Ssda 2013 Judges

2013 SSDA 2013 JUDGES

Chairman of the Structural Steel Design Richard Barrett was Managing Director Martin Manning is a Structural Roger Plank is a Structural Engineer Awards judges David Lazenby CBE is a of Barrett Steel Buildings for more than Engineer. and, having recently retired as Professor Structural Engineer and a Past President of 20 years prior to its sale in 2007 and is He is an Arup Fellow. He joined the of Architecture and Structural Engineering The Institution of Structural Engineers. currently a Director of steel stockholder firm directly from university and for over at the University of Sheffield, is currently He started his career with Balfour Barrett Steel. He studied engineering at 40 years worked in Arup offices, and on a Director of Vulcan Solutions, offering Beatty before moving to Andrews Kent & Cambridge University, graduating in 1978. projects, around the world, most recently software and consultancy services in Stone, where he became a Director. At Barrett Steel Buildings he developed on buildings in the transport sector. fire engineering. He has collaborated He was Director of British Standards the business into a leading specialist He is the Chairman of the SCI, a Fellow extensively with the steel construction at BSI Group and helped to develop the in the design and build of steel framed of the Royal Academy of Engineering and sector in the fields of fire engineering and Eurocodes. He was awarded the CBE in buildings such as distribution warehouses, a Member of The Institution of Structural sustainability, and is a Past President of 2000. retail parks, schools, offices and hospitals. Engineers. The Institution of Structural Engineers. Since 2003 he has operated his own He was President of the BCSA from 2007 consultancies in the fields of certification to 2009, and is currently Chair of the and company management. steelwork industry’s Market Development Board.

Oliver Tyler joined Wilkinson Eyre Joe Locke retired in 2004 from his Christopher Nash is a senior Consultant Bill Taylor is an architect in private Architects (WEA) in 1991, becoming position at William Hare, where he was Architect. He graduated in 1978 from practice and a Partner in TaylorSnell. a Director in 1999. He has spent over responsible for the engineering aspects Bristol University School of Architecture, He joined architect Michael Hopkins 25 years in architectural practice with of the company’s activities and also and was at Grimshaw Architects for 30 straight from architecture school in extensive experience in leading and Executive Director of subsidiary Westbury years and a Director/Partner from 1992 Sheffield in 1982 and in 1988 became coordinating the design and construction Tubular Structures; having previously to 2012. While at Grimshaw Architects he his partner. He was a pivotal figure in of many high profile buildings and retired in 1998 as Chief Executive Officer was responsible for many of the practice’s the development and success of the infrastructure projects. of Watson Steel. Joe was an apprentice high profile buildings. These include - practice in the UK and overseas and Oliver has led a number of prestigious with Watson and sat his associate from his early years - the Financial Times was responsible for a large number of projects at WEA including Stratford membership of The Institution of Structural Printing Works in London’s Docklands distinguished award winning projects, Regional Station in London for the Jubilee Engineers at only 23. Joe worked at home and the British Pavilion for the Seville many of which received a Structural Line Extension, the Dyson Headquarters in and overseas on a considerable number of Expo 92, The Western Morning News Steel Design Award. After completing the Wiltshire, regional headquarters for Audi high prestige contracts, including Sellafield headquarters in Plymouth, the RAC National Tennis Centre in Roehampton, Bill and the Arena and Convention Centre in nuclear power station’s massive thermal Regional Headquarters in Bristol and many left Hopkins Architects in Spring 2010 to Liverpool. oxide reprocessing plant and the terminal other projects. Having spent ten years concentrate on his own projects. Oliver currently leads a number of building of Kansai airport, Japan. Joe as Managing Partner, Chris returned to He is a Senior Assessor for the RIBA major infrastructure and commercial office Locke was awarded an MBE in 1990 for leading projects such as the Zurich Airport Competitions programme and was a schemes. his contribution to the structural steelwork fifth expansion. founding member of Tensinet, the pan- industry. In 2007 he received a Gold Medal He continues to practise as a consultant European organisation that researches of The Institution of Structural Engineers. in architectural practice management, lightweight structures and membrane architectural education and property architecture. development. INTRODUCTION SSDA 2013

