EXCITING TIMES FOR INDUSTRY LEADER
Over 50 years ago, a company in buildings for Zoo’s, coffee shops, even in a small number of weeks rather
Arundel, West Sussex, produced a A&E wards. Their team of structural than months. It is great to see the
groundbreaking range of polytunnels designers work solidly to ensure every reaction from the client or contractor
for commercial horticulture. calculation is on the nose, ready for when we get to work; our process is
Continually growing, they are now their craftsmen, also in-house, to seriously quick.”
the UK industry leaders in the design, produce the framework components. manufacture and installation of Their approach to work, allows for And the buildings themselves are
inspired structures, ranging from the rapid installation of impressive far from the norm either. Working
beautifully curved timber canopies steel and timber structures that to a goal of banning boring buildings
in nationwide visitor attractions grace hospitals, leisure facilities and Fordingbridge excel in structural
to industrial steel constructions schools up and down the country. “We timber as well as steel, creating
covering football pitches, ambulance undertake all of the pre-fabrication curves and lines that flow through any
bays and hospitals. But they are not here, leaving minimal disruption to the landscape. “We have invested in the
stopping there. client onsite,” explains Stephen Toone, technology and the people to make
Managing Director of Fordingbridge. buildings interesting again,” Stephen
Fordingbridge also produce pre- “We prefab all of our structural says. “If you imagine a standard brick
engineered building frameworks components offsite, meaning that building. You could create interesting
from their custom developed Arundel once the groundworks are completed, shapes, but it can be expensive, has a
factory. Garden centres, exhibition the building envelope can be erected large carbon impact and takes time.
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Landscape & Urban Design Issue 36 2019