Rakesh Chavda wins Gold at Construction Manager of the Year Awards
VolkerFitzpatrick project manager Rakesh Chavda has won Gold at The Chartered Institute of Building’s 2016 Construction Manager of the Year Awards.
Rakesh’s award sits within the ‘New Build & Refurb between £3-5 Million 2016’ category and recognises his achievements in delivering the 41 Welbeck Street project, London.
Rakesh took an innovative approach to several areas of the project, which involved constructing 12,000sqft of offices behind a retained Edwardian façade.
His proposal for building the central lift and stair core in steel, instead of reinforced concrete poured in situ, brought the project in three months earlier than scheduled.
He also suggested using an internal flying shore solution for pinning the retained façade in position during construction. This avoided the need to break out pavements, divert utilities and dig substantial new foundations, which would have been required if using an external steel support frame.
In order to accommodate the small site within a highly restricted central London location, Rakesh planned the project’s logistics meticulously. This included purchasing materials in bulk and storing them in an off-site yard, to avoid overloading the site.
He also took great care to ensure minimal disruption to the neighbouring businesses, including altering noisy work hours to avoid them clashing with meetings being held next door. As a result, not a single complaint was received.
About the awards
The Chartered Institute of Building has been running the Construction Manager of the Year Awards for the last forty years. As one of the most prestigious built environment awards in the world, the event is unique in its celebration of excellence in construction management.
The ceremony features bronze, silver and gold medals, along with one overall ‘Construction Manager of the Year’ award. The event is known for frequently identifying future industry leaders, with 90 per cent of gold and silver medallists reporting that the awards had a positive effect on their career.
To learn more about the Construction Manager of the Year Awards, click here.