Chairman’s introduction

By Chairman of the Judges, David W. Lazenby CBE

hen the going gets tough, the tough get going!” This is well demonstrated by the structural “Wsteelwork industry in the current climate, and shown in the Awards scheme this year. From a strong set of submissions the judges selected a shortlist of 16 projects, which were each visited and then carefully considered in the final judging. Over a wide geographical spread, the projects cover development of offices/commercial, transport, energy, education and sports facilities and a variety of bridges, together with a theatre and a major tourist attraction. We are delighted that there are large and small, practical and glamorous. The judges are conscious of trends over the years. It remains clear that closer and cooperative relationships within project teams (including the client) have never been more important, nor the need for a thoroughly professional approach to the training and qualification of people, and proper tracking and certification of processes and materials. This year we again see highly professional performance from the industry, with technical competence and careful management of the work. These are not achieved easily, but are key to satisfaction of the client. We have enjoyed reviewing all the varied submissions, which have been of genuinely high quality, and particularly visiting the shortlisted projects and their teams. The Awards continue to encourage and celebrate great performance in a tough environment. © Dave Morris Photography SSDA 2013 AWARD CEREMONY

AWARDS Steel awards Air W1 showcase design London

The Cutty Sark excellence Greenwich our projects were Award short-listed projects at close quarters, Commendations were awarded to winners at this year’s Structural and hear first-hand from the people three further structures: Brent Civic Emirates FSteel Design Awards (SSDA), who designed and constructed them Centre, Wembley; Marlowe Theatre, which were announced at a special and importantly we generally meet the Canterbury and The Saints Stadium Air Line presentation held at Madame Tussauds clients, who we are all striving to satisfy Bridge, St Helens. connecting in London. (and usually successfully). Bimlendra Jha, Tata Steel Executive Greenwich The winning projects were Air W1, “We have so often been impressed Director, Group Strategy and Supply London; Emirates Air Line connecting by the professionalism of the industry Chain, stressed the importance of steel Peninsula and Greenwich Peninsula to The Royal and the particular teams. It has never to the construction industry’s supply The Royal Docks Docks; The Cutty Sark, Greenwich; and been more important to deal with all chain. “Steelwork plays a crucial role, the Twin Sails Bridge, Poole. aspects of the work in a thoroughly this is evident not just with the winning Television news presenter Emma professional way which is the only route projects but across the board.” Twin Sails Bridge Crosby presented the awards, now in to success - indeed to survival.” Ivor Roberts, British Constructional Poole their 45th year. The judges selected the He went on to say that he hoped Steelwork Association President Award winning projects from a short list that the winning projects will prove addressed the audience and also of 16, with all entries scoring highly in inspirational, and that the SSDA scheme praised the quality of the winning efficiency, cost effectiveness, aesthetics, itself will continue to stimulate the projects as well as the entire shortlist. sustainability and innovation. industry to deliver projects that in “Steel continues to be the material of Chairman of the Judges David future years will show the same great choice for innovative, sustainable and COMMENDATIONS Lazenby CBE said: “We inspect all the flair. aesthetically pleasing projects.”

Emma Crosby David Lazenby. Brent Civic Centre Host Chairman Wembley of the Judges

Marlowe Theatre Canterbury

The Saints Stadium Bridge St Helens Bimlendra Jha, Ivor Roberts, Tata Steel BCSA SSDA 2013

The award winning teams Students exhibit innovations with steelwork design

inners of the 2013 Student turbines, a building that also had to Design Awards were include a visitor’s centre, was the brief Wannounced at the Structural for the Architecture award Steel Design Awards presentation. The Building Structures award As always, the Student Awards went to the University of Strathclyde, Air W1, London were divided into three categories with London South Bank University – Building Structures, Bridges and coming second and the University of Architecture. Nottingham collecting the third prize. The brief for the Building Structures The University of Edinburgh won award was an outline design for a the Bridges award, ahead of Queen’s new air traffic control tower. University Belfast and the University For the Bridges award students of Southampton. were required to design a new Salima Mitha from the Manchester footbridge to improve access across a School of Architecture was the winner river for both pedestrians and cyclists. of the Architecture award, with teams Design of a coastal facility for from the University of Nottingham the fabrication and testing of wind coming second and third.

