Author

Sophia Darke

Team PCA attend ICE Tamar Bridge tour

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by Sophia Darke

Team PCA – Charlotte, Luke, Rob and Tim – went on a tour of the Tamar Bridge, organised by the Exeter City Club branch of the Institute of Civil Engineers (ICE).

The two-hour tour focused on two key factors of the bridge, beneath the road deck and in the anchorage. Led by Tamar Crossings, the organisation that manages the bridge, the visit also included the catwalks under the road bridge, offering great views of Brunel’s Royal Albert Bridge.

The tour featured a walk to the main tower on the Devon bank and back. Following the under bridge tour, the group then descended to one of the anchorages on the Devon bank to view where the main cable enters the ground.

Speakers included Tamar Crossings’ engineering manager Richard Cole, heritage officer Mark Tebbs, and volunteer Robert Venn.

PCA engineer Luke Shackleton said: “The Tamar Bridge is a great example of engineering and there was lots of discussion about how this 60-year old-structure is being maintained and improved to ensure it is fit for the future.

“While this is on a slightly different scale to our normal projects, the principle of analysing the existing structure to understand how it is working and to decide whether repairs or strengthening is needed for current or future use is applicable to any structure.

“Thanks to the ICE Exeter City Club for organising a great informative visit to such an impressive South West structure.”

PCA takes SUP teamwork crown for second year in a row

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by Sophia Darke

PCA Consulting took to the water to help raise money for Above Water and The Wave Project by taking part in Waterborn’s 2024 Construction Teamwork SUP Challenge.

Ross Carpenter, Scott Doswell, Tim Little, Luke Shackleton and Harrison Ward had to navigate around the creek in Kingsbridge, undertaking various treasure hunt style activities and time trial races to collect team points.

Trust a team of engineers to get stuck in! They amassed the most points at the event yesterday and were crowned champions for the second year in a row.

Ross said: “Many thanks to Waterborn for hosting another great SUP challenge. We work well as a team and we all love the water. Home advantage may have helped us a little as we all know the creek. Cannot wait for next year!”

Above Water sends fully qualified teachers, who are also lifeguards, into schools, community groups, businesses and homes to teach water safety, drowning prevention and lifesaving.

The Wave Project improves children’s mental health and wellbeing through an award-winning surf therapy programme.

PCA supports Samaritans’ garden design

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by Sophia Darke

Today is the 24/7 Samaritans Awareness Day so we thought we would look back at a project PCA worked on to bring a Silver-Gilt medal-winning garden to life for the RHS Chelsea Flower Show.

The Samartians’ Listening Garden was inspired by stories of people who found the courage to reach out to Samaritans in their darkest times. It went on to win a Silver-Gilt medal.

The garden was designed by Darren Hawkes, who has recently qualified as a listening volunteer. The conceptual garden was designed to depict the challenging journey many people take when they reach out to Samaritans and the comfort and sanctuary they find when speaking to a listening volunteer.

It was created using materials that have been reclaimed from demolition sites or salvaged from scrap yards to tell the story of ‘crisis to hope’.

Darren engaged with PCA to consider the initial sizes of the beams he wanted to salvage for the steel frame at the show. Once the steelwork and concrete slabs had been sourced, we then provided a design to give to the show organisers to demonstrate that it was stable and safe.

The steel frame was designed to bear onto a compacted hardcore foundation to remove concrete from the temporary structure.

The steel frame was designed using a 3D computer model which allowed us to consider different load configurations to check that the frame remained stable regardless of the order that the panels were hung in, allowing Darren maximum flexibility when it came to assembling the frame on the display at the show.

The wires were all made up in different lengths to suit the individual heights of each concrete panel with the threaded stud each end providing some adjustment to allow the position, again to maximise flexibility for Darren when assembling the frame at the show.

PCA director Andrew Horton said: “It is always a pleasure working with Darren. His high standards and practical approach to design align well with our own principles so we were delighted to be able to help on this fabulous project.

“Darren’s initial sketches and thought process for the garden was something that we really bought into. The use of recycled materials and the ability to build the whole garden, compete with running stream, in just weeks was impressive.

