Tall Buildings - Issue 2

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ISSUE 2 | WINTER 2020

Tall Buildings

DESIGN TECHNOLOGY SUSTAINABILITY INTERVIEWS NEWS ANALYSIS CASE STUDIES

BUILDING TECHNOLOGY INNOVATION IN THE UK HIGH-RISE SECTOR

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TALL BUILDINGS CONFERENCE

INDUSTRY NEWS

TALL BUILDINGS AWARDS

Featuring iconic structures and industry innovators

A round-up of the latest developments in the high-rise sector

Celebrating the projects that are transforming our city skylines

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WELCOME

PUBLISHING

Welcome to the winter issue of the Tall Buildings Magazine and as we face continuing challenges not only within the construction arena but also in many of our personal lives, it is good to have something to celebrate and the recent virtual Tall Buildings Awards ceremony was just one such occasion.

FRONT COVER: Victory Plaza - Arup Mapleton Crescent - Metropolitan Workshop Duncan House - Hodder + Partners PRINTED ON: PEFC 16-33-576 paper stock by Buxton Press

PUBLISHER: Tall Buildings Magazine is produced and published by Radar Communications: ©Radar Communications Ltd. Radar Communications Ltd, 101 Longden Road, Shrewsbury, Shropshire, SY3 9PS T: 01743 290001 www.radar-communications.co.uk SUBSCRIBE TO RECEIVE: www.tallbuildingsmagazine.co.uk ADVERTISING ENQUIRIES PLEASE CONTACT: Julie Williams // T: 01743 290001 E: julie.williams@radar-communications.co.uk SEND US YOUR NEWS: Julie Price // T: 01743 290001 E: info@tallbuildingsmagazine.co.uk BACK ISSUES VISIT: www.tallbuildingsmagazine.co.uk FOR ENQUIRIES PLEASE CONTACT: E: info@tallbuildingsmagazine.co.uk DISCLAIMER: The content of Tall Buildings Magazine does not necessarily reflect the views of the editor or publishers and are the views of its contributors and advertisers. The digital edition may include hyperlinks to third-party content, advertising, or websites, provided for the sake of convenience and interest. The publishers accept no legal responsibility for loss arising from information in this publication and do not endorse any advertising or products available from external sources. No part of this publication may be reproduced or stored in a retrieval system without the written consent of the publishers.

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Buildings M Tall

In this issue we feature the award-winning developments that are scaling new heights and acknowledge those who are creating a legacy of iconic superstructures that are transforming the UK’s built environment and our city skylines.

The Tall Buildings Conference was another opportunity for the construction sector to congregate – albeit virtually and the feedback from the event was outstanding. Through a combination of pre-recorded videos and live Q&A sessions the speakers inspired the audience with their visions for the future and the innovations that are making high-rise buildings greener, safer, and inclusive by offering more opportunities for public access. If you missed the event there is a full report on page 6 with a link to view all the speaker presentations.

As we look ahead to 2021, there is no doubt that the post-Grenfell fall out will quite rightly alter the way tall buildings are designed, built and maintained. But it is not only building safety that is under an unprecedented spotlight, net zero carbon targets are also changing the high-rise industry.

Urban greening and a more sustainable approach are now considered a prerequisite.

Boris Johnson has put tackling climate change at the top of the list of projects for collaboration with the new incumbent of the White House.

His government is pushing forward with changes to Building Safety, to Regulation and to Planning, and with COP26 coming up in November 2021 in Glasgow, now is the time to align all policies and regulations to address the climate emergency so that we can really deliver on zero carbon ambitions.

And finally, the team behind the Tall Buildings Awards and Conference would like to send their thanks to all those who sponsored or took part in these events. All at the Tall Buildings Magazine would like to thank our contributors and advertisers – we appreciate your support.

Julie Price Editor info@tallbuildingsmagazine.co.uk

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In this issue...

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CONTENTS

Buildings M Tall

Tall Buildings Conference -

featuring those who are creating iconic structures and innovations in building technologies in the high-rise sector.

Industry News -

a roundup of the latest proposals, applications, approvals and inquiries taking place across the UK.

Tall Buildings Awards -

celebrating developments that are scaling new heights and acknowledging those who are transforming our city skylines.

Building Safety -

how to prevent the spread of smoke and maintain a survivable environment for escape during fires.

Corporate security Reception services Corporate chauffeur services Close protection Remote monitoring Intelligence Hub Security operations centre Car parking solutions Physical security installation Security equipment Project management Electronic security system installation Consultancy Canine patrolling

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TALL BUILDINGS CONFERENCE Buildings M Tall

FEATURING PRESENTATIONS FROM THOSE WHO ARE SHAPING OUR CITY SKYLINES The Tall Buildings Conference and Exhibition returned for a second year but to overcome the current COVID-19 restrictions, the 2020 event organisers looked to digital technology to provide a solution.

Tall buildings present unique challenges in terms of design and construction. The Tall Buildings Conference focused on iconic structures and innovations in building technology in the UK high-rise sector.

The event facilitated learning and knowledge transfer and provided a platform for discussion and debate.

Chair for the day Lara Kinneir, Director at Place Agency, kicked off proceedings by offering an overview of the sector and invited the eminent speakers to ‘take centre stage’ at the virtual Tall Buildings Conference.

London’s Tall Building Boom Peter Murray, Curator in Chief of New London Architecture (NLA) took delegates on a whistle stop tour of London’s superstructures and explained how we fell out of love with tall residential buildings, but the iconic developments in Canary Wharf changed all that. Peter spoke with authority on the various tall clusters and explained how many residential towers are now at the higher end of the residential property market.

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In 2014 the NLA started the London Tall Buildings Survey and it was clear that no one, not even the Mayor of London at the time, Boris Johnson – understood the number of towers in the planning and development stages.

The first report identified 236 tall buildings in development of circa 20 – 29 storeys with a few at 60 plus storeys.

The survey continues to this day on an annual basis.

TALL BUILDINGS CONFERENCE

Lara Kinneir

Gary Le Carpentier

Ian Simpson

Peter Murray

Adam McPartland

Alison Haigh

Residential High Rise in London Gary Le Carpentier, Technical Director for Ramboll talked delegates through the structures of the Merano Residences on the Albert Embankment; 250 City Road a 52 storey development in Islington; Riverlight located in Wandsworth and Wood Wharf Buildings A2 & A3 on the Isle of Dogs. In a highly technical presentation, Gary shared his expertise on the use of modern methods of construction and talked in detail about the use of steel and precast concrete.

Gary led the Ramboll teams who designed these prestigious high-rise developments and is also the precast design for manufacture and assembly (DfMA) lead for Ramboll and is actively involved in the design of precast structures.

Case Study – 100 Broad Street, Birmingham Adam McPartland, Director at Glancy Nicholls presented a detailed case study of a two-tower scheme, 100 Broad Street – which includes a 61-storey slender hybrid concrete and steel tower. Encompassing 500 apartments, amenity facilities, with commercial elements on the ground floor – the primary tower is topped with a panoramic glass 'crown' containing a sky lounge and fine dining restaurant.

Adam opened by offering context to the demographics and growth of Birmingham and explained how site analysis and the urban strategy together with historical research, shaped the building’s form. Creating a dramatic silhouette, the primary tower is the key pinnacle feature at the forefront of Birmingham’s tall building cluster zone.

Case Study – One Black Friars Ian Simpson, Founding Partner of SimpsonHaugh expressed his love of tall buildings from an early age and related his experience to his Mancunian heritage. One Blackfriars is a mixed-use development in Bankside, London. The development is made up of a 52-storey tower and two smaller buildings of six and four storeys. Uses include residential apartments, a hotel and retail. Ian described One Black Friars as a piece of art which is full of light and relates to the dynamic form of the river.

The building has an elegant smooth skin, tapering to a small footprint.

Ian argues tall buildings are not a panacea but are part of the offer which is evolving to incorporate green spaces and wellbeing within high-rise buildings that deliver the necessary, attractively.

