Key construction milestone for York Minster's Technology Hub

Simpson has successfully completed its 190m3 concrete pour at York Minster's Technology Hub marking a major milestone in the construction of its new Centre of Excellence for Heritage Craft Skills and Estate Management. York-based Simpson construction company are the main contractor and coordinator of the project.

This first-of-its-kind project will see the creation of a world-class campus facility for research, education, and training in the traditional craft skills required to preserve and maintain the heritage estate for future generations.

The C32/40 grade concrete (a strong commercial grade concrete used where high structural strength and support are required and when large heavy weights will be applied in small areas) used for the pour has a GGBS (Ground Granulated Blast-furnace Slag) content of 50%, which reduces the carbon footprint of the foundations compared with using OPC (Ordinary Portland Cement), with a pumped volume of approximately 190m3. 

The slab had a power floated finish and is to receive a shot blasting process to leave a textured finish. The finished building will house York Minster’s new stone-cutting CNC machines, which use water so the completed slab needs a surface that provides a non-slip finish. 

Within the Heritage Quad, concrete rafts of 250mm structural concrete with bar reinforcement were laid, with the workshop and accommodation block having a 700mm high concrete upstand, which is a visible element to the external design. The concrete upstands contain a unique pigment called Walrus, which was provided by Hatcrete, and all the concrete was mixed and supplied by Breedon Concrete.