“The amount of work that goes into the Chelsea Show gardens is simply extraordinary and while our input may have been limited, it was a pleasure to be a small part of this successful build.”

A remodelled version of Samaritans’ Listening Garden will be permanently relocated at a Samaritans branch.

Gold for Charlotte

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by Sophia Darke

We are very proud to announce that our graduate engineer Charlotte Spreckley has been awarded the Gold Duke of Edinburgh’s Award.

Every young person who achieves their Gold Award is invited to attend a celebration event at a Royal Palace, attended by a member of the Royal Family. In Charlotte’s case, her event was hosted by Prince Edward, the Duke of Edinburgh and new patron of the DofE Award.

Charlotte said: “Having recently come back from attending the awards ceremony in Buckingham Palace’s gardens, I have been reflecting on what I achieved to complete my Gold Duke of Edinburgh Award. As part of my Gold DofE, I completed more than 100 hours of volunteering and my BCU 2 Star qualification; the latter of which came in handy for our water-based expedition.

“On our expedition, we kayaked over 75 miles over 4 days on the River Wye between Hay-on-Wye and Monmouth, picking up litter and other debris from the river as we went. Our favourite piece we picked up was a large inflatable dinghy!

“I’m glad I got the opportunity to complete my Gold DofE award and value the experiences it gave me. I look forward to putting the skills I learnt into practice.”

Well done to Charlotte from everyone at PCA Consulting. We are proud of you.

 

St Peter’s Church project wins another award

On
by Sophia Darke

PCA is proud to announce that one of our conservation projects has won a prestigious award.

St Peter’s Church in Knowstone, Devon, won the John Betjeman Award at The SPAB Heritage Awards ceremony. The Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings’ award recognises excellence in the conservation and repair of places of worship.

The project involved the restoration of wall paintings, a rood loft stairway and early joinery. PCA’s Paul Carpenter worked with architects AJ Bunning and archaeologist Dr Stuart Blaylock. The wall painting conservation was carried out by McNeilage Conservation and the timber work by Hugh Harrison Conservation.

PCA advised and liaised with timber and plaster conservators on the structural repair to the rood screen stone stair shaft and other stonework repairs.

The SPAB Heritage Awards were held at Conway Hall in London and were hosted by Grand Design’s Kevin McCloud.

Photo credit: SPAB

We wore it pink!

On
by Sophia Darke

Staff at PCA donned items of pink clothing to mark Wear It Pink day to raise money for Breast Cancer Now on October 21.

Breast Cancer Now’s Wear It Pink day is one of the biggest fundraising events in the UK. Taking place during Breast Cancer Awareness Month, thousands of people wear it pink in their communities, schools or work places for the UK’s largest breast cancer charity.

Being engineers, we also set ourselves a fun lunchtime task – yes, this is how we have fun!

The aim was to make the longest cantilever using spaghetti, tape and string in just 20 minutes. Ross Carpenter’s team were the proud winners.

We also raised £100 for Breast Cancer Now

The Yealm development wins award

On
by Sophia Darke

The Yealm has won the Boutique Development of the Year at the Insider Media South West Residential Property Awards 2022 held at Sandy Park in Exeter.

The Yealm is a former hotel that overlooks the twin villages of Newton Ferrers and Noss Mayo. The judges were impressed with the great attention to detail throughout in creating luxury riverside and woodland accommodation out of a neglected site.

PCA Consulting Engineers worked with Devon Contractors, Red Earth Developments and Grainge Architects among others to help create six spacious lateral apartments, eight other contemporary apartments, and one stunning house.

We worked on the new balconies, which are a stand-out feature of the all the properties, together with intricate detailing to ensure supporting floors and roof structure were unobtrusive.

PCA director Andrew Horton said: “Congratulations to everyone involved in this stunning project, which is now a standout development in the South Hams. It is great to see it gain some recognition and hope to see it win many more awards.”

Award-winning barn projects

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by Sophia Darke

PCA has been recognised for its work on two barn projects in Devon.