Buildings M Tall

High-Rise Living Alison Haigh Senior Architect for Buttress Architects shared her experiences gained over 20 years of specialising the residential sector. She has led multi-disciplinary teams on all stages in the design and development of residential high-rise including refurbishment and new build for registered social landlords, private developers and contractor clients.

Alison outlined some of the real challenges associated with the design and development of tall buildings from not only a construction perspective but also creating a sense of community and interaction between occupants.

From problems surrounding wind loads and solar gain to fire safety strategies and the complexities of lift design and the practicalities of managing access – Alison shared her expertise in overcoming such issues.

Concrete Tall Buildings As a chartered civil and structural engineer with more than 30-years’ experience in the construction industry, presenter Jenny Burridge has worked for Arup and AECOM designing award winning buildings in both the UK and mainland Europe.

Now Head of Structural Engineering at the Concrete Centre, Jenny opened her talk by focusing on iconic concrete

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TALL BUILDINGS CONFERENCE Buildings M Tall

Jenny Burridge

Steve McKechnie

Alastair Moss

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3 buildings such as the Burj Khalifa, Dubai and the Jeddah Tower, Saudi Arabia. Outlining fire protection benefits together with the heightened acoustic and thermal performance of concrete – Jenny also discussed the new regulatory framework which outlines the roles, responsibilities,

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and competencies of those involved in high-rise buildings. On the subject of carbon targets, Jenny invited delegates to review the Concrete Centre’s roadmap for reaching net zero in the concrete industry and outlined some of the current initiatives underway.

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Making Zero Carbon a Reality Arup Director, Steve McKechnie considered designing buildings to offer users value and deliver a 25% saving in carbon emissions.

Remarkably Steve started by evaluating Arup’s work at La Sagrada Familia in Barcelona, where he has designed six new towers using prestressed stone masonry panels and 60 metre high continuous stone cantilever stairs.

By exploring alternative construction techniques and specifying prestressed stone, concrete was eliminated and the work at the historic building was faster and more cost-effective. Carbon capture is doable but expensive, so Steve looked at the most sustainable way of constructing tall buildings and presented hand drawn concepts and talked through the optimum structural systems and materials – concluding with an analysis of the carbon savings.

Tall Buildings in the City Alastair Moss Chair of the Planning & Transportation Committee of the City of London started by showing a photograph of the London skyline in 2010 and then made a comparison with the abundance of new superstructures nine years on. Alastair outlined initiatives in the city and how digital technology is offering a 3D perspective. He discussed how new developments are including public areas such as restaurants and viewing galleries as well as roof terraces and embracing urban greening opportunities. Alastair offered an overview of some notable tall buildings including 22 Bishops Gate which will house 12,000 people and lifts capable of being used for fire evacuation. Alastair shared the climate action strategy and how the City of London is taking a more scientific approach to tackle issues such as air quality that will make the city a better place to be.

TALL BUILDINGS CONFERENCE

Buildings M Tall

Jeremy Belcher

4 DfMA At The Madison Rising to 187 metres, The Madison – a slender hexagonal glass clad tower, is a 53-storey landmark residential tall building located in E14 adjacent to Canary Wharf. This expansive collection of 423 residences together with commercial space, features a new public park at ground floor level.

Jeremy Belcher, Design Manager for Balfour Beatty presented a detailed account of optimising design for manufacture and assembly (DfMA) protocols focusing on finished snagged bathroom pods that enhanced quality and reduced the man hours involved in putting the building together achieving a faster delivery programme. Jeremy firmly believes that every tall building is a chance to test, hone, refine and learn new techniques.

Urban Strategies for Accommodating Tall Buildings Eric Parry Founder & Principal of Eric Parry Architects offered a historical perspective to city planning which influenced the design of 1 Undershaft – a skyscraper planned for the City of London’s financial district which was given approval in November 2016. The building will provide approximately 90,000 square metres of office space.

The offset design of the core and

the rigidity provided by the unique external bracing means floor space has been maximised providing much needed flexible, quality office accommodation for businesses.

A new larger public square will be created at the base of the tower.

The elevated office reception lobby means that the public will be able to walk freely beneath the skyscraper.

Retail and leisure space will be created in the lower level gallery, with new restaurants, cafés, and shops accessed from the public square. At the top of the building will be the UK’s highest public viewing gallery, served by dedicated lifts. A public restaurant will be located on the level beneath the viewing gallery.

Eric has developed a strong reputation for delivering beautifully crafted and high-quality contemporary buildings that respond to their context. Eric’s approach is particularly sensitive to dense urban contexts, the use of materials - including innovative uses of ceramic - as well as the integration of art within his buildings, engaging with artists from the early stages of the design process.

Tall Buildings Conference Providing unique insight into the engineering feats that are shaping

Eric Parry

the UK's city skylines, and recognising excellence in the sector, although a virtual event this year, the Tall Buildings Conference offered plenty of opportunities for delegates to put forward challenging questions.

Innovation is happening at pace and through detailed case studies and pioneering speakers who are at the cutting-edge of the high-rise sector, the conference offered insight into unique design and engineering solutions that are being developed to maximise space in city centres where demand is high, requiring elevated solutions to provide more homes and commercial space.

2020 Tall Buildings Conference Speaker Presentations To access the speaker presentations from the conference, please go to: www.tallbuildingsconference.co.uk/ 2020-speaker-presentations www.tallbuildingsconference.co.uk

IMAGES 01 The Madison. Courtesy of Balfour Beatty 02 52 Lime Street. Courtesy of Arup 03 One Blackfriars. Courtesy of SimpsonHaugh 04 DBOX. Courtesy of Eric Parry Architects

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INDUSTRY NEWS Buildings M Tall Latest Liverpool Waters Scheme Gets the Greenlight Known as Patagonia Place, a 31-storey residential tower on the banks of the river Mersey in Liverpool has been given the green light. It is the latest scheme in Peel Holding's £5 billion Liverpool Waters development to be given the go-ahead. The tower has been designed by Liverpool-based architect Falconer Chester Hall for Peel and Warrington based affordable housing association Your Housing Group.

Once completed, Liverpool Waters will provide 9,000 homes, 315,000 square metres of business space and 53,000 square metres of hotel, leisure and conference facilities located along the river Mersey waterfront between Princes Dock and Bramley Moore Dock.

London Towers Gets the Go Ahead Despite Fears Over Protected Views

A proposed 36-storey London office tower with extensive urban greening has been given the go ahead to proceed by the City of London Corporation’s Planning and Transportation Committee. The planning office explained that bespoke metal planters supporting climbing plants on the south, north and east elevations together with a roof terrace will mitigate air and noise pollution, combat the heat island effect, improve biodiversity, and help rainwater run-off management.

Like other major projects in London, planning approval for the Eric Parry Architects designed skyscraper at 50 Fenchurch Street has not been without controversy. The possibility that the high-rise

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tower could obstruct protected views of the nearby Tower of London has motivated a number of heritage activists joined by British charity Historic Royal Palaces to voice strong objections. The city concluded that 50 Fenchurch would not block views of the Tower of London - noting that the project does not risk disrupting or erode the visual separation between the upper parts of the White Tower and the emerging cluster of tall buildings in the background. Officials, however, acknowledged that the proposed skyscraper would diminish views and reduce sunlight at the rooftop garden belonging to 120 Fenchurch – a neighbouring development also designed by Eric Parry Architects.

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Trio of Towers Proposed for Edgware Road

Studio Egret West has submitted plans to Barnet Council for three residential towers on Edgware Road rising from 20 to 24 storeys on a plot in Hendon currently used as a Honda car showroom and a servicing centre. The Rockery at the Hyde scheme for developer Parkside Investments – if approved, would feature a pair of two-storey podiums, linked by a bridge, which would accommodate flexible workspace configured to allow for a range of entrepreneurs and makers as well as a cafe and dedicated community facilities together with a garden on top of the podiums.

More than a third of the homes in the development would be affordable.

Studio Egret West founder Christophe Egret said: “With high-density projects there is more than ever a responsibility to enhance amenity space, for play, for an appreciation of nature and for enhancing biodiversity.

