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Mills Bakery - Civil and Structural Engineering

Mills Bakery is a Grade I listed building situated within the Royal William Yard on Western King, Plymouth. Built in 1831, this classic Victorian-era building once served as a naval facility but hadn¡¯t seen use since the Ministry of Defence left it in the 1980s. As part of wider proposals for the whole yard, developer Urban Splash planned to transform the building into an elegant, contemporary mixed-use scheme comprising residential, office, and commercial space. They engaged us to provide civil and structural engineering consultancy services.

Throughout the design, it was essential to treat historic features with respect and that any structural repairs should be sympathetic and involve minimal disruption to the fabric of the building. Given the substantial nature of the stone, cast iron, and timber primary structure, we worked closely with other design team members and English Heritage to address the many engineering challenges presented.

A key aim of the project was to open up the many dark spaces within the building, where there were few or no windows, allowing natural light in by modifying the existing structure to create atria and stairwells. The office area revolves around a three-storey high atrium containing a scissor stair, which we designed closely with the architect. The stair is supported only at landing levels, with no support at the half landing points, which was technically very challenging. Normally, such a design isn¡¯t possible in buildings where the original structural form is so functional in nature. However, remodelling of the south edge of the atrium to incorporate a concrete slab and load-bearing masonry core provided the ideal structure to resist the large lateral reactions from a scissor staircase.

The development is now a landmark area within Plymouth¡¯s waterfront, comprised of 88 apartments with office, retail, and leisure facilities and easy-access transport links. The retention of the building¡¯s original features and sympathetic design earned the project several awards.