The Cutty Sark, Greenwich

The winning team in the Building Structures category, the University of Strathclyde, receive their award

Emirates Air Line, connecting Greenwich Peninsula with The Royal Docks

David Winning of the University of Edinburgh collects the Bridges category first prize

Architecture Category winner, Salima Mitha of the Manchester Twin Sails Bridge, Poole School of Architecture collects her prize SSDA 2013 AWARD

PROJECT. TEAM Architect: Dixon Jones Structural Engineer: Air W1, London Waterman Group Steelwork Contractor: Steel construction’s flexibility came to the fore in creating a William Hare Ltd Main Contractor: modern commercial and retail development within a retained Sir Robert McAlpine Ltd Client: The Crown Estate historic façade in central London.

he site of Air W1 was formerly modern hotel. The adjoining buildings of the original façade as possible and occupied by the Regent Place were also in poor condition and kept the steel framed listed rooms THotel. Opened in 1915, it was contained a number of low quality in the basement while redeveloping considered to be one of London’s users, while the size and mix of the remainder of the site. The project finest hotels with an opulence and retail units was considered to be forms part of The Crown Estate’s £1bn scale associated with Transatlantic inappropriate for a modern central redevelopment of Regent Street. liners. London retail destination. Wherever possible advanced works Built for J Lyons and Co, it was also The decision to redevelop the were completed on the existing steel one of the capital’s early examples building to realise its full economic structure prior to demolition. This of constructing a large building with potential was taken in 2004. The approach was taken to minimise a structural steel frame. It consisted original proposal was to demolish and health and safety risks, as there was of 1,100 rooms, making it the largest replace the entire block with a new less working at height. hotel in Europe at the time. building, but this met with resistance Each of the building’s six atrium Unfortunately, by the end of the from both Westminster City Council bridges were also delivered to site 20th Century the Regent Place Hotel and conservationists. as prefabricated units with all edge was no longer fit for purpose as a The final scheme retained as much protection, decking and reinforcement SSDA 2013

fitted at ground level prior to installation. Tim Hare, Sir Robert McAlpine Project Manager, says the project is a textbook example of recycling an old steel framed building. “Wherever possible the existing structural elements were used, adapted and enhanced for use in the new structure. Where this was not possible the steelwork was removed and sent for recycling and replaced with new steel members. “The end result is a melding of the old and the new that demonstrated both the adaptability and sustainability of steel construction.” Structural engineer Waterman Group arranged for test samples to be cut from the existing structure to verify the material properties. These results were then passed on to steelwork contractor William Hare for design of the connections. Because of the confined footprint of the site the number of locations to put cranes was at a premium. This resulted in one of the site’s tower cranes being built off the existing steel structure to protect the still partially intact Atlantic Bar while disassembly took place. The 1930s art deco interiors of both the Atlantic Bar and Grill and the Titanic Bars (located in the basement) were dismantled and later reinstated. The structural design of the building features larger floor plates than is usual for a building of this type. This was acheived using some large plate girder transfer structures installed at the lower levels. In total the job features about a dozen of these structures each weighing over 10t, with the largest being 3.2m deep. “We have a large open plan grid for the office levels, but below ground additional set of challenges to the The layout of the new floor slabs The refurbished building has been floor the grid is much smaller because team. The complex geometry of the against the retained façades also acclaimed for setting benchmarks in of the retained steel framed listed mansard and atrium roof meant placed constraints on the depth of sustainable urban regeneration and rooms,” explains Grahame Andrews, the fabrication accuracy and the the steel members that could be used, the scheme has already attracted high Waterman Group Project Engineer. management of the delivery and resulting in the use of stiff 200mm quality global occupiers. In several cases the transfer erection sequence was key to the deep fabricated boxed sections. structures were too heavy for the entire build programme. On completion the project was JUDGES’. COMMENTS onsite tower cranes. Additional splices However, it was not possible renamed Air W1, in reference to its “This is an exemplar for had to be introduced to break the to gain access to survey the roof postcode and the adjacent Air Street. imaginative incorporation of beams down into smaller pieces, which connections until quite late in the The finished structure includes seven existing steelwork in a striking were held in place by temporary props project, so in some cases this meant floors of offices, a ground floor with modern office/retail/residential until the member was fully installed. completing the final connection shops and restaurants located in a development.” The roof structure presented an design and fabrication on site. three level basement. SSDA 2013 AWARD

