Plymouth College of Art and Design has gained a jealously guarded international reputation for the excellence of its courses. With 1500 students enrolled in the 2007-2008 academic year and that number expected to increase next year, the college, like its reputation, is growing rapidly. To cope with this annual year on year growth an extension and rebuild followed a £5.2m revamp in 2002 and a new building – the Central Building - was opened last autumn.

Flanked by an attractive pergola covered terraced concourse the new 518 square metre, two-storey ‘Central Building’ is in fact a factory manufactured, modular building, designed and built by Wernick Buildings and project managed by Andrew Gilbert of Ward Williams Associates, Plymouth. Positioned on a steeply sloping piece of land the first floor, which is level with the concourse on one side, contains administrative offices. A large ground floor room houses the 3-D Department and the occasional exhibition of students’ work.

The 16 modules that comprise the new building were delivered on two consecutive Saturdays, with finishing work taking just 16 weeks. The site was actually handed-over to the client one week early.

How did Andrew Gilbert, a director of Ward Williams, feel the Plymouth College of Art and Design project had gone? ‘This project met all our client’s criteria and ours. It was a rapid, cost-effective build programme in a restricted time frame in a city centre location. The project went well. This is not the first time we have worked with Wernick Buildings on this type of contract and I am sure it won’t be the last.

(Abbreviated article. Contact Jeff Bownds for full story and photos).