The stepped gardens of The Rockery aim to set a new standard for high-quality amenity.”

The practice hopes to gain planning approval for the scheme this year.

INDUSTRY NEWS

Buildings M Tall

Cole Waterhouse’s Anchorage Gateway Gains Approval Developer Cole Waterhouse’s proposals for a 28-storey mixed-use development has been given the green light for a £75 million tower in Salford Quays. Designed by architect Chapman Taylor, the project will include 4,000 square feet of commercial space and 27 residential storeys providing 290 homes.

The scheme also features two shared landscaped terraces on the mezzanine and 19th floor and rooftop penthouse apartments with private terraces. In total, the L-shaped building, which will be known as Anchorage Gateway, will comprise 250,640 square feet.

The project team for Anchorage Gateway includes planner WSP, structural engineering firm Renaissance, mechanical and engineering contractor Novo, landscape architect Exterior Architecture, project manager and quantity surveyors Henry Riley with Ward Hadaway providing legal advice.

First given outline consent in November last year, it has undergone a series of design changes since then including the amount of commercial space to allow for two shared terraces for residents and several rooftop penthouse apartments. As part of its agreement with the council, Cole Waterhouse will pay £1.3 million to spruce up three nearby parks and a cemetery along with transport and highways improvements.

Work will start on site early in 2021 following the appointment of a main contractor later this year.

Twin Towers for Manchester Skyscrapers and tower blocks housing thousands of new apartments and co-living spaces across Manchester have been recommended for approval. The largest development – Renaker’s twin 52-storey towers in Deansgate, will include a new primary school and a public park.

Designed by architect Simpson Haugh, the twin towers form the second phase of Renaker's Crown Street development close to Deansgate.

The towers will be connected at the lower levels by a podium containing 5,200 square feet of commercial space. The ‘Blade’ and ‘Cylinder’ towers as they are known, will house 855 apartments – a third of which will be onebedroom flats, and the remainder a mix of two-bedroom, three-bedroom and duplex units.

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INDUSTRY NEWS Buildings M Tall New £160m Flagship Scheme for the North West

Laing O’Rourke has been chosen by developer One Heritage to deliver a 55-storey residential high-rise called One Heritage Tower, at Greengate in Salford.

Comprising 545 apartments, secured underground car parking, a residents’ library and gym, as well as ground floor commercial space and extensive public realm, to include a new riverside walkway – a preconstruction agreement has been signed whilst the two companies negotiate details.

“The project will maximise the use of digital engineering and offsite manufacture using a kit of parts from our factory in the East Midlands. There is much work ahead, but we’re excited to have the opportunity to deliver this stunning project.”

Maximising Digital and Offsite Technologies Ceire O’Rourke, director of UK clients and markets at Laing O’Rourke, said: “We are delighted to have secured preferred bidder status for One Heritage Tower, a landmark building that will provide quality homes in Salford and wider benefits for the local community. We are looking forward to working with the forward-thinking team at One Heritage, who recognise the advantages of our approach based on early engagement between client and contractor.

Director of One Heritage, Jason Upton, said: “This is a flagship scheme for the north west and it’s fitting that we’re working with a globally-recognised contractor. We have undergone a rigorous assessment process to reach this stage and it is a credit to the development and project management teams for getting us to this key milestone.”

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The project design team has also been instructed to progress to RIBA Stage 4 design.

The principal consultants on the project are OMI Architects, Box Clever Consulting (project management), Crookes Walker Consulting (building

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services), DP Squared (structural engineering), BB7 (fire engineering), Gardiner & Theobold (quantity surveying) and GIA (wind and rights to light).

Consultant project director Awais Shahid from Atzaro Real said: “The project team has worked collaboratively under trying circumstances and we are pleased to have been able to keep valued members of the professional community in work.

Once construction begins there’ll be a further substantial boost to the local economy.”

Work is expected to start on site in Q3 of this year, with the residential tower targeted for completion in 2024.

Buildings M Tall

INDUSTRY NEWS Council Approves 28-Storey Birmingham Tower

Plans for a 28-storey tower have been approved by Birmingham council. The Essex Street scheme, which has been designed by local practice Glancy Nicholls Architects, will provide 154 apartments. Negotiations are currently underway to appoint a contractor, with work expected to start on site in January next year.

The project is being developed by Essex St Ltd and will be built on land at 31-33 Essex Street, on the

corner of Bristol Street. As part of the plans, the development will include a mixture of one, two and three-bedroom apartments, a sky garden and rooftop cinema. A concierge service and a private gym will also be included, which will feature commercial space on the ground floor. There will also be a number of discounted apartments available for local key workers.

The homes are going to be made available for private sale.

Negotiations are currently underway to appoint a contractor, with work expected to start on site in January next year.

Firms that have recently built towers in the city include Wates, which was behind a 33-storey tower called the Bank, while Sisk is on site with a 42-storey development for Moda Living.

Plans for 48-Storey Tower at Former Birmingham Irish Centre Glancy Nicholls Architects working with Court Collaboration has unveiled plans for the historic location in Digbeth which has been home to the Irish Centre for more than 50 years. The redevelopment plans reveal it will be transformed into a residential tower.

Alex Neale, Managing Director of Court Collaboration, said: "Our plans for the former Irish Centre have now been submitted to Birmingham City Council and we look forward to working closely with officers and members as we continue to progress through planning."

The proposed development for the site includes 454 apartments and 10,000 square feet of amenity space over 48-storeys. The project will mark a dramatic change to the look and feel of the area and bring a new aspect to the local skyline.

Chief Executive of the Birmingham Irish Association, Maurice Malone, said: "This development is just the kind of investment we have been crying out for in the area and will be a fantastic asset. There have been many false dawns so we are really hopeful

that it and others like it will come to fruition and add to the evolving city centre skyline."

Lyndon Glancy, of Glancy Nicholls Architects, confirmed: "The unique design for this tower in both form and facade treatment has been carefully adapted and developed with the team to respond to the exceptional conditions that this island site offers.

The glazed facade and expressed fins provide a contemporary signature building to Digbeth and to the landscape of Birmingham City Centre.�

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INDUSTRY NEWS Buildings M Tall The Latest High-Rise Addition to Birmingham's Skyline

British Land Revealed Plans for Broadgate Scheme

The Grid Architects designed 21-storey tower, known as The Regent, will be developed by Berkeley subsidiary St Joseph.

The 182-metre residential tower is planned for the final phase of Birmingham’s Snow Hill Wharf scheme. It will be the latest high-rise addition to Birmingham's skyline, which has seen a surge in new tall buildings in recent months.

The Regent will include 108 homes, including a pair of two-storey penthouses. The tower will be at the centre of St Joseph's Snow Hill Wharf, a 420-home scheme also designed by Grid Architects, which was given the green light in 2018.

Architect Glancy Nicholls has been given the go ahead for three towers since last December, including 211 Broad Street standing at 117 metres tall and the UK's first ‘super slender’ tower, while Glenn Howells Architects' 155 metre Octagon tower at the city's Paradise scheme is currently in early planning stages.

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The Copenhagen based firm, whose last major involvement in a UK project was on the controversial Museum of Liverpool a decade ago has been appointed by British Land to build a skyscraper scheme at Finsbury Avenue Square following a secret design contest last year.

GXN has revealed plans for a 36-storey tower scheme in Broadgate – the practice's first project in London.

Working in partnership with its innovation arm, GXN, the firm is proposing to replace two 1980s buildings by Peter Foggo on the estate with a new high-rise office scheme.

The 2 Finsbury Avenue (2FA) consists of a large 12-storey podium supporting a 35-storey East Tower and 20-storey West Tower. It is the most ambitious and at 47 storeys, the tallest phase to be brought forward in

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the ongoing redevelopment of the City of London office site. Public access to the building will be delivered through the inclusion of a new learning hub fronting on to Sun Street and Wilson Street. A central element of the design is a new public route under the building that will extend Finsbury Avenue to create a new route from Eldon Street to Sun Street via Finsbury Avenue Square.

