Huntingdon Crematorium is the first built, environmentally friendly crematorium in the UK.
What were the challenges and what made the project successful?
The main challenge on this project was that most of the building was curved, this meant we had to create facets to give the required shape.
Braced bays within the hot rolled structure was another interesting challenge, with the braced areas being located within the curved areas on the hot rolled structure, the communication was key to overcoming this challenge, both myself and the in-house structural technician came up with a number of solutions to be able to detail our stud & track walling system around the braced bays.
With the support that I received from my design team and the contractors, this project was a real success.
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What benefits did utilizing BIM and Tekla software bring to the project?
Using Tekla from project inception to create the structure was highly beneficial when it came to delivering accurate models and meeting the client’s brief:
- By importing reference models, the margin for error was reduced. This allowed the design process to flow more easily and ensure the client’s expectations were met with fewer revisions to the design.
- Having the ability to create IFC models enabled quick and easy sharing with the necessary people. This was beneficial as it kept all parties up to date with the current model, enabling effective clash detection and collaboration on any queries or design developments.
- The use of Tekla as bespoke 3D modelling software and BIM, married with the use of a bespoke CAD/CAM interface to our roll forming machines, allowed the fully detailed design to be exported straight from design to manufacture. The pre-engineered solution was designed, manufactured and assembled on-site with confidence, creating a highly impressive building that exceeded the project expectations of both the client and main contractor.
The project in numbers
This new build is a £10 million project, including a separate function building and a cemetery that has adopted the green agenda using ethically sourced memorial stone from the UK, the project is due to be open in early 2021.
