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The Sands - Engineering Services

Recognising the opportunity presented by a smaller, more affordable headquarters, Durham County Council identified The Sands as the area that would benefit most from the social value a new facility and its ongoing legacy would offer. We provided multidisciplinary engineering services as part of the team for this project.

Within the city conservation area, the site lies to the edge of the UNESCO World Heritage Site peninsula crowned by the cathedral and castle and bounded by the River Wear. It¡¯s also in an area that¡¯s more likely to flood than most. As such, a flood risk assessment needed to be submitted.

We assessed the current situation and future scenarios factoring in climate change through flood modelling, advocating for a robust flood mitigation strategy for the new development. We proposed sub-floor storage voids under the building. This required suspended ground floor and low-level openings in the external elevation for flood water to pass through. We also recommended the introduction of a flood barrier to the upstream side of the building to channel flood water beneath the building.

The building has been designed to emphasise engagement and promote transparency with a large central glazed atrium overlooking the square and river. Connectivity with the river edge was a vital part of the scheme with a new pedestrian walkway following the existing river wall profile.

Located in the heart of Durham¡¯s city centre, The Sands and the move away from County Hall has paved the way for a new multi-million-pound business district at Aykley Heads, creating up to 6,000 new jobs and delivering a ?400 million ($518 million) boost to the county. The new facility is a third of the size of the existing building at County Hall and can accommodate up to 1,000 occupants. It provides a quality events space as well as flexible areas for public use.