3 Copper Square - Brent Cross Town
HybriDfMA Frame System
Supply
Offsite
PROJECT OVERVIEW
Part of Related Argent and Brent Council’s landmark Brent Cross Town regeneration, 3 Copper Square showcases true hybrid innovation.
Standing 14 storeys tall and spanning 239,000 sq ft, it is the UK’s tallest CLT–precast concrete frame, combining precast concrete, recycled steel, and responsibly sourced cross-laminated timber (CLT).
Appointed by BAM as superstructure and façade delivery specialist, PCE delivered the project using its HybriDfMA Frame system – a systemised “kit-of-parts” approach that ensures performance, compliance, and value at every stage. Over 4,800 precision-engineered beams, columns, walls, and slabs were manufactured off-site and seamlessly assembled on site by just 24 multi-skilled operatives – ensuring delivery with speed, safety, and certainty.
More than just a building, 3 Copper Square represents the art of the possible when ambition, innovation, and flexibility align. It demonstrates how PCE’s HybriDfMA philosophy enables developers and architects to unlock bold architectural intent while achieving outstanding aesthetics, sustainability and structural performance.
CLIENT
MAIN CONTRACTOR
ARCHITECT
M&E ENGINEERS
CONSULTING ENGINEERS
Heyne Tillet Steel
Plasterboard Used 11-13 Days Per Level Installed
PROJECT METRICS
54 Weeks Constructing
7 Suppliers for components
26 Site Operatives
4,800+ Off-site Manufactured Components
845 Product Deliveries
12 Factories used for manufacture
14 Storeys Tall
239,000 sq.ft Office Space 0 External Scaffolding
HYBRIDFMA FRAMES SYSTEM
Systemised DfMA delivery of ‘unique’ hybrid structural solutions. PCE’s HybriDfMA approach enables fast and safe on-site assembly of unique structural frame and imaginative façade solutions using offsite design and component manufacturing processes, providing great value high quality buildings. This systems ‘kit of parts’ can be easily configured to suit unique designs ensuring ease of assembly.
System Features
• Existing designs easily and efficiently configurable utilising PCE’s Frame system approach
• Optimised component geometry improving carbon efficiency
• Optimised structural grid through the use of long span solutions
• Seamless integration of façade and M&E systems
• Enhanced safety through removal of back propping, improved access, and improved working from height
• Streamlined critical path and construction efficiency through early access for follow on trades
• Industry leading quality and predictable tolerances due to systemised approach
• Fire resistant along with excellent thermal and acoustic performance
System Benefits & Value
• Reduced carbon through smart design
• Offsite expertise for highest quality and control
• Kit of parts with flexible material interchangeability
• Up 50% reduction in construction programme
• Up to 90% reduction in waste
• Up to 80% reduction in site deliveries
• Up to 80% reduction in on-site personnel
• Improved productivity
• Digital twin and data driven insight
EARLY DESIGN PLANNING
Our systemised design and build approach optimises safety, quality, speed, and value from early design to handover, including follow-on trades and fit-out.
System libraries provide critical data to optimise design, manufacture, and assembly - accelerating delivery, reducing risk, and ensuring quality across the entire structural solution, ensuring a unique solution whilst maintaining the assurance a systemised approach.
From the early stages of design, PCE’s design team worked closely with the wider project team, harnessing its DfMA philosophy to tailor it’s systemised solution to the project’s materiality, grid layouts, M&E, façades, partitions, and core requirements, taking a DfMA mindset from concept to completion.
The structure was designed without traditional floorplates tying back to the core. Instead, the connection was achieved through the beam system. As the CLT floor slabs do not contribute to the building’s diaphragm action, the beams were designed to carry all vertical and lateral loads — effectively treating the slabs as non-structural elements.
To validate fire performance, full-scale testing was carried out in Poland at the Institute of Technology, commissioned by BAM to ensure all components met the required fire safety standards.