The Cutty Sark, Greenwich

The fully restored Cutty Sark now rests in a steel cradle hung above the dock floor to allow, for the first time, views of its sleek and revolutionary hull.

he Cutty Sark is the world’s last putting it into storage. Thanks to this historic vessels on this scale is a rare PROJECT. TEAM remaining tea clipper and holds and some heroic fire fighting, there occurrence and it is hoped Cutty Sark’s Architect: Ta unique place in many people’s was little damage caused to the ship’s innovative design and triumph of Grimshaw Architects hearts, especially the millions that have original fabric. engineering will set a new benchmark Structural Engineer: travelled to Greenwich down the years Although the fire affected the of how historic ships are preserved in Buro Happold to visit the vessel. progress of the conservation project, the future. Steelwork Contractor: Since 2006 the ship has been closed the original plans were still viable. Work All of the salt induced corrosion of S H Structures Ltd to the public and undergoing restoration restarted with the help of an additional the iron frame, which in the past has Main Contractor: work. Unfortunately a fire delayed the £25M from the Heritage Lottery Fund threatened to close the ship, has been Gardiner & Theobald project in 2007, a conflagration that was and the culmination of six years hard painstakingly removed, and the original Ellmer Construction luckily not as bad as it first appeared. work was rewarded when Her Majesty conserved ironwork is identified by the Client: Part of the ongoing conservation The Queen officially reopened The Cutty white painted vertical ribs, horizontal The Cutty Sark Trust work included removing much of the Sark in 2012. keelsons, deck beams and their historical contents of the vessel and The conservation and repair of supporting posts. In contrast, all new SSDA 2013

the hull which was bulging and would twisting and curved steel strake plates points where the external struts and ties not have lasted much longer.” that run along both sides of the ship. would eventually connect the ship back The design plan was to replicate the Twelve fabricated compression beams to the dry dock. vessel sitting in water and to restore span across the ship, within the original “After we’d lifted the ship the first the sleek and unique shape of the hull. deck beam and between the new strake 100mm we were able to weld a steel This has been achieved by strengthening plates. sole plate under the keel,” explains the original ironwork and installing a The keel strengthening is supported Mark Randerson, S H Structures steel cradle, a structure that also has from the compression beams via the tie Technical Director. “This completed the the added benefit of allowing visitors bars which support the ship’s structure keel strengthening by connecting the to walk beneath the ship and view the beneath the new strakes, stabilising two plates which had previously been elegant lines of her hull. the keel position and transferring the positioned either side of the original In order to achieve this, precise three- wind loads from the masts into the new woodwork.” dimensional surveys of the ship were steelwork. Once the Cutty Sark had been raised carried out and every new detail was The majority of the ship’s internal into position, temporary external digitally modelled. steelwork had to be completed prior to steelwork was erected. On completion - Work was carried out to tight the lifting process. Raising a vessel, one with the new steelwork supporting the tolerances and demanding geometries, that has not moved in half a century, vessel - the temporary members were strengthening steelwork is painted grey. at times twisted and curved. Every 3.1m into the air was obviously a very then lowered back down by jacks and The Cutty Sark project features element of the new steelwork was challenging part of the project and a dismantled. innovative use of structural steel for the modelled throughout the process. major undertaking for S H Structures. Steelwork has also played an conservation and interpretation of a S H Structures fabricated, supplied “Using 24 climbing jacks, each with important role in other aspects of the unique Grade I listed ship. and erected around 200t of steelwork 100t capacity, the ship was raised ship’s preservation, with new base A complex but elegant prestressed for the cradle which consists of 13 100mm at a time and lifted to its final plates for the restored masts, and system hangs and stabilises the ship in hanger frames that vary in shape and height in three days,” explains Tim Kelly, 150 new steel members inserted to its new position. This steel structure will follow the geometry of the vessel. Buro Happold Associate. “The initial lift strengthen the corroded iron ribs. preserve the shape of the ship’s iconic Internally each of the frames is was a little tense as the ship tore away hull and has enabled an additional connected by 64mm diameter ties to quite a large chunk of the concrete JUDGES’. COMMENTS public space to be created in the dry new keel strengthening plates. Running plinth, but from then on, apart from “The steelwork enables this berth below, allowing visitors to walk the length of the keel, these plates are some creaking, the lifting proceeded famous ship to be preserved underneath and admire the ship’s form. 550mm deep and between 45mm and smoothly.” and, importantly, to be viewed Diane Metcalfe, Grimshaw Architects’ 55mm thick, depending on their location S H Structures had to design and internally and externally from Associate Director, says: “The vessel had and are placed either side of the original build a temporary cradle for the lifting below the hull. Ingenious been sitting on wooden props and a timber keel. procedure. This consisted of a cranked steelwork is key to this concrete plinth on the bottom of the dry The hull has been strengthened beam on either side of the ship, which remarkable visitor attraction.” dock for 50 years. This wasn’t good for with two 500mm deep × 50mm thick was connected to the vessel at the SSDA 2013 AWARD