In line with British Land's sustainability strategy, the building will target net zero carbon in construction and operation as well as a BREEAM 'Outstanding' certification. To achieve this ambitious goal, a series of forward-thinking environmental initiatives will be incorporated. To ensure flexibility for current and future needs, the offices have been co-designed with behavioural scientists from GXN and are interspersed with healthy, green areas and terraces.

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INDUSTRY NEWS Buildings M Tall Fosters’ Partner Mounts Defence of the ‘Watchtower’ Tulip Giving evidence on the third day of an inquiry into the 305 metre tall visitor attraction, Robert Harrison the project lead at Foster & Partners has rejected suggestions the firm's design for the Tulip tower in the Square Mile make it look like a ‘watchtower in a prison camp’.

The proposed building includes multiple observation levels, external gondolas, a restaurant, sky bar and education space in a 12-storey structure at the top of a slender concrete shaft in the heart of the Square Mile's eastern cluster of skyscrapers.

Set for a site next to the Gherkin in the City of London – the proposals had already been approved

by City of London planners in the spring but London Mayor Sadiq Khan sided with government heritage adviser Historic England in opposing the scheme and rejected it last summer.

He said the proposal would not constitute the high standard of design required for a tall building in this location and would cause harm to the ‘outstanding universal value’ of the Tower of London World Heritage Site.

The developer's legal team denied that the scheme would ‘harm the ability to appreciate’ the Gherkin, which would be just five metres away from the Tulip and said approval for the scheme would give the capital a much-needed confidence boost in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Paddington Tower Backed by Mayor

Tulip developer, billionaire financier and Gherkin owner Jacob J Safra, formally launched an appeal over its rejected plans in January. The project team for the scheme includes construction consultant Skanska, QS Alinea, planning consultant DP9 and townscape consultant Cityscape Digital.

Closing submissions will be heard on 11 December with the final decision set to be made by secretary of state Robert Jenrick - although no timeframe has been given for when this will be announced.

authority, also voted to object to the latest version of the proposals. The plans had been amended after being called in by the mayor.

Historic England had pointed out that there were more than 40 entries on the Heritage List for England within 500 metres of the site, and that the building would be seen from Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens.

But a planning report to the mayor said harm to heritage assets would be 'less than substantial' and would be outweighed by public benefits, including a £14 million payment towards affordable housing.

The report added that the development 'would not unacceptably reduce the level of daylight and sunlight to neighbouring residential properties, given the inner-London urban setting'.

Allies and Morrison and Moka Studio Sadiq Khan overturned Westminster council's refusal to give developer British Land the go-ahead for the office led mixed-use building. The mayor granted consent for the mixed-use scheme at Five Kingdom Street, close to the Westway in Paddington.

British Land has now agreed to raise its contribution to Westminister's affordable housing fund from £1.75m to just over £14m. It also revised the energy strategy to achieve 43% carbon savings

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based on current modelling and achieving a netzero carbon development by maximising on-site opportunities for savings up to completion and making offsite contribution measures if necessary.

Westminster City Council rejected an earlier version of the British Land backed tower at the start of this year, due to its impact on heritage assets and potential loss of light to neighbours. In September the local council, although no longer the deciding

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Allies and Morrison's scheme will feature more than 48,000 square metres of office space, along with 3,900 square metres of affordable workspace, 3,390 square metres of flexible commercial, retail, leisure and cultural space as well as a public garden, an education and community area.

The plans will also utilise the unused large Crossrail box structure, which was to have been used for train sidings but is now no longer needed for the rail project.

The project is expected to create nearly 400 full-time jobs during construction.

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TALL BUILDINGS AWARDS Buildings M Tall

Headline Sponsor:

Celebrating developments that are scaling new heights, the Tall Buildings Awards reward those who are creating a legacy of iconic superstructures that are transforming the UK’s built environment and our city skylines.

JUDGING PANEL Ricardo Baptista Design Director, AKTII Jenny Burridge Head of Structural Engineering, The Concrete Centre Karen Cook Partner & Co-Founder, PLP Architecture Susan Mantle Technical Director, Heyne Tillett Steel Iain McIlwee CEO, Finishes and Interiors Sector Steve McKechnie Director, Arup Simon Rawlinson Head of Strategic Research & Insight, Arcadis

2020 has presented many personal and business challenges but in spite of this, the awards organisers were determined the event must go ahead.

To meet the restrictions, the Tall Buildings Awards were integrated into the virtual Tall Buildings Conference agenda.

Over 50 entries reached the final of the launch year of the Tall Buildings Awards. Across a total of nine categories plus the Winner of Winners Award, the judging panel

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had a challenging task of selecting the winners.

Tall buildings present unique challenges in terms of design and construction. Their sheer scale demands that particular attention is paid simultaneously to strategic and detailed issues. The Tall Buildings Awards acknowledge the architects, engineers and contractors who design and construct these challenging feats of engineering and the clients who invest in these iconic buildings.

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Darren Richards Managing Director, Cogent Consulting Ken Shuttleworth Partner, Make Architects Gary Strong Global Buildings Standard Director, RICS Mark Wakeford Joint Managing Director, Stepnell

For more information on the 2022 Tall Buildings Awards go to: www.tallbuildingsawards.co.uk

Hadley Steel Framing’s all in one solution Hadley Steel Framing provides high quality, light gauge galvanised steel structural framing systems for use in a wide range of applications across the construction industry.

Why Hadley Steel Framing?

Our pre-panelised, standalone steel frame structures (SFS) are a lighter alternative which is also easier to erect compared to other steel and concrete primary frames. This is particularly ideal for medium rise buildings across the health, education, residential, leisure, commercial and retail sectors. Our structures are also bolted together off-site then delivered to site, lifted and fixed into place.

Hadley Steel Framing roll to tight tolerances and cut to bespoke lengths, accommodating short, dedicated delivery times, offering a robust modular solution with a high strength-to-weight ratio, whilst also eliminating the risk of contraction.

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TALL BUILDINGS AWARDS Buildings M Tall

BEST COMMERCIAL & MIXED-USE PROJECT OF THE YEAR

Best Mixed-use Tall Building Project

WINNER

PETER DANN CONSULTING ENGINEERS: WOOD WHARF B2

The structural design of Wood Wharf B2 overcomes several significant challenges posed by this complex tall building on an extremely challenging site. The circa 21 storey structure is sandwiched between the water to the east and existing structures to the west – so an offsite solution was the only viable approach. Designed to withstand both a ship and lorry impact, the building consists of retail and amenity areas in the lower levels, with 17 storeys of volumetric modular serviced apartments and a rooftop restaurant above.

Stability is provided by two concrete cores, both of which have significant cuts and carves to avoid adjacent structures, resulting in very complex load paths. Much of the construction had to be achieved from the water adding logistical difficulties to delivering modules to site. The lowest level permanent raft slab spans across several metres of water, with a temporary marine deck, cofferdam and pontoons/barges installed to aid construction logistics. These complexities were further exacerbated by raking concrete columns through the podium levels, as part of set-back

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requirements to minimise the effects of ship impact loading. The modules were installed by a crane sitting on top of the northern concrete core.

Early engagement of the full project team including the modular contractor under a pre-construction service agreement was fundamental to overcoming the design challenges and overall success of the project. The client, contractors, architect, engineers, cost consultants, facade specialists, sustainability consultants, acousticians were all engaged from the onset and were chosen for their previous experience in offsite design and construction. This early engagement resulted in a much smoother, more efficient process of design development.

The scheme has been optimised where possible using a design for manufacture and assembly (DfMA) approach within the constraints of the site, meaning the implementation of digital technology and design is far easier. This is supported by uniform modular apartment layouts at each level, with a minimised number of different modules types, allowing

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CATEGORY SPONSOR MODULAR SYSTEMS UK LTD

for significant repeatability and standardisation for the design team and modular contractor, as well as eliminating the need for costly and complex transfers of structural loads/ elements and M&E services. BIM and digital technology were used throughout. 3D Revit models were regularly shared between consultants, with the overall model federated and owned by the architect. Once modular manufacture commenced the contractor and their sub-contractors used the fully federated BIM model to produce construction information, which was directly extracted and input into their factory assembly processes.