SYSTEMISED REPEATABILITY
Repeatability is a key aspect of PCE’s structural systems - the ability to deliver efficiency, assurance, and buildability through a systemised Kitof-Parts, repeatable in design and assembly.
By designing floor plates and structural systems around optimised, repeatable components, construction becomes faster, safer, and more predictable. Each element is configured to fit seamlessly, enabling projects to benefit from standardised methodologies that minimise risk and maximise productivity.
This repeatable process not only accelerates design, manufacture, and assembly but also drives continuous improvement. As projects progress, floor plate assembly becomes increasingly efficient, with every cycle building on the lastensuring consistent gains in speed, quality, and performance.
Stage 1 - Core
Stage 2 - Columns
Stage 5 - Floor Units
Stage 3 - Stairs
Each structural component underwent meticulous design and optimisation well before supply chain model, PCE ensured production of its high-quality components at scale. as doors, windows, and façades, to be pre-assembled, enabling quicker, safer, and more
Structural Concrete Beam
Precast Solid Wall
Precast concrete beams were used to simplify interfaces with the nonstructural façade whilst efficiently controlling deflection limits. Precast solid walls were cast flat on variable steel tilt tables, ensuring a high-quality finish. Tilt tables were used to minimize unnecessary handling reinforcement that would otherwise have been required to turn the unit vertically into its delivery orientation.
Structural Steel Beam
Precast
Deltabeams were used compositely with reinforced structural concrete to support the floor structure without any down stands. Twin-wall cores provide stair and lift shafts as well as frame stability.
Twin-wall
COMPONENTS
before construction. Manufactured offsite across the UK and Europe through PCE’s unique Offsite manufacturing allowed for integrated M&E, utility, and security components, such more reliable on-site installation, while reducing waste, deliveries, disturbance, and risk.
Cross-laminated
Timber Floor Unit
Engineered cross-laminated timber (CLT) floors were combined with the precast concrete structural frame and core. This use of innovative materials was driven by sustainability and aesthetics.
Pre-stressed Concrete Floor Unit
Pre-stressed floor units spanning between spine and edge beams were cast flat on steel tables in their final orientation, ensuring a highquality finish to the face.
Cross-laminated Timber Wall
Engineered cross-laminated timber (CLT) walls were assembled on the top floor of the structure for a structurally efficient, sustainable, and aesthetically rich design. The panels were manufactured with Computer Numerical Control (CNC) precision.
Precast concrete columns for the length and breadth of the structure at each level provided stability of the building.
Precast Square Column
SMART CONNECTIVITY
Key to the quality and efficiency of the system is the way that the components predictably interface with each other.
Fabrication and specification information for each component is created by our design specialists, ensuring complete control of how structural components are manufactured and integrated within the system. Interchangeability of components is then achieved through common connection principles, providing flexible design and material selection, without design delays and ambiguity.
Landing to Stair Units
Twin Wall to Twin Wall
Concrete Column to Edge Beam
Concrete Beam to Concrete Beam
Twin Wall to Solid Floor
Concrete Column to Precast Beam
Solid Floor Unit to Concrete Beam
MAPPING
PCE’s flexible supply chain that every project benefits offsite specialists in
For 3 Copper Square, six expert carefully selected to manufacture of parts, each chosen for their quality, in line with project-specific
CHAIN
chain model ensures benefits from the best the UK and Europe.
expert partners were manufacture the systemised kit their capability and proven project-specific criteria.
OFFSITE MANUFACTURE
The systemised kit-of-parts for 3 Copper Square comprised over 4,800 offsitemanufactured components – including precast beams, columns, solid and twin walls, stair cores, hollowcore and solid slabs, structural steelwork, and CLT flooring.
Before production, every element was sampled, tested, and benchmarked to guarantee performance and consistency. With PCE quality controllers embedded across the supply chain, the process was closely coordinated and rigorously managed – giving clients certainty, reliability, and value at every stage.
