Barnes Construction: more than 40 years in the building
When compared to the rest of the East Anglia region, Cambridge is unique. Its standing and heritage for excellence in education and research means it attracts the very best students from all over the world.
To sustain this, when it comes to construction, clients want their projects to be of the highest quality and specification. And the team at Barnes Construction, is justifiably proud of the part it is playing in leaving a mark in one of the most historic cities in the UK.
Mark Hart and Bob Steward are joint managing directors at Barnes Construction.
Mark explains: “Our work in Cambridge is of great importance to our business, and we have been building a reputation in the city for delivering technically and logistically challenging schemes for a range of clients. But, we are never complacent, as we also know that we are only ever as good as our last project.
“Our approach is collaborative and non-adversarial, and we are a focused family business with a proud history of successful completed schemes across the commercial, education, leisure, and healthcare sectors.”
Bob agrees with Mark, adding that part of Barnes’ success is based on establishing strong working relationships with all members of its supply chain.
“From the moment we started trading over 40 years ago, we have valued our relationships with the companies and people we work alongside,” he says. “From our first contracts in the late ’70s, we were establishing friendships and partnerships which have stood the test of time and remain in place today. This has ensured the development of strong relationships with individuals and businesses in the Cambridge construction sector.”
Mark adds: “Our commitment to partnership working and strong and clear communication ensures the best possible outcome for the projects that we work on. We like to get to know our customers, understanding their drivers and needs.
“As well as our team having worked on some of the region’s most innovative, sustainable, and striking developments, we also have years of collective experience of working with Cambridge colleges and their unique requirements.”
The range of construction projects carried out by Barnes in Cambridge is diverse. And, despite the challenges that come with operating to the new procedures and Government guidelines introduced because of the Covid-19 pandemic, work in Cambridge continues at pace on a number of schemes in the city.
These include:
The new dining hall, Homerton College: Following on from the completion of a new accommodation and auditorium wing last year, Barnes is halfway through building a new dining hall at Homerton College. Constructed around an existing London plane tree at the entrance, the striking design incorporates an inverted zinc roof supported by exposed sweet chestnut beams, and when finished, the whole building will be clad in glazed terracotta tiles.
The Old Garden Hostel, King’s College: Recently completed, and situated on an extremely sensitive site adjacent to the college;s Fellows Garden, Barnes started work in 2019 on remodelling and extending the existing 1950s student accommodation at the Old Garden Hostel. The new facilities now provide 70 en-suite bedrooms, two single-bed flats, 10 kitchens, laundry facilities, and an upgraded common room.
Addenbrooke’s Hospital: Over recent years, several schemes have been delivered at Addenbrooke’s. Currently, as well as working on the refurbishment of a ward in the main hospital building, Barnes is also updating the Emmeline Hearing Centre.
The WongAvery Music Gallery, Trinity Hall: Sitting in the centre of Avery Court and adjacent to the chapels of Trinity Hall and Clare College, this new building has been designed to an exceptionally high specification. The skeletal-type structure combines modern masonry and steel components with precast concrete, traditional granite, and Portland stone. When completed, it will provide a 77 square metre, stone-built rehearsal and recital space, that will enhance the college’s offering to students and staff who are studying, or participating in, music.
Holiday Inn Express, Cambridge West: Started in January, this new hotel based on the outskirts of the city at Cambourne, utilises modern methods of construction. The bedrooms and en-suites are prefabricated offsite as self-contained pods, and then delivered to site where they are assembled to form a four-storey, 144-bedroom hotel.
St Ann’s Court, Selwyn College: Barnes is working on the construction of a new three-storey library and auditorium building for the college. The high-specification design incorporates ornate stone and brick cladding, as well as an attractive clock tower and cupola housing a roof lantern.
Old Court, Clare College: Work started last year on this complex and historically sensitive project to refurbish the existing lower ground floor kitchen area of Old Court and extend the River Wing and North Passage at Clare College. To enable plant and machinery to access this space-constrained site, a temporary bridge has been installed over the River Cam. When construction is completed in 2022, the inside of the River Wing will have been reconfigured, and a new three-storey extension will have been created adjoining the existing main college building.
For all of its projects, the Barnes team adopts the same philosophy - that delivery is undertaken in a spirit of mutual trust, respect, and cooperation.
Mark explains: “We believe that our best projects are constructed when the whole team work as one. We always work collaboratively, engaging with communities, clients, and the wider project team, and our proven track record of delivering highly successful schemes with minimum disruption is testament to this approach. In fact, our professional, considered delivery methods have led to over 80 per cent of our turnover coming from repeat business clients.
“Our ability to plan and implement carefully considered construction methods, coupled with a can-do attitude to problem solving makes working with Barnes Construction a pleasurable experience.”
For further information, visit barnesconstruction.co.uk or email owl@barnesconstruction.co.uk.
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