Introduction

The Capella Laboratory was commissioned by Cambridge University to provide a world-class Bioscience and Research & Development facility constructed to accommodate the following important health research groups:

• Cambridge Stem Cell Institute • Cambridge Institute of Therapeutic Immunology &

Infectious Disease • The Milner Therapeutics Institute • Cambridge Centre for Haematopoiesis and

Haematological Malignancies

Located at the Cambridge Biomedical Campus that includes the renowned Addenbrookes Hospital, the masterplan of the overall site development required an urbanism to the campus rarely seen in healthcare: high quality architecture, public spaces and landscape as set out by architects Allies and Morrison.

This project exceeds those initial requirements by its striking appearance with architectural design by Fairhurst Design Group and Arup as Consulting Engineer.

The laboratory is located in proximity to other existing and operational buildings and during the tender period Kier Major Projects quickly realised that the monolithic in situ concrete construction initially envisaged would create problems with excessive deliveries, noise and disruption to the busy hospital environs and campus as well as the potential lack of sufficient local concrete supply.

Keir having worked with PCE Ltd on other large scale offsite construction delivered projects thus requested them to propose an alternative design and build solution using PCE’s HybriDfMA Frames System solution for the structural frame construction, including basement and external architectural envelope.

From approval of the PCE structural design concept and final design commitment to completion of the complex structural package on site took just 17 months to provide the 6-storey structure within excess of 17,000m² gross area. The on site build time included in the above 17months was just 32 weeks giving a reduction of over 20 weeks compared to the initial on site in situ concrete programme option.