PROJECT
DARKSKYPARKANDOBSERVATORY
so no contaminants would flow into the river. This meant creating screens buried into the ground.” CONSTRUCTION CHALLENGES The list of construction challenges was also long. “The ground works was the most challenging aspect,” says Chris. “Because of the irregular shape of the building there are very few straight lines. We had to co-ordinate closely with the steel fabricators to make sure the position of the holding down bolts in the floors were in the exact position that would allow the steel to be erected easily. “Another big concern was the piling because we were building on a bog. We had to secure a platform before we could even start the foundations. That meant drawing in a lot of stone to create a piling platform so we could bury the piles nine meters into the ground. Being such a bespoke building and
the first of its kind in Northern Ireland, Lowry Buidling and Civil Engineering had the management expertise and specialist supply chain to achieve the completion of such a complex building in changeling surroundings. “It was our first observatory,” says Chris, “with some very specific requirements. We had to be very careful about the structure that the telescope sat upon. We installed a concrete column with heavy steel with its own separate foundation. If the building moved it wouldn’t affect the telescope trajectory as it was independently structurally supported. “We had to make sure the position of the telescope was perfect so we worked closely with the guys who were setting up the telescope to pinpoint the best viewing angles for seeing all the right stars and planets. We had an engineer onsite most of the time to co-ordinate that.” With a broad base of in-house technical
managers including civil engineers, experts in groundworks and Chris’ architecture background the team was expertly qualified to take on this unique and technically demanding brief. “We were thrilled to get the project,” says Chris. “We’ve had great comments from both the design team and the client about the finish and the delivery. It wasn’t without its headaches, but every job comes with those.” PROJECTTEAM... Client: Mid Ulster Council Main Contractor: Lowry Building and Civil Engineering Ltd
Architect: Arcen Mechanical Contractor: Ian Short Plumbing & Heating
Electrical Contractor: Braham Electrical
Lowry Building and Civil Engineering Ltd, The Old Bank, 7 John Street, Castlederg BT81 7AW T: +44 (0)28 8167 8646 - E: info@lowrybuilding.co.uk www.lowrybuilding.co.uk
www.northernbuilder.co.uk
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