The final BIM model will form part of the operation and maintenance manuals for the building.

Wood Wharf B2 represents an elegant tall building solution for the complex and inaccessible site. This project is one of three case studies being used by the Greater London Authority (GLA) to inform their policy on circular economies and is on track for a BREEAM Excellent rating which has been a target from the beginning, shaping and influencing all design and consultant engagement decisions from day one.

PROJECT TEAM Client: Canary Wharf Group Architect: HTA Design Consulting Engineers: Peter Dann M&E Consultant: TUV-SUD Contractor: Canary Wharf Contractors

For more information go to: www.peterdann.com

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TALL BUILDINGS AWARDS Buildings M Tall

BEST RESIDENTIAL TALL BUILDING PROJECT Best Residential Tall Building Project

WINNER

CATEGORY SPONSOR

ARUP: VICTORY PLAZA sustainability, environmental impact has been significantly minimised across the project and has substantially improved building running costs.

The Arup team worked closely with main contractor Mace, architects Lifschutz Davidson Sandilands & Adamson Associates and the wider project team to develop an innovative residential building design that contains major offsite and prefabricated elements.

Victory Plaza is a 482-unit residential scheme that forms part of the Olympic legacy. The development comprises two towers (30-storey and 26-storey) plus an eight-storey podium and two wing buildings with extensive green roofs and landscaped areas.

It is part of one of the largest private rental schemes (PRS) in the country which aims to generate long term value by creating a sense of place and community. Value is attained by delivering desirable homes which are comfortable, adaptable for future markets, robust for maintenance and sustainable.

East Village is a 4,500-unit residential scheme containing the buildings of the 2012 Olympic Village plus five new developments including Victory Plaza – the first to be completed. The efficient and low energy buildings were quick to build and are easy to maintain.

By adopting a holistic approach to

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The two towers were constructed using an innovative ‘rising factory’ approach. The world-first construction methodology used at Victory Plaza set a new standard for safe, high quality prefabricated construction that added significant value to the project. The towers were constructed using a novel rising ‘jump factory’ methodology, used for the first time in the UK. A six-storey factory was constructed around each tower core, creating an indoor construction site that would be raised as floors were completed.

This provided safe working conditions, facilitated high quality installation, reduced external noise, and avoided environmental delays.

The robustness and quality of the site installation was improved through a high degree of modularisation and offsite construction. The structure encompasses twin core walls, precast columns and Omnia flooring. Utility cupboards, bathroom pods, corridor and riser services, plant rooms and other elements were all fabricated offsite. This approach has helped to improve quality, reduce time on-site and has provided benefit in the long-term value for the client by ensuring ease of ongoing

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maintenance. The combination of the jump factory construction method and the high degree of prefabrication, modularisation and offsite construction enabled each floor to be constructed within a week achieving a rapid delivery programme.

The Arup team were able to work closely with the building operator, Get Living London – to learn from the operation of other similar buildings.

This allowed Arup to design for maintenance and operation which has a direct bearing on the real energy consumption. Throughout the design, fire safety was a high priority. The buildings have sprinklers and the fire engineering team was active on-site to ensure that the fire strategy was implemented as intended.

PROJECT TEAM Client: Qatari Diar/Delancey Architect: Lifschutz Davidson Sandilands Executive Architect: Adamson Associates Architects Structural Engineer: Arup M&E Consultant: Arup QS: EC Harris Landscape Consultant: Townsends Acoustic Consultant: Arup Project Manager: Arcadis CDM Coordinator: E C Harris Approved Building Inspector: Butler and Young Main Contractor: Mace

For more information go to: www.arup.com

TALL BUILDINGS AWARDS

Buildings M Tall

BEST TALL BUILDING ARCHITECT Best Tall Building Architect

WINNER

CATEGORY SPONSOR

METROPOLITAN WORKSHOP: MAPLETON CRESCENT, WANDSWORTH public realm. It is the tallest privatesale modular tower in Europe and residents enjoy wonderful views from the communal rooftop terrace.

The 450 square metre small triangular site is heavily constrained by a culvert, adjacent electricity substation and river wall. This made vehicle movement and storage for building materials difficult during construction. Volumetric construction cut site waste, reduced build time and was more cost effective than traditional methods.

Mapleton Crescent in Wandsworth town centre is a distinctive residential tower with a variety of shared lounges and roof gardens, clad in beautiful turquoise terracotta inspired by the adjacent River Wandle. The 27-storey slender tower for client Pocket Living, demonstrates tall buildings can support community and set a precedent for delivery of high-quality modular affordable housing on constrained sites at speed. Over 60% of its 89 homes are dual-aspect and 60% are for local first-time buyers.

The building is arranged around a triangular stair and lift core composed of two wings, one facing east and one facing south. Circulation spaces are naturally lit and ventilated and provide views in three directions. The residents’ lounge, entrance foyer, riverside walkway and the building’s striking pleated ceramic cladding all make a positive contribution to Wandsworth’s

In addition to embracing modular construction, the typical floor plan was developed to cleverly maximise the number of homes with a river view. The arrangement of fewer apartments on the south wing resulted in a slender profile which could comfortably be taken higher so as to also protect the roof terrace from wind.

Metropolitan Workshop worked with Vision Modular at a very early stage in the process to fix the cladding grid and window positions to enable a factory slot to meet the 21-month build programme. Metropolitan Workshop were responsible for the management of risks during planning stages, tender design and construction acting throughout with integrity to high standards.

Mapleton Crescent is energy-efficient, insulated above building regulations which saves 37% more CO2 against Part L and uses an efficient gas-fired CHP system to heat homes and provide electricity. Sustainability is at the heart of the design which has major cost saving results for the lifecycle and maintenance costs of

the building. The homes have been designed in the spirit of Secure

by Design and Lifetime Homes accreditation and post completion acoustic and air tightness testing has demonstrated all rooms meet or exceed requirements.

The terracotta rainscreen is naturally fire-resistant. Rockwool Duoslab is used in the rainscreen cavity and is a fire-resistant A1 rated product.

The steel frame volumetric modules have a factory-fitted concrete floor between apartments. This provides the fire compartmentation required of a building of this height. Concrete floors also perform excellently acoustically.

Mapleton Crescent challenges a belief that tall buildings fail to create a community and also sets a precedent for the delivery of high-quality modular affordable houses on difficult sites at speed. The building was finished on time and on budget to an extremely high standard by a proactive contractor.

PROJECT TEAM Client: Pocket Living Architect: Metropolitan Workshop Structural Engineer: Clancy/ Barrett Mahony M&E / Sustainability: Mendick Waring Contractor: Donban Contracting Acoustic Consultant: WSP Fire Consultant: JGA

For more information go to: www.metwork.co.uk

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TALL BUILDINGS AWARDS Buildings M Tall

Best Tall Building Client

CLIENT OF THE YEAR

CATEGORY SPONSOR

CONTRACTOR OF THE YEAR

CATEGORY SPONSOR

Best Tall Building Contractor

WINNER

CANARY WHARF CONTRACTORS: ONE BANK STREET, CANARY WHARF and offer resource efficiency, ultimately delivering cost savings, reducing the construction schedule and enhancing embodied carbon.

Column locations within the podium and sloping west facade have been rationalised to provide a column free arcade whilst making savings in internal transfer structures. Innovative perimeter steel framing details have been developed to eliminate secondary steel, reducing the overall steel weight and improving construction safety.

The structural and geotechnics teams worked closely together and with the client’s construction team to refine the basement and foundation design with a rational and efficient construction sequence within complex boundary constraints.

Picking up the trophies for Client and Contractor of the Year at the Best Tall Building Awards – Canary Wharf Contractors’ new commercial development One Bank Street provides 60,400m sq Grade A office space.

