Morgan Sindall wins £50m Hertfordshire Uni science block

Morgan Sindall Construction’s Northern Home Counties business is set to start work on the University of Hertfordshire’s planned School of Physics, Engineering and Computer Science.

A central site at the University’s College Lane Campus in south Hatfield has already been cleared for the landmark 165,000 sq ft project.

It is designed as a five-storey steel-frame building compartmentalised into three separate internal blocks divided by a central T-shaped atrium.


The design will be developed by the Morgan Sindall Construction team and its design team of ADP Architecture and Aecom utilising BIM 360.

It will include several innovative elements and will aim for a BREEAM ‘Excellent’ rating. 

Morgan Sindall Construction’s innovative Carbon Calculator – Carbonica –will be used on the project to assess and measure project-embodied and operational carbon.


The facade will consist of a mix materials from corrugated metal, paying homage to aircraft hangers and the original technical college founded by De Havilland, to bickwork and curtain walling.

The building has been designed with a view to maximising design for manufacture and assembly principles using a common primary 9m x 9m structural grid across the entire building which facilities a high degree of commonality across elements, reducing the need for ‘special’ panels.


Central full height atrium

David Rowsell, Northern Home Counties area director at Morgan Sindall Construction, said: “Morgan Sindall Construction has successfully completed 10 projects for the University of Hertfordshire since 2005

“The SPECS building will be one of the most prestigious schemes delivered in the Northern Home Counties over the next few years and we are delighted to have been selected by the client to deliver it.

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https://www.thegraduatemag.com/?p=1349