Pens Meadow School
Dudley
A single-story steel frame building for children with complex needs, supporting a Kingspan composite panel and intricate slate pitched roof system.
What we did
Structural Engineering
Structural engineering design from concept to construction, initially as part of the client’s team and later with the contractor post-tender. The roof design is complex, with varying apex heights and multiple hips, requiring careful steelwork detailing for implementation.
The structure includes a large span truss over the sports hall and classrooms designed to accommodate hoist supports.
Detailed ground bearing pad foundations and ground beams support a beam and block floor, providing heave protection and meeting ground gas category CS2 requirements.
Adding Value
We developed a solution that enabled shallow depth columns to be utilised, enabling full height uninterrupted corridor spaces, allowing the flow of natural light into the spaces using large roof lights.
The solution achieves the need to have large open span spaces for classrooms and large openings in the external elevations and roof for glazing.
Using BIM allowed for modelling the complex roof structure, streamlining layouts early on, reducing potential structural obstructions later in the project.
“Pens Meadow is special school for children with severe and profound learning difficulties, aged 3-14.”
