Stansfeld Park Science and Innovation Centre – Structural EngineeringOxford

Multifunctional Science Education Centre and Innovation Centre for the Oxford Trust

This unusual facility combines a centre for primary school education, with a modern office and research facility, plus auditorium, café and reception area. The site is set in woodland inside an abandoned quarry with challenging topography and ground conditions. This is the first indoor / outdoor science education centre built in the UK specifically for early years and primary aged children. The Innovation Centre provides a large flexible area for start-up and mature companies working in science and technology. This will include laboratories and research & development areas.

465sqm + 2300sqm

Science centre and office floorspace
£7million

Construction value
'Living Wall'

Designed as a Tension Structure

The new building is a braced steel frame supported on precast pile foundations. Reinforced concrete ground beams were stepped to suit the sloping ground and minimise the requirement for retaining structures. A feature “Living Wall” was designed as a tension structure cantilevering from the face of the building and incorporates thermal breaks to prevent cold bridging. The floor plates maximise the efficiencies available using composite action between the steel beams and concrete slab, resulting in shallow downstands and a lower steel tonnage.