S.S. Great Britain Cafe

Client:
Framework CDM Ltd

Project Type:
Design, Construction

For the multi award winning and increasingly popular S.S. Great Britain visitors’ attraction, set on the Harbourside of the Great Western Dockyard, a new visitor’s cafe was required. The building replaces a cafe that has stood next to the Great Western Dock since before the S.S. Great Britain returned from the Falkland Islands in 1970.

Crouch Waterfall in conjunction with Framework CDM carried out the design and construction of a new timber framed building on a reinforced concrete raft foundation.

The existing site was underlain by numerous historic foundations and ‘fill’ material. Due to the variation in ground conditions and the buried obstructions it was decided to locally break down the existing structures and construct a ground bearing raft beneath the footprint of the building.

The superstructure comprised a timber frame panel system and glued laminated beams. The panels were delivered to site in kit form with many of the services and finishes already installed. This system of ‘factory’ construction greatly reduces the amount of time on site and delays due to weather conditions.

The Construction coincided with the Centenary of the renowned designer of the S.S. Great Britain Isambard Kingdom Brunel.