Knox Court Cardiff

In August 2024, Intelle engaged Concrete Structures and Floors Ltd for a complex project involving the installation of decking and concrete on levels 6, 7, and 8 of Knox Court in Cardiff. Previously the Legal & General HQ Office in Cardiff Central, Knox Court was sold to Urban Centric in April 2024 for £6.2m. After acquiring the building Urban Centric appointed Expedite’s multidiscipline team to design and manage the redevelopment of the offices into Cardiff’s first co-living scheme to provide an ideal mix of private space with a range of communal areas, alongside two office units on the ground floor.

Co-living schemes are described as an alternative to shared flats or halls of residence for older renters. The details of them vary but many offer small studio rooms with their own bathrooms but which share other communal spaces and amenities. In some cases this includes work areas, games spaces, cooking and laundry facilities.

Knox Court occupies a prominent corner frontage onto Fitzalan Place, which provides a direct route onto Newport Road, the main arterial road both through Cardiff city centre and out to the east of the city. Whilst ideal for city centre amenities and public transport, the location, in the heart of the city centre, presented significant challenges due to limited space and logistical constraints.

To optimize efficiency and reduce costs for the client, CSF implemented a concrete mix enhanced with metal fibres. This innovative approach minimized the need for extensive crane operations, allowing the team to focus on the more crucial task of erecting the steel structure.

The project saw the successful pouring of 2000m² of concrete slab completed over three separate pours, with no additional setup or delays required between stages. In addition to the concrete work, CSF also installed 900m² of roof decking, contributing to the rapid progression of the project.

Overall, CSF’s strategic use of materials and careful planning helped streamline the construction process, delivering high-quality results in a constrained urban environment.

Contractor: Intelle

Decking: Southern Profiles

Concrete: Cemex

Pump: Pump Wright