Standing at 145 metres tall with the lowest basement level 16 metres below ground – One Bank Street located in Canary Wharf comprises 28 floors above ground and three basement levels. Three highly adaptable trading floors with enhanced ceiling heights at the base of the building provide a floor plate of over 4,000m sq each.

In the constant drive for productivity, the design team proposed innovative ideas to challenge current practice

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Canary Wharf Enterprise Zone initially enjoyed the unique experience of being able to construct tall buildings within defined parameters without individual planning approval. As the estate has developed beyond the confines of the Enterprise Zone there has been outside support to continue with high rise structures.

Over many years Canary Wharf Group have developed their own specific appointment documents for consultants and contracts that reflect the particular requirements of the tall building process.

The adoption of new technologies has been key to delivering unique and challenging projects. Canary Wharf Contractors embraced the use of the 3D Trimble equipment for on-site

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setting out of services direct from the 3-d Revit Model. The reduction of time-consuming wet trades was actively championed by for example, blockwork being replaced with insulated metal panel systems. This not only saved time in installation but also reduced working off scaffolds, the use of corrosive cement and provided a cleaner working environment assisting with health and safety. Pre-assembled areas of pipework and plant were employed such as prefabricated Heat Exchange units in the core.

There was a set programme for presentations and approvals by the client throughout the various stages of design. This was also assisted by the construction of full-scale mock-ups for many elements of the building, including washrooms, the main foyer and various elements of the cladding. Full services and lighting were incorporated into the mock-ups to evidence and solve coordination issues.

Providing a landmark entrance, One Bank Street sits at the western most point of the Canary Wharf Estate, facing towards the City of London.

The location and height of the building provides unrivalled City views for tenants and this key feature has attracted tenants and secured the successful lease of the building.

PROJECT TEAM Client: Canary Wharf Group Architect: KPF Executive Architect: Adamson Associates Engineer: Arup Interior Fit Out: TP Bennet Contractor: Canary Wharf Contractors Steelwork Contractor: William Hare

For more information go to: group.canarywharf.com

Buildings M Tall

TALL BUILDINGS AWARDS

BEST TALL BUILDING FACADE ENGINEERING PROJECT WINNER

HODDER + PARTNERS: DUNCAN HOUSE, STRATFORD The building structure is reinforced concrete. The envelope is a robust framework of pre-cast concrete with infill concrete panels, bronze anodized aluminium windows, and vent panels set behind bronze anodized louvre blades. The pre-cast cladding panels were manufactured offsite by Techrete with glazing and vent panels preinstalled to minimise working at height.

Winner of the Best Tall Building Facade Engineering Award, Duncan House is a mixed-use development constructed by Watkin Jones Group and designed by Hodder + Partners.

Consisting of 511 student bedrooms for the University of London, 3,150m sq education accommodation, 688m sq commercial space and 45 residential apartments, half of which are affordable.

Distributed across a 31-storey tower and a nine-storey podium base with spaces and functions arranged to avoid overlooking or privacy issues between uses. The tower sits on the north east corner of the podium, marking a gateway to the Olympic Park.

The building facades are formed primarily from pre-cast concrete

by Techrete, insulated and fire stopped with mineral fibre and lined internally with plasterboard.

The full height anodized aluminium framed windows are glazed with high performance glass ensuring that habitable rooms receive good levels of daylight whilst minimising solar heat transfer. Horizontal fin blade louvres permanently fixed within the reveals of the pre-cast openings provide permanent edge protection when the floor to ceiling vent panels are open.

Wind tunnel testing at various stages in the project was used to determine comfort, safety and structural loadings.

The aesthetic qualities of the pre-cast concrete are linked to its physical and technical characteristics – enhancing resistance to fire, air, water, wind and improving acoustics. It is a material that lends itself to modern methods of construction but also has a timeless quality that references key buildings within the local heritage.

At a detailed level, projecting sills are fitted across the horizontal surfaces and drips are cast into the underside of horizontal elements to throw water away from the face of the pre-cast concrete to reduce potential staining.

Best Tall Building Façade Engineering Project CATEGORY SPONSOR

The bronze anodized aluminium has a timeless quality that is also responsive to lighting conditions, further adding to the subtle variation of surfaces and texture across the facade.

Pre-cast panel sizes were maximised in line with lifting capacity of the tower crane, minimising the number of external joints to be sealed. Rigorous supervision of the vapour barrier and internal air-seals helped ensure an airtight construction.

Thermal comfort modelling determined the extent of glazing by assessing overheating risks with areas of glazing and ventilation adjusted to mitigate issues. Full height insulated facade opening vents provide occupants with direct control over the ventilation of habitable spaces.

PROJECT TEAM Developer / Contractor: Watkin Jones Group Architect: Hodder + Partners Structural Engineer: Tier Consulting Building Services Engineers: Carpenter Davies Partnership Landscape Architects: Gillespies / TPM Acoustic Engineer: Philip Dunbavin Acoustic Consultants Fire Engineer: Exova Pre-cast Concrete Contractor: Techrete Window Manufacturer: Cheshire Architectural Aluminium Structural Frame: Corbyn Building Services: ProMEP Lifts: Schindler

For more information go to: www.hodderandpartners.com

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TALL BUILDINGS AWARDS Buildings M Tall

BEST TALL BUILDING RETROFIT OR REFURBISHED PROJECT Best Tall Building

Retrofit or Refurbished Project

WINNER

KENSA CONTRACTING: RENEWABLE HEATING STEMS

CATEGORY SPONSOR

how much heat they required. Typical annual heat costs were £800 - £1,100 per flat – putting many tenants into fuel poverty and causing Enfield Council to have serious concerns about the wellbeing of their tenants.

In 2018 Kensa Contracting working with Engie, completed the installation of the largest ever cluster of Ground Source Heat Pump (GSHP) ambient district heating in social housing.

This project was carried out along with a number of external fabric improvements to eight tall buildings in the London Borough of Enfield. Whilst this is MEP technology, it was also initially scoped as an energy efficient retrofit and sustainability project.

The project was able to demonstrate numerous non-construction related benefits which made it a resounding success for the residents who live in these towers by:

• Enhancing thermal comfort and alleviating fuel poverty • Saving circa £500 on annual heating bills • Delivering 300% efficiency in heating and hot water • Improving fire safety • Installing fire safe external wall insulation • Providing renewable energy • Achieving carbon savings

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The London Borough of Enfield, like many London local authorities has many tall buildings within its boundary.

This type of post 1950 architecture is a common form of social housing accommodation that is often affected by fuel poverty. A household is said to be in fuel poverty when its members cannot afford to keep adequately warm at a reasonable cost, given their income.

Enfield Council wanted a future proof system that would exceed current building regulations. Kensa Contracting manufactured and designed a system that would limit the impact of fuel poverty by removing costly old heating systems and replacing with a natural heat source from 200 meters underground which was upgraded by the Kensa Heat Pump to provide heating and hot water.

The tenants had no previous control over their heating which often lead to the opening of windows. There was also no metering provision and therefore tenants paid a fixed monthly fee to cover heating regardless of

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Kensa Contracting and ENGIE drilled a total of 100 boreholes across the two sites. These were connected to the towers via underground header and riser pipework running through the stairwells providing a source of heat for 402 units. A compact Kensa Shoebox heat pump was installed within each flat and because of their efficiency, costs for each tenant are now reduced to £350-400 per year representing a massive saving.

One of the key features of this project where the Shared Ground Loop Arrays.

Drilling rigs were mobilised to site drilling to depths of up to 250 meters.

Mimicking a traditional gas framework, Kensa’s innovative Shared Ground Loop Arrays use ambient-temperature pipework to link a series of ground arrays to individual heat pumps inside multiple units. Each property’s heat pump upgrades the low temperature heat from the ground for independent heating and hot water all year round.

