The Bishop Centre, Taplow

While some retailers are fighting to keep their customers by entering into price wars, other

stores are positioning their strategies around sustainability, aesthetics and creating outstanding

facilities in order to deliver the optimum customer experience. Companies are beginning to

explore the latest in innovative, energy efficient and aesthetically appealing building systems for

their stores. Environmental impact is now a key issue that consumers consider when selecting a

store, providing the opportunity for sustainable solutions such as glulam to be used as part of an

optimised hybrid structure for the construction of an energy efficient and sustainable store.

The design for the centre was exceptional, as all customer facing elements were to be constructed

from glulam larch beams, as well as steel. The centre was designed to attract a new customer

base, as well as to provide a new and much needed retail, residential and business facility for the

local community. The 140,000 sq ft mixed use scheme includes office, residential, community and

employment accommodation.

The completed Bishop Centre Taplow, enjoys unsurpassed accessibility – situated just off the M4

and next to Taplow train station. A new junction onto the A4 – running parallel to the M4 – ensures

the development benefits from the significant flow of traffic between Maidenhead and Slough.

On arrival shoppers are immediately alerted to the retail park’s structural philosophy. The

estate sign, formed in a triangle with robust sawn timber posts at each corner, is designed

to be architecturally appealing, creating synergy by reflecting the main timber structure to

underpin the sustainable timber credentials of the retail park

Project ProfileTechnology: Glulam and Steel Sector: Retail

Project summaryIn 2013 plans were passed to create an out of town shopping experience with an innovative new retail and business park on the outskirts of the village of Taplow, situated on the river Thames in Buckinghamshire. The key driver for the build was to create a brand new and exclusive shopping experience.

Polly Troughton, head of retail parks and

leisure at Land Securities, said: “With

its contemporary architecture, unrivalled

accessibility, wide catchment in South

Buckinghamshire, and first-class retail and

leisure offer, Bishop Centre perfectly fits with

our strategic themes of dominance, experience

and convenience, and is well positioned to

thrive.”

Architect 3D Reid

Client Land Securities

Structural Frame Provider B & K Structures

Material Glulam and Steel

Land Securities has owned and operated the Bishop Centre since 2005. With a strong commitment

to corporate social responsibility and sustainability, their key objective for the build was to

minimise the environmental impact and reduce the disruption to the local community.

Delivering a high-quality shopping experience was resolutely at the heart of The Bishop Centre’s

business strategy - underpinned by sound ecological principles. By the provision of outstanding

facilities, the objective was to gain customer loyalty and drive repeat business.

By offering a distinct point of difference the objective was to drive footfall which, in turn, would

increase revenue and enhance the letting potential of the units to secure and retain tenants.

Engineered timber technology was therefore selected as the core structural component, not only

for its aesthetic appeal but also the material’s environmentally strong credentials. The offsite

manufacturing techniques used for this method of construction, minimise the impact on the

local community, reduce onsite waste and deliver a rapid construction programme.

The proposal for the build incorporated sustainable technologies in order to reduce impact on

the environment.

Glulam was chosen to offer stakeholders a different experience to traditional out-of-town

shopping centres and to create wide open spaces which are the main requirement for these types

of structures. The core structural timber component of the glulam larch beams were manufactured

by the Austrian based company, Rubner. European Larch was chosen for its high durability,

aesthetic appeal and to offer stand-out from other competing outlets constructed from traditional

steel beams. The projecting entrance roof was executed by integrating complex steel elements

into the glulam beams. Thanks to a meticulous and sophisticated detailed design and accurate

production works, an exact and efficient assembly of the elements could be secured.

A major challenge during the build was the installation of the timber soffits. As all fixing

components had to be hidden to meet the brief, so a unique method of fixing had to be designed.

In order to resolve issues surrounding the installation of these timber soffits – sections were

preassembled at ground level before being lifted into position which, in turn, reduced the health

& safety risk from the danger of working at height and delivered time savings on the overall

installation.

In addition to glulam, sustainable systems such as rainwater harvesting and photovoltaic

cells were installed to help generate electricity from a renewable source. Land Securities also

work with tenants and occupiers to ensure buildings are used as economically and efficiently

as possible.

The key driver for the build was not only to create a brand new and exclusive shopping

experience but also to design a structure that could achieve a BREEAM Excellent rating.

By utilising materials that provide excellent thermal performance and sustainability, together

with speed of build and cost certainty - the stringent performance, timescales and budget could

all be delivered. For B & K Structures, having the correct accreditations is fundamental to their

client’s success. The company adopts and applies best practice sustainability principles through

all aspects of our processes, from raw material procurement through to manufacture, offsite and

onsite assembly. B & K Structures have ISO14001 – providing a legal and sustainable Full Chain

of Custody for key stakeholders and delivered all timber elements with PEFC full chain of custody.

One of the final tenants to confirm was Tesco who specified a 55,000 sq ft store. This was

constructed from a glulam beams and above the front entrance, a glulam canopy was designed

with tree armed columns to support a number of glulam rafters. The bowed canopies were created

to offer stand-out, giving the scheme a truly distinctive look and feel. The columns were designed

to decrease in size in order to meet architectural requirements.

The finished £20m build provides a distinctive, sustainable space, congenial atmosphere and

an unrivalled shopping experience, underpinned with high quality landscaping and public art.

The building is characterised by its protruding cantilever roofs, spacious interior design and

exposed glulam structures.

B & K Structures Ltd Peveril House Alfreton Road Derby, DE21 4AG

T: 01773 853400 F: 01773 857389 E: sales@bkstructures.co.uk W: www.bkstructures.co.uk