The completed scheme houses three floors of clinical simulation facilities featuring state-of-the-art hospital wards, midwifery birthing unit, psychology lab, sports and exercise facilities, radiography imaging suite, counselling and physiotherapy clinic rooms and the Suffolk Institute of Health and Wellbeing research.

It was of crucial importance that all other areas of the East building remained live throughout the course of the refurbishment works. Our team worked closely with the University to coordinate the movements of materials and operatives, ensuring that the safety of the East Building’s users was always maintained. To minimise disruption, we implemented a number of measures including hoarding, dust matting and acoustic monitoring. Mechanical and Electrical works included validating existing connections, with shutdowns and changeovers planned carefully to minimise disruption to the building’s users.

A key feature of the scheme is its new glass lift tower and link extension, the frameless glazing of which was a CDP item. We worked closely with the design team and steelwork specialist to coordinate the glazed façade design around the East Building’s structural requirements.

Delivery of the project has enabled the University to double its capacity for students wishing to study as nurses, midwives, paramedics and radiographers and has also enabled the initiation of a new physiotherapy programme.