Renaissance Works - EOS

The former Co-operative building in Huddersfield town centre stood derelict for almost two decades. It has now been refurbished, expanded and reborn as Renaissance Works. The innovative transformation uses the EOS loadbearing Thrubuild® system range to best effect to maximise space via a three-storey extension on top of the existing building. Supported by Kirklees Property Investment Fund, Renaissance Works is the first project in the Council’s £250m Huddersfield Blueprint.

With a mix of one and two-bedroom studios, with communal kitchens and lounge areas, along with one-bedroom self-contained apartments – the project delivers a total of 138 student bedrooms through 75 apartments. Construction activity was carried out for SKA Developments by Spring & Company alongside local firm Big Red Construction. Engineers removed the original roof and replaced with a concrete deck before installing three new floors on top of the 1930s property.

EOS designed, engineered and offsite manufactured a non-combustible Thrubuild® loadbearing solution for the three-storey roof extension together with a hot rolled steel staircase for the top three floors. In collaboration with Etex group partners, EOS developed the loadbearing Thrubuild® systems range with Siniat, Promat and FSi. These award-winning fast-track systems make use of the latest products, technical know-how and manufacturing excellence of the combined team.

Thrubuild® delivered ‘all in one’ certified solutions providing crucial safety, time and cost benefits for the Renaissance Works project. With 60, 90 and 120-minute fire resistance options, Thrubuild® has been used for multiple loadbearing applications within the project to form external and internal walls together with internal and separating floors. To offer total peace of mind for specifiers and the client after having completed rigorous fire, acoustic, weathering, airtightness and mechanical testing, all Thrubuild® systems are supported by a 30-year warranty.

A light steel frame loadbearing system was used for the complex roof top extension as additional structural integrity was essential and steel provided a robust solution where a lightweight response was required. This is where Thrubuild® cannot be beaten. The lighter structure not only cuts material consumption but also reduced the loading on the existing building and foundations. Thrubuild® offered unparalleled freedom to construct faster, more accurately with predictability of costs and schedule - ensuring outcomes were more predictable and repeatable, eradicating the risk of onsite variability. Fit out is now in progress with Renaissance Works scheduled for completion in July 2021 ready to welcome students in time for the 2021/22 academic year.