Name: Ian Shaw
Job Title: Project Manager
Department: Estates

Can you tell us a little bit about your role?

I am responsible for managing the various inputs into the design and construction of the new building, developing the brief, highlighting and getting decisions on direction for conflicting demands, appointing the consultants and contractor and delivering the scheme to time and budget.

How have you been involved in the Oculus Building project?

I was approached by the University’s Capital Programme Director to assist in delivering the project and worked as a consultant project manager leading the consultant and contractor team before being requested to join the Estates team on a part-time secondment to fulfil a role which also included all of the internal interfaces within the University.

What do you like best about the building?

That it delivers all of the criteria of the initial brief: whilst the roof is impressive as a single item, as is the scale of the 500 seat lecture theatre, the use of natural light and the integration of the design of the furniture, landscaping, planting, with the quality of the social learning spaces mean the overall is greater than the sum of its parts. If we can get an award for the building, then it will have achieved every goal that was set back in mid-2014 before the design of the building was even considered.

What challenges have you faced in your work on the building?

Everything from overseeing a value managed approach to ensure efficiency in the design and not downgrading specification to meet budget, ensuring that landscaping and furniture budgets were ringfenced to working with the contractor to minimise disruption to University and Health Centre roads during the build.

Now that it’s open, what’s the next thing you’re working on?

I will continue to oversee the rectification of any areas of snagging as well as seasonal commissioning of the building, but other than that, I am back to my consulting day job as Project Management Director for Pick Everard – although I’m always available for the next major project at the University!