1000 Bed Student Hall of Residence University of Durham

Working with Laing O’Rourke and GSS Architects, Scott White and Hookins provided the civil and structural design for the new £35.5 million building project for The University of Durham at Howlands Farm Site, south of the city.

The project utilised ‘Tunnelform’, which is a fast track cellular construction method utilising heated shutters and high strength concrete. Formwork is removed by crane after only 24 hours and the process is repeated floor by floor forming a strong monolithic construction.

Significant earthworks to re-contour the site to our balanced cut/fill design, with all excavated spoil re-engineered and re-used, was successfully completed. This included an environmentally sustainable SUDS drainage system utilising 'soft engineering' solutions such as storage ditches, a weir, Hydrobrakes® and a flash pond to restrict site outflow to green field runoff levels.

To meet sensitive planning requirements, two ‘green roof’ social buildings were designed to merge into the remodelled contours/landscape of the Howlands site. Rather than demolish and construct a new building, an existing barn was re-purposed and refurbished to provide additional student social facilities.