Willowplatt Barn, near Aveton Gifford in Devon, was an abandoned 230-year-old stone structure and has been transformed into a holiday rental property. PCA worked with BBH Architects and oak-framed building designer and makers Carpenter Oak to advise on drainage,  its structural condition and any adjustments they needed to be made.

Willowplatt Barn was chosen as Regional Winner in the LABC Building Excellence Awards 2021 in the ‘Best conversion to create a single new home’ category and went on to win the grand final later in the year. It also won Build It’s Best Oak Frame Home Award.

PCA was involved in this project from an early stage to give a pre-planning structural appraisal of the building and produce a drainage strategy.

But there was also an incumbent resident whose needs were also taken care of.

PCA director Ross Carpenter said: “I remember my first visit to undertake our survey and the resident barn owl sat happily up in the roof space while I looked around before flying the length of the barn over my head and out of the large south opening. The building work and final design was considered around the resident barn owl with a specific loft space set aside for the owl in the finished building.”

PCA also worked with S Tozer Construction on this project.

Meanwhile, Redhill Barn, also known as The Outfarm, had been a roofless ruined stone and timber barn nestled in the Devon hills. PCA worked with architects TYPE Studio and Carpenter Oak on the new timber frame. PCA advised on the 21-metre single truss that span from gable to gable with a fork at each end to accommodate large windows.

This barn project won three awards from The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA): RIBA South West Award 2021, RIBA South West Conservation Award 2021, and RIBA National Award 2021. It also featured on the Grand Designs House of the Year.

Merry Christmas 2021 from PCA

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by Sophia Darke

We would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone we have worked with, in what has been another tricky year, and look forward to working with you again in 2022 and beyond.

As in previous years we will not be sending cards but instead will be making donations to Kingsbridge Area Food Bank and RedR UK.

Kingsbridge Area Food Bank helps and supports our local community by preventing and relieving poverty in Kingsbridge and the surrounding villages. For more information, visit: https://www.kingsbridgefoodbank.org.uk/.

RedR UK is a disaster relief charity which does an amazing job giving NGOs, aid workers and communities the skills to prepare for, respond to and recover from major disasters like earthquakes, floods, conflict and drought. For more information on the life-saving work that RedR undertakes, please visit: https://www.redr.org.uk/.

Our office will be closed from 5pm on Thursday 23rd December and will reopen at 9am on Tuesday 4th January 2022.

We wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Christmas card from PCA

Conservation work wins recognition

On
by Sophia Darke

PCA is pleased to announce that we have won recognition for our conservation work on two churches in the south-west.

Our conservation expert Paul Carpenter (far left) was invited to attend the UK Church Architecture Awards held at St Mary Magdalene Church in Paddington, London. The event was hosted by The Ecclesiastical Association of Architects & Surveyors (EASA) and the National Churches Trust.

Two church projects PCA had worked on were shortlisted for these awards.

St Peter’s Church hidden paintingSt Peter’s Church in Knowstone, Devon, won the prestigious King of Prussia Gold Medal. PCA had worked with architects AJ Bunning back in 2017 and 2018. The south doorway of this Grade II*-listed church is thought to be Norman with the main church originating from the 15th century and the north aisle from the 16th.

PCA advised and liaised with timber and plaster conservators on the structural repair to the rood screen stone stair shaft and other stonework repairs. Alison Bunning’s (pictured middle right in main photo) work centred on the discovery and conservation of wall paintings and a rood loft stairway during routine repairs to an area of plasterwork.

St Julitta Church roof repairsSt Julitta Church in Lanteglos-by-Camelford, Cornwall, was also shortlisted. PCA worked on this project in 2019 with Chadburn Conservation Architect to advise on the structural repairs and strengthening required to the historic timber roof structure and supporting stonework to accommodate a new slate roof covering.

St Julitta Church repairs PCAPaul said: “These were both challenging and rewarding projects where sensitive structural repairs were required to protect the historic fabric. It was an honour to work with such skilled teams of consultants and specialist contractors, and to have two projects recognised nationally.”

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