Academics see future of Aberdeen’s student accommodation boom

Engineering students who represent the future of the construction industry have been given a personal insight into one of the most important projects taking place in Aberdeen – the creation of much needed new accommodation for academics in the city.After decades of waiting, projects to bring new facilities for students at Aberdeen’s world-renowned universities have become one of the biggest areas of growth for commercial construction in the Granite City.Alumno Developments, the provider of accommodation in university cities such as Glasgow, Edinburgh, St Andrews, Birmingham, Durham and London is mid-way through construction of its first facility in Aberdeen.Kier Construction, as main contractor on the build at Powis Place, is working alongside Alumno to welcome groups of students onsite – giving them the chance to see key elements of the engineering, construction and design work which is rapidly progressing.Alumno Developments and Kier Construction broke ground on the £11 million project, which will deliver rooms for 196 students in a modern, six storey building in the city’s Powis Place in March 2015, with completion targeted to the start of the 2016/7 academic year.The building was designed by Carson & Partners, and members of the project team supporting Alumno Developments also include Fairhurst, Hawthorne Boyle and Turner and Townsend.