Mace Ltd has appointed Elements Europe Ltd to design, manufacture, supply and install structural bathroom pods and the structural lightweight steel frame to the 14 Fieldgate Street development after a rigorous tender process.

The £19.3m development includes over 300 student rooms, some residential apartments, as well as ground level retail areas. Elements Europe will be providing the full structure and pods to the upper eight levels on a design and build basis.

The structure will be lightweight steel framework from the second floor and Elements Europe will deliver standard non-structural bathroom pods for inclusion in the reinforced concrete frame on the first floor. Elements Europe will then install structural bathroom pods that will form part of the lightweight steel frame. The unique combination of both the bathroom pods and structural infill panels won Elements Europe this contract by consolidating two complicated works packages so offering savings to the Client.

Mace Ltd identified that a project of this scale would benefit from the use of modern methods of construction as it will speed up the build programme and by using bathroom pods there will be fewer trades on-site and the bathrooms will be built under stringent factory quality controls. By procuring these packages as one operation it has assured design integration efficiencies and speed together with ensuring the upfront design and procurement phase is minimised to a very compact period.

This student block will offer future students of all London universities accommodation as it is well placed to transport links. The surrounding area will also benefit from a substantial regeneration from the Aldgate master-plan.