In this series, we're taking a closer look at some of the local landmarks that have been designed and built in the North East by NBS customers using NBS software.
Mott MacDonald is a global engineering, management and development consultancy focused on guiding clients through many of the planet’s most intricate challenges.Mott MacDonald’s roots in the North East go back to the turn of the last century. The commitment to the region is demonstrated by many years’ close teamwork with a range of clients including local government, utility providers and private enterprise. The business is proud to have created many of the region’s iconic infrastructure projects, including the Tyne and Redheugh Bridges, Tyne Tunnels and the Tyne & Wear Metro.
Its definition of sustainability is creating solutions and outcomes that bring long-term benefits for clients and their communities. They’ve shown that sustainable thinking delivers real value for their clients - for example, better protecting many local family homes and businesses from the risk of flooding, working with Northumbrian Water on schemes such as the recent Brunton Park flood relief scheme.
Mott MacDonald has been instrumental in many of the region's iconic buildings, too - The International Centre for Life, Newcastle Library, The Core and the Urban Sciences Building at Newcastle Helix, Hebburn Central, and the Stephenson Quarter Redevelopment which includes the acclaimed Crowne Plaza Hotel and the reinvigoration of the famous Spanish City in Whitley Bay where it provided initial structural services and full building services design duties.
The nature of the constrained brownfield site, the site topography and its proximity to the Nexus metro system contributed to various geotechnical issues that required unique and innovative solutions. A solution was identified to build under, alongside and above the metro tracks and tunnels while keeping the Metro operational. Detailed analysis and continual monitoring gained the confidence of Nexus, who supported the site development.
On the banks of the River Tyne they helped to create the multi award winning Sage Gateshead, a cultural landmark in the UK. Its largest hall seats 1,650 and is designed to world-class acoustic standards. The second hall seats 450, while the third provides rehearsal facilities for the resident orchestra, and public exhibition space. The music school extends the full length of the building, with spectacular views across the River Tyne, and is equipped with high-quality practice rooms and recording studios. Halls are generally constructed of reinforced concrete with steel spaceframe "lids" enclosed by concrete roofs 12 inches (300 mm) thick.
As principal engineering consultant, Mott MacDonald was responsible for civil, structural, and building services design for the iconic £70 million project. A brownfield development, the project encouraged regeneration in the Gateshead and Newcastle area before it opened, The Sage Gateshead won the 2004 Robert Stephenson prize for concept and design. After the inaugural performances it went on to win the Best Public Building Award in the 2005 British Construction Industry Awards, the RIBA Inclusive Design Award, the Gold Roses Design Award for Best Public Building, the RICS North East Renaissance Award for Design and Innovation plus Tourism and Leisure, and a 2006 Civic Trust Award.
Mott MacDonald provided both civil and structural engineering design services for the new flagship building for Newcastle University’s Urban Sciences. The £44m living laboratory demonstrates numerous ‘building as a lab’ features which record and evaluate varied spectrums of data aimed at sustainability. The building opened in August 2017 to coincide with the start of the academic year and provides a living research model to review the effectiveness of various energy and sustainability features in order to positivity influence future buildings on the Newcastle Helix.
Using knowledge and familiarity with Autodesk Revit, the team produced a 3D model to run effective clash detections that limited issues on-site. An array of Sustainable Urban Drainage systems has enabled local business and millennial entrepreneurs to test their products, which will lead to greater recognition of the university and support the economy – a boost for any modern institution.
Mott MacDonald has been instrumental in many of the region's iconic buildings - The International Centre for Life, Newcastle Library, Hebburn Central and the Stephenson Quarter Redevelopment
Clad in Cor-Ten steel, the structural steel frame has pre-cast concrete upper floor, with the swimming pools constructed of water retaining reinforced concrete. The civil design included assessing the shallow mine workings and design of mine working stabilisation which extend beneath the pool footprint, a surface water attenuation system, and diversion of existing public sewers. Materials were reused where possible and waste was minimised onsite by using the precast concrete floor solution. Building information modelling (BIM) was used on the project to deliver time, cost, environmental and operational efficiencies.
The two-storey hub opened in January 2016 and has become a local landmark. The project has won many awards including the 2016 RIBA National Award, and the Low Carbon Construction prize at the British Construction Industry Awards.
Doing what is right (a word from Mott MacDonald)
Being employee-owned frees us to choose the work we take on and focus on the issues that are important to our clients – and us. We’re not in business to make the most profit for external shareholders: we want to do a great job for our clients, our communities and our people. We are independent in thought and action, which means we advise what is genuinely right for our clients, not what is easy. We insist on the highest standards of integrity in all we do. We were the first consultancy firm to be certified to BS 10500, the UK’s anti-bribery management standard, recognised as the most stringent in the world.
We employ the people everyone else wants to know. Through practice networks our global sector leaders provide expertise, share knowledge and spread best practice for everyone to use. Regular ‘excellence weeks’ also drive the sharing of ideas and experience throughout the company. Our last excellence week had 125 different events and webinars that our people linked into worldwide.
When you work with us anywhere in the world you have instant access to our entire network of brilliant people. We put equality, diversity and inclusion at the heart of our organisation, seeking to promote fair employment procedures and practices to ensure equal opportunities for all. We value the diversity of our staff and are committed to creating an inclusive work environment where everyone can achieve their full potential.