PROJECT TEAM Client: Enfield Council Contractor: Kensa Contracting MEP Technology: Kensa Heat Pumps Utility Company: Engie Consultants: Capital Property & Construction Consultants

For more information go to: www.kensacontracting.com

TALL BUILDINGS AWARDS

BEST TALL BUILDING STRUCTURAL ENGINEER Best Tall Building Structural Engineer

WINNER

MJH STRUCTURAL ENGINEERS: 101 GEORGE STREET Winner of the Tall Building Structural Engineer Award, MJH Structural Engineers working with industry experts have taken volumetric modular construction to new heights by extending engineering principles to encompass offsite construction and conducting R&D to solve critical issues in the design, manufacture and construction processes. The new connection details introduced on 101 George Street increased the speed of placing and the speed of achieving accuracy significantly.

Ensuring the benefits of modular construction were maximised whilst pushing the upper height of modular buildings requires innovative structural

solutions, and creative building methods. In addition to the benefits that are consistent across all volumetric buildings, the VMS corner post system uses concrete floors which creates a robust module meeting the occupier expectations for traditional construction, while also exceeding the industry standard for fire resistance and sound insulation.

World renowned analysis software required updating to be able to provide the analytical abilities suitable for tall modular construction. MJH worked with the software developers to identify issues and aid with the improvements required in the program for it be used reliably. MJH wrote

Buildings M Tall

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interpretative software to deal with the shortfall until the analysis software was updated and with institutions and governing bodies in the UK to extend design code requirements to suit tall modular construction.

MJH investigated multiple solutions involving the module connections taking the tie force between the two towers including the final option where the towers were tied together.

The placing of finished building elements at each level and dealing with the construction stage stress for a tall building are unique issues not previously encountered in tall construction. The construction of these buildings is only the second time that this modular solution has been employed.

For more information go to: www.mjhse.com

TALL BUILDINGS AWARDS Buildings M Tall

WINNER OF WINNERS

CATEGORY SPONSOR

TALL BUILDING TECHNOLOGY INNOVATION AWARD

CATEGORY SPONSOR

Tall Building Technology Innovation Award

WINNER

MJH STRUCTURAL ENGINEERS , TIDE CONSTRUCTION AND VISION MODULAR SYSTEMS: 101 GEORGE STREET and personnel, shortened construction times, better sealing of building services, improved heat loss through repetitive, efficient details.

The project was delivered in 26-months which represents a 45% programme savings. The modular methodology minimises disruption for local residents and workers, with a quieter and cleaner construction site.

Through the use of a skilled factorybased workforce, site labour cost vagaries and main contractor/subcontractor disputes are avoided. The earlier design certainty that is dictated by the manufacturing approach is also a key factor in cost control.

Volumetric modular technology reached new heights with Tide Construction and manufacturing partner, Vision Modular Systems announcing the completion of the world’s tallest volumetric modular building. Crowned ‘Winner of Winners’ at the Tall Buildings Awards – the 136 metres high 101 George Street scheme was delivered through innovations in modular construction.

The 44 and 38 storey towers in George Street were constructed from 1,526 modules, erected over a 35week period. The system minimises environmental impact with less construction waste, factory segregation of recycling, reduced site deliveries

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Vision Modular Systems and MJH Structural Engineers developed a new type of volumetric modular offsite system that can construct modular buildings over 40 storeys, demonstrating that previously considered aspirational heights for modular construction are now a reality.

The new robust system utilises concrete floors with vertical steel hollow sections in the corners of the module. While many modular manufacturers use corner post modules and concrete floors, to date none have been capable of constructing to the heights possible with the Vision Corner Post System.

101 George Street is a beacon for the adaptation of modern methods of construction in the use of tall buildings.

The development of a fully noncombustible facade on the perimeter of the building, with standard joints

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between modules and between floors, allows for simple and effective fire stopping measures to be put in place on-site before installing the cladding.

The scheme is a high-quality landmark enhancing the surrounding area which does not look prefabricated.

The design was not constrained by the use of an offsite system and the architectural team had the freedom to refine details. The living space provided for the residents is generous and takes full advantage of the views.

Advancing the height boundaries of modular construction has brought offsite construction legitimately into the realm of skyscrapers. R&D into both the system of building and the engineering design have ensured a technically excellent, efficient product utilising innovative connections and construction methodologies.

Collaboration to raise awareness levels throughout the industry have been progressed with UK universities, government bodies and testing laboratories on the development of this system, such Imperial College London, Trinity College Dublin, Heriot Watt University Edinburgh, Steel Construction Institute.

PROJECT TEAM Client: Greystar and Henderson Park Developer: Tide Construction Contractor: Tide Construction Offsite Manufacturer and Designers: Vision Modular Systems Modular Structural Engineers and Designers: MJH Structural Engineers Architects: HTA Design

For more information go to: www.visionmodular.com www.tideconstruction.co.uk

THE RISK MANAGEMENT TEAM BEHIND SOME OF THE LARGEST DEVELOPMENTS IN THE UK

Landmark Pinnacle Chalegrove Properties 984 units covered 75 floors | 239 meters

ST R U CTU R A L WA R R A N T Y A N D B U I L D I N G C O N T R O L S O LUT I O N S www.premierguarantee.com | 0800 107 8446 MD Insurance Services Ltd is the Scheme Administrator for the Premier Guarantee range of structural warranties.

MD Insurance Services Ltd is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.

BUILDING SAFETY Buildings M Tall

TALL BUILDING FIRE RECOMMENDATIONS FAIL TO ADDRESS SMOKE Post-Grenfell recommendations on fire safety in tall buildings have made great advances, but they are still not addressing the biggest problem - smoke.

Home Office statistics show that smoke is the single leading cause of fatalities in residential high-rise buildings. Derek Killaspy from fire protection and suppression systems specialist Fireworks, discusses how to prevent the spread of smoke and maintain a survivable environment for escape during fires.

to map the spread of fire and smoke through specific buildings.

Considerations of space and water savings Water usage is a further problem associated with traditional sprinkler systems and another subject we need to raise awareness on.

Dame Judith Hackitt’s Independent Review deals extensively with establishing responsibilities and duty of care. The Fire Safety Bill published in March 2020 advises on construction practices and materials to prevent fire spread. The Ministry of Housing’s report on Sprinklers and Other Fire Safety Measures in New High-Rise Blocks of Flats, which came into force on 26 November, brings new guidelines including the use of sprinklers throughout buildings of 11 metres high or more (down from the current 30 metres). This latest recommendation was supported by 97% of respondents to the Ministry of Housing’s online survey.

Lack of awareness on combatting smoke We all agree that automated waterbased fire suppression systems are necessary, but there is a surprising lack of awareness of the differences

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between what traditional sprinklers and high pressure water mist systems can and cannot do.

Particularly in tall buildings, where evacuation can take time, high pressure water mist’s major advantage over traditional sprinkler systems is that it is the only fire solution that suppresses smoke to provide a survivable environment. It emits atomised water particles that are so fine that they are able to bond with the smoke particles, which then fall harmlessly to the ground. Sprinkler systems work by deluge, which only moves the smoke around more. The importance of this ability to combat smoke is crucial, particularly as smoke travels fast, at a rate of around 10 meters per second. Added to this are high pressure water mist’s faster fire and heat suppression capabilities.

High pressure water mist can also be used within CFD modelling software

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As high pressure water mist uses around 70% less water than sprinkler systems, there are logistical, economic and ecological benefits. The structural integrity of buildings is preserved and there is very little water to clean up, even if the system runs for 30 minutes.

More discrete pipes are used, making retrofitting much quicker and easier and with much smaller water tanks, valuable space is saved.

Safeguard all areas High pressure water mist can be used to protect all areas of buildings, data rooms, archives, heritage buildings and underground car parks.

To help create greater understanding of these life-saving factors, we have developed a free IFE-accredited CPD webinar on fire suppression in tall buildings, which shows some of the latest independent research and goes into more detail.

For more information: www.fireworks-ltd.com 0207 2055793 enquiries@fireworks-ltd.com

Guidance from The Concrete Centre Concrete is inherently suited to all buildings, including tall construction, with the many benefits that concrete can provide including fire resistance, thermal mass, acoustic separation and robustness.

These benefits assist with the construction of buildings that are safe, cost-effective and easy to maintain or accept change-of-use.

