Bouygues UK Builds Canterbury’s Student Dormitory in Morocco

Rabat – The UK-based subsidiary of French construction firm Bouygues announced on Tuesday the completion of its first self-delivered modular project of 491-bedroom student accommodations.

The £115 million (MAD 1.4 billion) project destined for the student dormitory at Riverside, Canterbury, was built in a factory in Morocco and transported directly to the construction site for installation.

The project required the construction of 430 modules for a range of rooms from studios, premium rooms, and cluster rooms (private rooms with en-suites built around a shared living space).

The offshore production scheme was implemented in Morocco as “part of the UK Government’s roadmap for construction,” says Bouygues UK.

The company added that the project aimed to achieve more over a shorter building time, whilst reducing construction risks and disturbance on site, especially since Riverside is located in Canterbury’s busy leisure area.

Three of Bouygues Construction’s companies led the urban development project including Bouygues UK, Canterbury City Council’s development partner Linkcity, and its dedicated student accommodation brand Uliving.

Describing it as “a really exciting milestone,” CEO of Bouygues UK, Rob Bradley said that “the completed project is of the highest standard and showcases our ability to design, build and operate student accommodation.”

“Modern Methods of Construction (MMC) is a crucial part of the future for construction, and we have learned a tremendous amount from this scheme, which stands us in great stead for future modular projects,” Bradley noted.

“Modern Methods of Construction” refer to new unconventional methods of building which include off-site building and building components separately for assembly later.

The CEO added, “We look forward to utilizing these skills much more.”

As Bouygues further explores MMC prospects, the French company is expanding its portfolio in Morocco through the development of new projects.

Bouygues has built a strong presence in the North African country as it developed one of Morocco’s renowned infrastructure projects, the Tanger Med Port Complex. Bouygues Travaux Publics and Bouygues Batiment International led the construction work for three years until the port’s inauguration in 2007.