We provided civil and structural engineering design services for the redevelopment of Mary Chapman Court on Duke Street in Norwich for Norwich University of the Arts (NUA). The new development provides a combination of student accommodation and teaching space within the city centre site.

The site is previously occupied by a three storey student accommodation above a basement car park constructed in the 1970’s immediately adjacent to the River Wensum. The existing building was fully demolished for the scheme.

The new building spans over 8 storeys with the upper 5 storeys housing 100 student bedrooms in flat clusters.  The lower 3 storeys provide a new 300 seat lecture theatre, other teaching spaces, a three storey high internal foyer, offices, study areas and administration functions for the university.

Various different forms of construction have been considered and a steel frame structure was designed for the lower three storeys forming a transfer structure at 2nd floor level to accommodate the large open plan spaces. Above this the student accommodation is constructed off the transfer structure using a light gauge steel frame with modular bathroom pods. A piled lower ground floor basement structure is designed using watertight concrete retaining walls and ground slabs.

A new landscape terraced area is provided to the river side of the building created a social space whilst improving the existing riverside walk footway.

Images courtesy of Hudson Architects.