STRUCTURAL AWARDS 2022

Award for exemplar use of timber at scale in a retrofit project

Winner: The Gramophone Works

Location: London, UK

Structural Designer: Heyne Tillett

Steel

Client: Resolution Property

Key Attributes: Planet, Profession

Project description

A landmark commercial development project comprising refurbished, extended, and new-build office spaces for the creative industries. The existing building was extended outwards and upwards to create a timber structured 6-storey office building. The building champions low carbon design, with around 70% of the original structure retained, and the new timber extensions storing 439 tonnes of embodied carbon.

Judges’ comments

This major reuse project champions the use of mass timber in the commercial sector to create an adaptive space which is responsive to the end user’s needs.

A lightweight CLT and glulam structure has been used to extend the existing concrete frame, increasing the building from two to six storeys and adding 60,000 ft².

Specifying timber as opposed to a heavier building material such as steel or concrete has allowed for minimal strengthening to the existing foundations which have been reused to support the additional four storeys.

Exemplary low-carbon thinking.

Award for transformative sustainable design through minimal intervention

Winner: London South Bank University - London Road Building

Location: London, UK

Structural Designer: Eckersley O’Callaghan

Client: London South Bank University

Key Attributes: Planet

Project description

A vibrant new student hub transformed from an outdated reinforced concrete frame building. By refurbishing and saving as much of the existing materials as possible, the embodied carbon component related to substructure and superstructure for the project is just 49 kgCO2e/m2. Design and construction works have been extensive including existing structure verification, carbon-fibre strengthening, further modifications and new structural additions of various scale.

Judges’ comments

A retrofit first approach to sustainable building design has transformed an outdated concrete building into a vibrant new student centre. The project team enabled minimal intervention based on detailed analysis of the existing structure, extending its design life by another 50 years and also achieving a great visual improvement.

Great care was taken to minimise the carbon footprint of construction by refurbishing and saving as much of the existing materials as possible. The SCORS A+ rating is fantastic for such a major project.

Award for creative sustainable design at scale that responds to the unique environment

Winner: United Nations New Office Building

Location: Geneva, Switzerland

Structural Designer: Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM) and INGENI INGENIERIE STRUCTURALE

Client: United Nations

Key Attributes: Planet

Project description

This vast administrative building was developed to achieve the highest standards of sustainability and wellbeing, aligning with the UN’s development goals and the Swiss Minergie standard. Strategically responding to a sloping site, the design is a series of cascading terraces. Exposed concrete structural slabs provide thermal mass to help regulate temperatures while integrated pipework within the slabs provides heating and cooling to spaces. This heating and cooling system taps into the existing network of sustainably sourced energy from Lake Geneva.

Judges’ comments

This project has a clear focus on both the environment and the end-user. An innovative hybrid timber and concrete structural slab and beam system solution was adopted and significantly reduced the embodied carbon emissions. The timber landscape stairs and the perimeter columns directly use unadorned structures to express the architectural aesthetics.

A fantastic example of timber concrete composite being used at scale.

Award for structural elegance through integrated design and construction

Winner: Tianfu Agricultural Expo Main Hall

Location: Chengdu, China

Structural Designer: StructureCraft and China Architecture Design & Research Group

Client: Sichuan TianFu Agriculture Expo Investment Ltd

Key Attributes: People, Process

At over 75,000 m2, this is the largest timber structure in Asia. This series of five vaults use unique Vierendeel-inspired trusses which are a hybrid of timber chords and steel webbing, achieving clear spans up to 110 m and heights up to 44 m. The unique wave of the building ensemble blends gently into the landscape, but also provided challenges for the engineering team in order to materialise the architectural scheme into a bold project on a very tight schedule.

Judges’ comments

The design of the vierendeel-inspired timber chord and steel webbing structure with ETFE membranes is aesthetically pleasing and seemingly melts into the surrounding environment. Thoughtful detailing of the unique shear-key connection is innovative and able to withstand seismic force.

Computational design aided the geometry design process. An integrated workflow enabled the design data to be directly used by the manufacturer, streamlining the processes of fabrication and ensuring clear communication. The CNC manufacturing process further increased the accuracy of assembly of all components and ensured an efficient erection process with minimised wastage. Efficient, thoughtful and collaborative engineering at its best.