This year marks the 50th anniversary of B&K Structures (BKS). As one of the UK’s leading sustainable frame contractors, they are leading the way in the design and delivery of structural timber and timber-steel hybrids.
Having begun their journey in 1974 specialising in steel fabrication, they added structural timber to their portfolio in 2007 and invested in a steel manufacturing arm in 2021. Now, with 50 years of combined experience, BKS deliver the full expert package – in timber, steel and hybrid solutions.
Since 2007, BKS have been pioneers of timber innovation, with extensive specialist experience designing and delivering both structural timber and hybrid projects. Driving innovation across all major sectors, their diverse expertise and growing portfolio showcase the potential these sustainable solutions can bring to increasingly large and more complex projects. Today, they operate in five main sectors – commercial, industrial, education, retail and leisure – but continue to explore ever-growing opportunities across every sector.
“Over the last 50 years we have delivered over 500 structural timber, steel, and timber-steel projects across the UK, in all major sectors,” says Alex Brock, Pre-Construction Manager at BKS. “However, hybrids – integrating both materials – now account for a significant proportion of our work. We are seeing an increasing demand for these timber-steel hybrids which combine both the benefits of this solution and our significant experience.”
Hybrid construction is one of the most promising solutions for increasing timber specification in the UK, while pragmatically selecting the right material in the right place. As Alex says: “Ultimately, the adoption of timber is crucial if the UK is to meet its net zero targets – but outside of the numerous sustainability benefits, there are many more reasons to choose a hybrid approach.”
The appetite for timber in the commercial sector is growing year on year, and high-profile commercial projects are helping to reshape the landscape. Timber-steel hybrids have also become a favoured solution in commercial retrofits, redevelopments, and refurbishments – where timber’s lightweight strength offers significant advantages. Recent BKS examples include: The Gramophone Works, Technique, and Walworth Town Hall, where a hybrid approach allowed additional storeys to be economically added and tenant capacity to be increased, without the need for significant strengthening of the existing superstructure. Other large-scale commercial projects – such as Metropolis and Paradise, both delivered by BKS earlier this year – are receiving significant media attention, bringing timber excellence to the public consciousness, and making strides for its use across other sectors.
In recent years, BKS have contributed to numerous outstanding education schemes, with timber and timber-steel hybrids proving to be excellent solutions for schools and universities. One notable project is Fife College, a state-of-the-art learning campus designed as a Net Zero Carbon Pathfinder. Using a hybrid CLT, structural steelwork, and Deltabeam solution, Fife College aims to be Scotland’s first net zero tertiary education building, saving 25% of the embodied carbon typically expected in a structure of this scale. Currently, it is the largest Deltabeam and CLT hybrid project in the UK. The BKS team have designed and delivered almost 9,000sq m of CLT and over 1,400 tonnes of structural steelwork to create a sustainable campus for more than 4,500 students and faculty members.
The leisure sector is another mainstay of BKS’ work. Spelthorne Leisure Centre – the UK’s largest ‘wet and dry’ Passivhaus leisure facility – employs a hybrid structural concept, using a load bearing CLT external wall with a steel exoskeleton and internal structural steelwork and glulam. Significantly, Spelthorne Borough Council expects the new building to use 60% less energy than a typical modern leisure centre. Similarly, Cozenton Park Sports Centre is a new generation leisure centre designed and built to meet exceptionally high standards of energy efficiency and sustainability, replacing a 30-year-old facility with a highly insulated but elegant timber and hybrid steelwork structure.
“Looking to the future,” adds Lee Roberts, BKS Pre-Construction Director. “Our upcoming projects are years ahead in terms of what structural timber can achieve when compared to traditional materials. Notably, BKS are now working with industrial developers in the same way we once worked with retail clients almost 20 years ago – looking at incorporating timber into the industrial market and giving clients the confidence to build with a lower embodied carbon footprint.”
Charlton WorkStack is a recent example. Drawing inspiration from a ‘log-stack’, the project breaks the mould of ubiquitous ‘tin-shack’ industrial units. The overlapping, cantilevering workspaces – progressively increasing in size – utilise the lightweight strength of CLT to create much-needed office space on a reduced and compact urban site. Innovative, flexible, and commercially successful, the project is a trailblazer for re-industrialising our cities with timber and is the UK’s first light industrial building of its type and scale.
In 2021 they also acquired a state-of the-art steel manufacturing facility – a significant investment which has not only doubled turnover but guarantees in-house supply for their steelwork and hybrid projects, allowing them to take on larger and more complex schemes. Growing year on year, they have recently opened a new satellite office in Manchester, as well as expanding into other regions of the UK, to continue driving the hybrid revolution outside of London.
BKS are proud to be pioneers in the construction industry, with 50 years of experience delivering timber, steel, and hybrid projects on behalf of some of the UK’s largest clients. Now a £50million business, their team has grown to over 150 staff – including structural engineers, draughtsmen, project managers, and a dedicated sustainability team – with over 25% of staff having worked at the company for over a decade and a third joining through apprenticeship schemes. BKS are proud to have delivered some of the most iconic timber projects in the UK.
Source: Structural Timber Magazine