A major focus was reducing the carbon footprint of the concrete mix. Working with supply chain specialists, PCE successfully lowered embodied carbon through collaborative research and innovation through steps such as ensuring all concrete contained 40% GBBS (Ground Granulated Blast-furnace Slag).
The project’s timber was responsibly sourced from Stora Enso’s sustainably managed Austrian forests, using renewable electricity. Engineered mass timber partner Eurban then provided specialist design and build expertise, fully aligned with PCE’s quality standards.
MASS ENGINEREED TIMBER
3 Copper Square marks a milestone for PCE – the first integration of cross-laminated timber (CLT) within our Hybrid DfMA structural system.
This achievement demonstrates the versatility of our approach, proving how different structural materials can be seamlessly combined while maintaining the speed, quality, performance, compliance, and certainty our clients expect.
Responsibly sourced from Stora Enso’s sustainably managed Austrian forests using renewable energy, the engineered timber was delivered in partnership with Eurban, specialists in CLT design and build. Manufactured with Computer Numerical Control (CNC) precision, the lightweight panels offer robust load-bearing capacity and excellent acoustic, thermal, fire, and seismic performance, while also locking in carbon for long-term sustainability.
The CLT was carefully detailed to connect with precast beams, composite steel beams, and post-fix steel angles, showcasing true hybrid engineering in action. The engineered timber components arrived ready for immediate installation, pre-coated with SIGA Wetguard membranes for moisture protection during transport and assembly.
On site, quality was assured through moisture content testing, with additional SIGA sheeting and neoprene applied to safeguard durability and longevity.
QUALITY CONTROL
Offsite technology underpinned the high-performance delivery of 3 Copper Square.
Factory-produced components were manufactured to exacting QA/QC standards, guaranteeing quality, performance, and value. Across site and supply chain, PCE applied a rigorously controlled assurance process, ensuring precision, consistency, and full traceability from design through to handover.
At the core was a coordinated digital twin linking every component to realtime quality data, creating a transparent, accessible record of compliance for all stakeholders.
Assembly and Site QA
Design Quality
• Integrated structural and M&E model enabled early clash resolution and design validation.
• Fabrication data flowed directly from the model, ensuring precision and alignment with architectural intent.
Manufacturing Control
• Units inspected pre- and post-casting, with dimensional and photographic records captured digitally.
• ‘First-off’ samples set quality benchmarks, reinforced by in-house QA and automated monitoring.
• Factory expeditors independently audited 10% of components for compliance.
• All deliveries inspected, with damage digitally logged.
• Survey control grids ensured accurate placement within tolerances.
• Hold-point inspections and multi-party sign-offs applied to key activities.
• Consistency maintained through reference samples and documented standards.
Final Handover
• A dedicated Handover Manager coordinated inspections, detailing, and client engagement for a clear, documented closeout.
SITE LOGISTICS
3 Copper Square demonstrates the accuracy, control, and predictability of PCE’s structural delivery.
The building was assembled just inches from Brent Cross West station and metres from the live railway, all while the station remained fully operational and undisrupted.
By adopting an offsite DfMA solution, onsite activity was dramatically reduced - minimising labour, plant, materials, and deliveries. This precision-driven, justin-time strategy proved vital within the wider Brent Cross Town development, where multiple projects were running concurrently. PCE’s approach not only streamlined construction but also helped ease congestion and disruption across the broader site and surrounding community.
CONSTRUCTION PHASE
The construction of 3 Copper Square was completed in just 54 weeks, demonstrating the speed and reliability of PCE’s systemised hybrid approach.
Each level was delivered in an average of 11–13 days, with no RIDDORs, maintaining consistent progress, safety, and programme certainty throughout the build.
Operating within the Argent masterplan, the project required seamless collaboration from PreConstruction through to Onsite Assembly. PCE’s early involvement ensured all interfaces, logistics, and safety requirements were defined and controlled from the outset.
