About the Project

All England Lawn Tennis Club – Indoor Tennis Centre

Construction of indoor tennis centre, completed in 143 weeks.

For size, complexity, stakeholder management and prestige, nothing comes close to this indoor tennis centre scheme in Alex Heath’s portfolio of high-end fit-outs that won him the project leadership role in the first place. What mattered even more than experience in successful delivery, though, were his planning and problem-solving skills, along with clear leadership, focus on communication and fostering of excellent relationships.

Alex’s ability to stay calm under pressure was of enormous benefit. Not only did the project encounter the usual Covid-related and technical challenges, but also the facade and roof contractor went into administration partway through its programme-critical multi-package works. He immediately met the subcontractors – understandably unhappy at their newly crystallised financial losses – and through considerable effort got them all into direct contract with the main contractor to complete the works. It was a crucial recovery effort for a project where a great deal of risk lay in a standing-seam roof whose curvature in two directions made each section unique.

Likewise he mastered the bespoke manufacturing process and fixing solution required for the indoor court ceiling and its 1,100 birch-ply panels. Alex’s mock-up exercise was key to success. By building six panels in the most curved section and suspending them off site, he realised – at a far better moment than mid-installation – the need for a lighter substructure with bigger tolerance gaps between panels.