Alexandra House

Location
East Croydon, South London
Client
South London YMCA
Warings
Value
£7.3m
Completion
2012
Size
10 storeys
BREEAM Rating
'Excellent'

Award-winning modular design

Alexandra House for South London YMCA (SLYMCA) provides temporary accommodation and support for up to 80 people, in a mixture of studios and two bedroom flats.

The South London YMCA (SLYMCA) replaces an original 1960s building with a new building constructed using volumetric modules sitting on a concrete transfer base at first floor.

After a delayed planning approval, SLYMCA was faced with a funding deadline to complete the new building in just 58 weeks. This would have been impossible using traditional construction methods.

We proposed a hybrid solution using modular construction for the upper eight floors and a concrete transfer structure at first floor level. This approach secured the contract and allowed the scheme to be completed in 43 weeks, securing a vital £6m grant from the HCA.

The eight floors of residential studios and 2-bedroom flats are made up of 161 modules. These modular units arrived fully fitted out with bathroom pods, furniture, kitchens and white goods direct from the factory. This resulted in approximately 80% of the overall building mass being constructed offsite and assembled on site in three weeks and then over-clad.

The scheme was awarded a BREEAM “Excellent” rating. This was achieved with photovoltaics, a district heating scheme, triple glazing and a sustainable urban drainage paving system.

Alexandra House was completed on time and £170k under budget.