
92 WEEKS
CONTRACT DURATION
Customer
Ahmadiyya Muslin
Association (AMA)
Architect
Sutton Griffin &
The Seaman
Partnership
Quantity Surveyor
Henry Riley
Form of Contract
JCT design
& build
CHALLENGES
- Incomplete design and client design changes
- Developing the design brief from outline Planning
- Highest quality finishes
- Access via a narrow rural lane shared with the AMA
- Sharing the site with the Client and families on retreat
- Cost and value engineering requirements
SOLUTIONS
- Design development continued in parallel with the construction works including significant late changes to the Kalif’s residence and we worked with our customer to incorporate changes whilst maintaining the agreed critical opening date
- The original planning permission design required significant development in order to accommodate the spatial requirements and we reconfigured all
interior layouts to reflect the AMA’s culture and way of life - A one way entrance route was established to prevent site traffic blocking local lanes and causing nuisance to neighbours
- AMA families and children remained on site throughout the works, sharing the access road and crossing the site compound to access the local school and village, with a managed, gated crossover and segregated path ensured safe passage for the residents
- From the outset the project budget was tight with the financial emphasis having been placed on the new mosque and phase one works, so we value engineered the design over a period of five months to arrive at an agreed solution.
