Copyright © 1976-2015 BuroHappold Engineering. All Rights Reserved

AWARDS2015 ISTRUCTE YORKSHIRE REGIONAL GROUP STRUCTURAL ENGINEERING EXCELLENCE AWARDS, BULDINGS CATEGORY Winner

Image © BuroHappold Engineering

C O N T E M P O R A R Y D E S I G N F O R A N C I E N T T R A D I T I O N S

CLIEN T The Community of Our Lady of Consolation (Stanbrook Abbey)

ARCHI T EC T Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios

PROJEC T VALUE £2.5 million

DUR AT I O N Completed February 2015

SERV ICES PROV IDED BY BURO HAPPO LD Structural engineering, civil engineering, acoustics

Stanbrook Abbey is a new sanctuary for the Benedictine Nuns, who relocated from their Victorian home in Worcester in search of a contemplative life in tranquil surroundings. Set within the serene splendour of the North Yorkshire National Park, the modern abbey comprises private spaces and accommodation for the nuns, as well as a community church and chapel, a chapter house, and visitor areas.

One of the primary reasons for the nuns’ move to Yorkshire was to get closer to the land in order to pursue a more sustainable, self-sufficient lifestyle. The new abbey had to reflect this aim by creating simple, quiet spaces suited to contemplation, within a building that was ecologically sensitive in design and economic to run.

The brief also stipulated that the abbey needed to accommodate both entirely private areas for the nuns, and welcoming spaces that are open to the public. Adding to these challenges was the remote location of the site, which limited the construction techniques and equipment that could be used to build the abbey.

Working alongside the architect, our engineers developed a design that embraced the sustainable ethos at the heart of this project. Our team took a highly creative approach to the structural design, developing bespoke components that could perform several roles. For example, the curved, reinforced concrete walls are simultaneously loadbearing, shear and retaining, so at once support the roof elements, compensate for the variation in ground level and provide overall stability.

To realise this organic – and deceptively simple-looking – structure, our engineers stretched the boundaries of 3D modelling techniques. This included using Revit Structures to calculate and document the complicated geometry in models, which were later used by the contractor as a map to guide them through the building of this intricate framework.

The materials selected for the structure were also chosen with ease of construction on this remote site at the forefront of our minds. Most are lightweight and can

STANBROOK ABBEY WASS, UK

Copyright © 1976-2015 BuroHappold Engineering. All Rights Reserved

CLIEN T The Community of Our Lady of Consolation (Stanbrook Abbey)

ARCHI T EC T Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios

PROJEC T VALUE £2.5 million

DUR AT I O N Completed February 2015

SERV ICES PROV IDED BY BURO HAPPO LD Structural engineering, civil engineering, acoustics

be manually handled, which reduced the need for large machinery to navigate the narrow country roads. Preference was also given to materials that were either renewable, recycled, or had low embodied energy. We replaced structural steel with locally sourced timber where possible, and clad the building in a combination of oak boarding and sandstone formed from the recycled offcuts of a nearby paving manufacturer. As well as being environmentally sound, the use of indigenous materials makes the abbey appear as one with its natural surroundings.

Our sustainable engineering solutions also supported the minimal interior aesthetic. We employed natural ventilation strategies throughout the complex, incorporating a void under the precast ground floor of the church and chapel area to generate a fresh air supply at low level, coupled with wind protected stack vents mounted at high level to draw air right through the building. This solution saved the expense of laying ductwork, and also created

an underground distribution route for other services which helped maintain the minimal aesthetic of the architect’s design. Other sustainable features include a wood chip boiler, solar panels, low energy fittings, a reed bed sewage system and a sedum roof.

The layout of the building was given careful consideration to ensure it met the requirement for both public and private spaces. All shared and public areas are located on the east side of the abbey, along with visitor access points. Service areas are placed on the north side, leaving the west and south sides of the abbey to enjoy uninterrupted views and quiet sanctuary.

The combination of unique architectural vision and engineering ingenuity realised a heavenly abbey that is deeply connected to its surroundings. In addition, our team was able to ground the far-reaching design in a methodical approach to construction, which ensured we delivered this inspiring project on time and to budget.

Image ©BuroHappold Engineering