We are providing 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 shall provide 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 shall be fully demolished for the scheme.

The new building shall be provided over 8 storeys with the upper 5 storeys housing 100 student bedrooms in flat clusters.  The lower 3 storeys shall 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 has been 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.