The Concrete Centre provides published guidance, webinars, seminars, courses, online resources and industry research to the design community.

For more information on how The Concrete Centre can help you achieve the aims of your project visit www.concretecentre.com.

Download these titles and more from www.concretecentre.com/publications

www.concretecentre.com @concretecentre Image: 24-25 storey towers at Hoola development, London. Š Jack Hobhouse

BUILDING PERFORMANCE Buildings M Tall

BALANCING NATURAL VENTILATION WITH ACOUSTIC PERFORMANCE Urbanisation is redefining the architectural fabric of modern cities, with tall buildings now a familiar feature of urban skylines, for both commercial and residential uses. But while buildings are getting taller to accommodate greater volumes of living and working spaces, it is innovations in building materials which are helping them to become more comfortable, more efficient and more sustainable. Here John McComb of Reynaers Aluminium discusses how technical innovations in building materials are ensuring comfortable spaces for occupants.

architects strive to make buildings more sustainable, mechanical systems are now less favourable.

It is here where glazing has a new role to play – in facilitating natural ventilation, while keeping noise out.

MasterLine SoftTone from Reynaers makes this possible.

A significant factor in creating comfortable living and working spaces is indoor air quality, which itself is reliant on characteristics such as thermal and acoustic performance.

While these factors play a part in how occupants use these spaces, they also influence a building’s design – just as more obvious factors like building materials.

For instance, we know glazing is a fundamental material in modern buildings – particularly tall, inner-city constructions. But it has a bigger role than providing protection from the elements: its properties contribute significantly to overall performance and efficiency, and products like curtain walling create glazed facades which underpin aesthetics.

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But there is potential for glazing to work even harder in these buildings, and to directly influence the levels of indoor air quality occupants experience.

Aiding natural ventilation and enhancing sustainability One of the most significant challenges in city developments is noise. For those living in these spaces, this issue has often meant deciding between noise levels and that other critical element of indoor air quality – thermal comfort, or ventilation.

In the past, this challenge has led to a reliance on mechanical ventilation systems, enabling rooms to be cooled effectively, without the need for windows to be opened. However, as

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Reducing indoor sound levels by 9 decibels when compared to a traditional open window, SoftTone actively decreases noise ingress.

This is done through its unique design – a carefully engineered interface between the frame and sash which includes sound absorption foam.

Together with a parallel opening system, SoftTone delivers 0.6 square meters of ventilation gap in a typical 2 metre x 1 metre window.

In practice, this allows occupants to open their windows for effective natural ventilation, without having to suffer excessive noise from the urban environment. In turn, this enhances comfort while reducing reliance on mechanical ventilation, further elevating the sustainable credentials of a building.

For more information: www.reynaers.co.uk

DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY

APP HAILED AS A GAME CHANGER FOR TALL BUILDINGS Peikko is a forerunner in slim floor structures, wind energy applications and connection technology for precast and cast-in-situ concrete.

• Return on investment • Outputs are displayed graphically and numerically, with easy export to user presentations.

Working closely with customers, Peikko has recently developed a simple to use, intuitive app – GAME CHANGER which enables easy comparison of structural frame options in tall buildings. Available via Peikko, the app is open source and free to use, allowing for quick input of building geometry.

GAME CHANGER also includes option to use DELTABEAM® Green which can significantly reduce a structure’s embodied carbon. DELTABEAM® Green offers the same technical performance as DELTABEAM® but is manufactured from over 90% recycled steel raw material and has recently received Environmental Product Declaration.

Comparisons of traditional RC build versus use of DELTABEAM® with offsite manufactured modular flooring is generated for:

• Building space and height • Build duration • Construction and operating costs • Value of building and sustainability • Operational CO2

Using this holistic approach should assist design teams and clients to confidently determine optimum futureproofed solutions.

For more information: www.peikko.com

Interested to find out how much you can save money and decrease CO2 emissions by using DELTABEAM® Slim Floor Structure?

Give us a call and let’s make GAME CHANGING calculations to lighten your building’s environmental footprint.

Speed, Space and Sustainability As proven in over 15,000 projects globally.

At your service locally. www.peikko.co.uk

Buildings M Tall

ADVERTORIAL Buildings M Tall

BENNETTS CRANES ERECTS ONE OF THE TALLEST FREESTANDING LUFFING JIB CRANES IN THE UK Bennetts Cranes has begun the process of erecting a Raimondi LR 213 tower crane at a site in Fulham that will stand at 105 metres freestanding when finished. This will be the tallest freestanding luffing jib tower crane known to be in operation currently in the UK. The height is not extraordinary for a crane, with tower cranes that are tied to buildings going to much greater heights. However, the crane is unique at this height because it is freestanding and a luffing jib crane.

The first phase of erection took place in early May at Chelsea Creek in Fulham, where a selection of one-, twoand three-bedroom homes are being built by St George, part of Berkeley Group. The LR 213 was installed at 55 metres for the initial construction

phase, however more tower sections will be added to increase the height – the final height of the crane will be 105 metres as the building reaches 32-storeys.

Edward Seager Managing Director of Bennetts Cranes, explains: “When you double the height of a tower crane, the forces do not just double, they square.

Furthermore, the wind is stronger the higher you go and so the taller the crane the more force upon it from the wind. The tower that has been installed for this crane is very large and needs to be extremely strong for the 105 metres mast.”

For more information: www.tower-crane.co.uk

FORTERRA STAYS AHEAD OF THE CURVE WITH SUREBRICK SYSTEM SureBrick is a cutting-edge brick slip system by Forterra. It is ideal for use in a range of construction and architectural projects, and offers unparalleled benefits without the risks or limitations of other brick slip systems.

SureBrick combines inbuilt advantages – the system is lightweight, noncombustible and slips are mechanically retained – with practical benefits including extensive architectural flexibility; simple, easy installation; and cost efficiency.

SureBrick is suitable for use in all new build and refurbishment projects, from public or high rise buildings to volumetric modular construction. It can be fixed to a variety of backing wall types including steel framing systems, timber frame and concrete.

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The system is compatible with any 65mm frost-resistant brick and can easily incorporate traditional brick detailing and brick coursing alignments. Projects that require brick matching with local product types or existing buildings can also be accommodated. These thousands of design variances provide the scope for remarkable flexibility for architects.

SureBrick is the result of rigorous performance testing, ranging from exposure to thermal and weather cycles, to fire, impact, corrosion and wind load resistance.

Richard Willetts, Forterra’s Head of Design, Technical Services and MMC, explains: “SureBrick has been comprehensively researched with the input of architects, specifiers and clients, enabling us to develop

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a brick slip system fully in line with the requirements of the construction sector today.

“Whilst existing systems are ideal for domestic buildings and architecturally simple constructions, SureBrick goes higher in every sense: tested for extreme exposure and fire safe, its application offers unprecedented flexibility.”

For more information: www.forterra.co.uk/surebrick

STEEL – THE OPTIMUM HIGH-RISE SOLUTION ADAPTABLE I RIGID I ROBUST I NON-COMBUSTIBLE

Embracing a world-class manufacturing ethos and optimising design for manufacture and assembly (DfMA) principles - EOS invest in research and development to bring new and innovative products to market.

Volumetric Modular I Pod Technology I Stud & Track I Roofing & Flooring Systems I SFS Infill I Pre-Assembled Panels I Load-bearing Systems

DESIGN SUPPORT Offering unparalleled levels of support – our highly qualified technical design team establish the most effective and cost-efficient high-rise solution.

COST CERTAINTY EOS guarantee a competitive pricing structure. We can provide a ‘lump sum’ total price package which will not alter, providing the specification remains unchanged.

OFFSITE MANUFACTURING The expansion of the EOS advanced manufacturing facility together with the development of a new fabrication plant supports our market leading all-inclusive pricing initiative.

CONTINUOUS COLLABORATION EOS specialists offer technical advice and installation training. Installer teams can benefit from our ‘Tool Box Talks’ and phased site visits to offer independent quality checks.

Call: 01325 303 030

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Email: thrubuild@etexgroup.com

www.eosframing.co.uk