Emirates Air Line connecting Greenwich Peninsula and The Royal Docks

The UK’s first urban cable car is an iconic addition to the capital’s transportation network. © LUSAS

he Emirates Air Line spans the conceived as an interwoven assembly curved shape using 27 rolled conic River Thames, providing a direct of two helically spiralling wide plates, sections, but this was limited by the Tlink between the Royal Victoria known as ribbons and four narrower maximum width of steel plate (3.3m) Docklands Light Railway (DLR) station plates known as helices, spiralling in the that could be rolled into a cylinder in on the north bank and the Jubilee Line opposite direction. Structurally the shaft the UK. station at North Greenwich on the works as a Vierendeel formed from the Severfield-Watson discovered that using CNC cut templates which enabled south bank. two interwoven differently pitched and forming, a technique employed by the tolerances of +/-5mm to be achieved. Three steel towers support the spatially offset ‘springs’ of the ribbon ship building industry, can curve much “In order to simplify the design and cable car, one on the south bank and and helix plates. bigger continuous pieces of steel and fabrication of the towers the geometry two on the north shore, including an “The project was an outstanding this was explored as an alternative of each was kept the same. Innovation intermediate structure. success, not just because of the strategy. A detailed comparative was at the heart of the design and The intermediate tower was the first complexity and quality of the work, but analysis of the two methods revealed construction, with the latest methods to be fully erected and although it is the also for the speed of the construction that the forming method would be and technologies used to create this smallest, it still stands at over 65m tall programme which helped us realise more economical. unique addition to London’s transport and weighs more than 290t. The other our aspiration to open in time for the Initially, all plates were digitally network. two towers top out at 90m and weigh Olympic Games,” says Rory O’Neill, unrolled as flat surfaces and nested in “Our planners took the design in excess of 550t each. Head of Projects for the DLR. order to determine the most efficient for each of the towers and using Design of each of the towers The first tower was built within days steel plate sizes and minimise material cutting edge 3D modelling created comprises a shaft tapering towards of its steelwork being delivered to site. waste. After CNC cutting, the plates the measurements for each piece. This a narrow neckline with a flared head Severfield-Watson Structures fabricated were suspended with chains and intricate modelling saw designs for supporting the cable car sheave the steel for the project in Bolton, with formed by heavy presses. Each plate each part drawn to within a millimetre assembly. over half of its two hundred employees was then shaped to its exact final to ensure every piece fitted together like The overall geometry and form dedicated to the project. profile by applying the calculated a jigsaw,” explains Peter Miller, Director was aesthetically driven, as was the The initial fabrication strategy pressure at the appropriate location. at Severfield-Watson Structures. form of the shaft itself. This had been involved approximating the double The resulting geometry was checked All of the tower sections were lifted SSDA 2013

