University artist puts Willmott Dixon’s Rochdale Riverside team in the picture

Date published: 30 January 2019

Willmott Dixon’s team on the town centre Rochdale Riverside development have joined forces with the University of York to promote life in the construction industry using the skills of a professional illustrator.

Senior Building Manager Joshua Heavens was shadowed during a normal day on the £40m project by artist Lynne Chapman, who was specially commissioned by the university’s Department of Sociology to capture the human stories and behaviours on the major regeneration development.

The sketches showcase what it is really like to work on a construction project and help to dispel the stereotypical myths about construction roles.

Developed by a joint venture of Genr8 and Kajima in partnership with Rochdale Borough Council, Rochdale Riverside will provide 200,000 square foot of retail and leisure accommodation.

Capturing Willmott Dixon’s Rochdale story was all part of the Department’s ‘Buildings in the Making’ research project led by Sarah Nettleton, Daryl Martin and Chrissy Buse, exploring the creation of buildings which are truly fit for purpose and the how buildings people live and work in make them feel. The project was funded by the Economic and Social Research Council.

Their findings call for greater collaboration between all construction project partners and a better shared understanding of the visions and values of the communities and users that will live and work in developments.

Having previously completed ‘a Day in the Life of an Architect’, the university wanted to follow the life of a construction build manager on a major Northern project.

In the centre of Lynne’s attention in her fascinating sketches were the ways the team interacted, their behaviours, decision making, social interaction and emotions.

Reflecting on a day of being shadowed, Joshua said: “I didn’t know what to expect but the way Lynne captured our emotions from our interactions and what she took from what we were doing and saying was so interesting. I’m really impressed and really enjoyed it. It is a great way to show a different side to construction and further promote the great careers our industry has to offer!”

Anthony Dillon, managing director for Willmott Dixon in the North added: “It’s part of our belief that we have a purpose beyond profit - that the energy, passion and commitment of our people can strengthen the well-being of society beyond the buildings we create.

“We’re proud to support the University of York’s research. We agree with their finding that a shared sense of vision and values right across the project team is critical to leaving a legacy beyond bricks and mortar in the communities in which we work.”

Willmott Dixon has recently been awarded the Queen’s Awards for Enterprise in the category of ‘promoting opportunity’ in recognition of its community and social value work.

University of York, Buildings in the Making researcher, Chrissy Buse, said: “The aim of the ‘day in the life’ illustrations was to communicate in a visual way what site managers or architects actually do day-to-day, aiming to improve understandings and challenge preconceptions about particular roles on construction projects.

“Spending a day working with Josh and Lynne gave me a sense of the complex co-ordination work that site managers do, and the level of technical knowledge and communication skills the role requires.”

The sketches will be proudly displayed with the University of York’s 'Buildings in the Making' research at https://www.york.ac.uk/sociology/research/current-research/nettleton,-daryl-martin-chrissy-buse/