A skilled site team of 26 operatives, including erectors, grouters, steel fixers, and carpenters — supported by three apprentices — delivered the works efficiently and safely. Building services were integrated through pre-formed beam openings and beneath raised flooring, allowing M&E installation to align perfectly with the structure.
Through standardised installation methodologies, PCE maintained complete control across each build stage — ensuring predictable quality, repeatable performance, and assured delivery in a highly constrained site environment adjacent to Brent Cross West station.
SITE SAFETY
Safety was embedded into every stage of delivery at 3 Copper Square.
To minimise risks, components were prefitted with features such as handrails, arriving to site ready for safe and efficient assembly. Standardised installation methodologies enabled our multi-disciplined teams to work with both speed and precision, without compromising safety.
Ensuring safe access to each floor level was a priority as construction progressed. During planning, PCE collaborated with PERI to deploy proprietary access systems through the lift cores, projecting beyond the working level as the structure rose. This allowed operatives to safely remove lifting gear from the next level of walls at chest height, eliminating the need for additional platforms.
For offloading, PCE deployed its SlingSafe system—a gated access platform with a mobile boom providing full fall arrest protection, securing operatives via inertia reels and harnesses.
To uphold the highest standards, independent safety auditors were engaged throughout, supporting PCE’s commitment to continual improvement and industry best practice.
DIGITAL DELIVERY
Digital tools played a central role in delivering certainty at 3 Copper Square.
Using advanced Building Information Modelling (BIM), PCE’s Design Team coordinated every stage of design, manufacture, and assembly with exceptional accuracy. This approach not only streamlined programme delivery but also enhanced safety and sustainability outcomes.
Through the Ynomia Platform, the BIM model was developed into a connected Digital Twin. Each component was assigned a unique identifier, enabling live data to be linked throughout its lifecycle—from manufacture to installation and beyond. This created a fully traceable record of every element within the structure.
Digital Visibility and Assurance
• End-to-end QA/QC integration
• A single, reliable source of truth
• Real-time defect and observation management
• 14-stage tracking for every component
• Full lifecycle traceability
• Linked ancillary actions
• Verified “as built” records
• Golden Thread compliance
SUSTAINABLE DELIVERY
Using a combination of precast concrete and CLT achieved a 22% reduction in embodied carbon compared to a traditional in-situ concrete frame. All timber was responsibly sourced from FSC-certified forests, while concrete mixes were optimised to reduce cement content (such as containing 40% GGBS) and improve circularity. The structure is desinged Designed to reduce embodied carbon by 13% vs. LETI target (2020-2025), reinforcing Brent Cross Town’s commitment to sustainable development.
3 Copper Square’s cross laminated timber has captured and stored almost 3,500 tonnes of CO2 over its lifetime. The timber used is sustainably sourced from Stora Enzo. They typically plant 3 or 4 saplings for every tree harvested and it takes just 13 minutes to regrow the volume of wood used in 3 Copper Square in their sustainably managed Austrian forests.
OUR PEOPLE
The project site team assembled the 239,000 square foot, 14 story structure in just 12 months, showcasing the speed and accuracy not only of the Hybrid Frame system, but of the site team themselves, backed by the wider PCE delivery team including design, pre-construction, and the project team.
PCE is an Employee Ownership Trust, equally owned by all of its employees. This means our teams are personally invested in the company’s collective success - because when PCE succeeds, they directly share in the rewards.
This shared ownership drives a culture of accountability, innovation, and excellence, helping our business continually improve and deliver outstanding results for our clients.
Project Manager, Christian Sedgebeer, commented:
“This building isn’t just another addition to the London skyline, it’s a landmark. The first project in Europe to combine a CLT floor structure with precast concrete frame at this scale, truly a project to look back and be proud of.
A special thankyou to the PCE site team and our subcontract partners (SHGJ, AANU, V-fixings, Kempson) - come rain or shine you were all out there cleaning up water and keeping install going, this build hasn’t exactly been blessed with perfect weather!”