The Cheshire Oaks store is the second-largest M&S. Photograph: M&S
A newly-opened M&S store by developer and contractor Simons Group that claims to push the boundaries on both sustainability and design for manufacture is among the projects shortlisted for this year’s Wood Awards.
The 148 000 sq ft Cheshire Oaks store, which opened to the public earlier this week, is one of five shortlisted in the Commercial and Public Access category of the awards.
The second largest M&S store (behind Marble Arch) has an FSC timber glulam frame, an exposed timber soffit that can be seen from all parts of the store, wall panels insulated with hemp and a biomass heating system that is expected to delivering 70% of the store’s heating requirements. Bringing the story full circle, 228 new trees have been planted on the site.
The construction team – including Simons, architect Aukett Fitzroy Robsinson, B&K structures and Balfour Beatty Engineering Services – also diverted 100% waste from landfill.
The other four projects in the Commercial and Public Access category are:
The Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama in Cardiff (pictured below), a £22.5m project completed last autumn by Willmott Dixon and designed by architect BFLS
Photograph: Nick Guttridge
The Hive in Worcester (below left), a £60m PFI library and archive centre by Worcester County Council and the University of Worcester. It was built by Galliford Try and designed by Feilden Clegg Bradley
Somerville College Student Accommodation in Oxford (below right), 68 new student rooms built by Laing O’Rourke. The design was by was Niall McLaughlin Architects.
Hive photograph: Hufton+Crow; Somerville photograph: Nick Kane
Victoria Leisure Centre in Nottingham (pictured below), a new swimming pool and leisure centre that retained a 19th century clock tower as the centre’s entrance. The contractor was Carillion and the architect was Levitate.
Overall, 30 projects have been shortlisted in six categories, including a bird hide in Perthshire and new gates at Hampton Court Palace.
The projects will be showcased at the Timber Expo in Coventry’s Ricoh Arena on 25-26 September. The six category winners and the overall Gold Award winner will be announced on 27 November.
