A Dorset firm has helped to build the prestigious Land Rover Ben Ainslie Racing (BAR) headquarters in Portsmouth in record time to meet the tight deadline of the start of the America’s Cup World Series campaign in July 2015.
Specialist contractors for commercial, industrial and public sector buildings, T.A. Colbourne (TAC) began works in October 2014 to construct the steel structure framework and encasing envelope for the iconic building which is home to Britain’s America’s Cup sailing team.
Drawing on more than 40 years’ experience within the construction industry, the team at T.A. Colbourne worked quickly and efficiently with the management company Allied Developments, groundworks contractor J.T. Mackley and fit-out contractor Overbury, part of Morgan Sindall, to complete works within eight months on a project that could usually take around two years to deliver.
Richard Pelley, contracts manager at Allied Developments, said: “T.A. Colbourne has been involved in the BAR project from the outset and has worked hard to achieve their brief within the incredibly tight time constraints on a complicated build with minimal working space.”
T.A. Colbourne’s project manager Tim Bench and design manager Steve Reed worked closely with HGP Architects to develop the Land Rover BAR building as a centre of excellence for sport, innovation, technology and sustainability.
Commenting on the BAR project, founder and owner of T.A. Colbourne Tom Colbourne said: “We took on the BAR build as we knew we could deliver the building in a short space of time. Effective team work was a key element of achieving this. Our team led by project manager Tim Bench and Design Manager Steve Reed, worked enthusiastically and tirelessly with architects HGP and our supply chain, sometimes late into the night to ensure a speedy turn around.
“It has been an exciting experience to work on this ground-breaking project, employing the most innovative materials to bring the BAR vision to fruition. I would like to recognise my team for going above and beyond to help achieve this superb building.”
The 89,000 square foot building will house a visitor centre at the core of the Land Rover BAR base to welcome schools and community groups, while showcasing the on-going operations of Ben Ainslie’s America’s Cup challenge.
The BAR project has the potential to become an innovation hub for sailing, making the sport more accessible to the public, while creating jobs and bringing revenue to the south coast when the sailing season starts on Thursday July 23.