PROJECT. TEAM Concept Architect: Wilkinson Eyre Architects Delivery Architect: Aedas Structural Engineer: Buro Happold Steelwork Contractor: Severfield-Watson Structures Ltd Main Contractor: Mace Ltd Client: Docklands Light Railway Ltd © LUSAS into place by crane, a 300t capacity adjacent to the north tower and on One of the primary objectives “Another key challenge was the mobile crane was used for the north the bank adjacent to the south tower. was to reduce risk and simplify the interface at the tops of the towers tower, while a 400t capacity crawler The intermediate tower sections were erection process. This was achieved by where the yokes and the cable support was used for the intermediate structure. delivered ready for erection and did not developing an end plate bearing flange heads and wheel assemblies had to For the south tower, located require any preassembly. at each tower splice. align to ensure that the cables run approximately 70m offshore, a much To assist with the erection a “This was a key area for this in a perfectly straight line across all larger crane was required. The lift temporary steel base frame was challenging project,” says Fergus five towers,” sums up Matt Randall, radius further increased as the land provided under each section, which McCormick, Buro Happold Project Mace Project Director. “This precision immediately behind the river wall allowed the tower sections to be Engineer. “The design had to work engineering and site control was could not be proven to support the assembled in their vertical orientation. to extremely tight tolerances, which achieved by Severfield-Watson in the imposed load from the crane, so it had Each ribbon section was lifted onto also meant steel was the only realistic final erection sequence of each tower to be moved back to a lifting radius of the temporary base and restrained in option for the towers.” under extremely tight timescales.” approximately 90m. This meant that a position with temporary bracing. A Another key consideration was large strut jib crane with a maximum temporary lifting/aligning frame was the access required for the steelwork JUDGES’. COMMENTS capacity of over 1,000 tonnes had to fitted across the tops of the ribbons erectors to each splice location. The “This was a structural steelwork be used. to tie them together and also act as permanent access ladders and rest success story contributing to The construction programme was a lifting frame during erection. The platforms were designed where possible London’s outstanding year based around limiting the amount helical spiral members were then fitted to align with the splice positions so that 2012 and an elegant legacy for of welding operations, wherever between the ribbons and site welded the use of temporary access platforms ongoing regeneration.” possible. Assembly areas were created into position. was minimised. SSDA 2013 AWARD

Twin Sails Bridge, Poole A boost for future regeneration, Poole’s Twin Sails Bridge is also an iconic landmark structure. onnecting Poole Old Town to PROJECT. TEAM Lower Hamworthy, the five span Architect: CTwin Sails Bridge provides a Wilkinson Eyre Architects much needed second crossing for the Structural Engineer: Dorset town’s busy harbour, as well Ramboll as being an important component for Steelwork Contractor: future regeneration. Cleveland Bridge UK Ltd The low level bridge, with its soaring Main Contractor: landmark carbon fibre masts, high Hochtief (UK) standard of finishing and sophisticated Construction Ltd lighting ensures that each operation of Client: the structure is a spectacle. Borough of Poole “There are no other structures in the vicinity, so being a low level bridge it blends into the landscape,” explains Steve Thompson, Design Project Manager for Ramboll. “However, drama unfolds when it opens at mid- span to reveal its elegant yet simple maritime shape.” Structurally the lifting span is designed and configured as a simple

© Dave Morris Photography bascule, with two hydraulically SSDA 2013 © Dave Morris Photography operated lifting sections. concrete deck for the approach spans Manager. “So working from the The spans were all driven onto Normally the joint between lifting also was an ideal solution to produce western bank we first erected three a barge with the deck positioned sections is transverse, but here it is the desired shallow deck profile. spans, which included the two lifting perpendicular to its final position. skewed across the deck creating two The bridge features two distinct segments for the central span. Once Once the barge was in the bay, triangular leaf-like segments. It is these structural forms; the triangular lifting the hydraulic lifting gear was installed tugs helped nudge it into position so triangular moveable parts, mirroring spans comprising fabricated steel and commissioned we were able to the span could be aligned on its final the shape of yachts when in their open boxes, with orthotropic deck plates and erect the final two spans, as boats bearings. upright position, that make the bridge curved soffits, and the approach spans were then able to access and exit the However, before the final positioning unique and are the reason for its ‘Twin constructed as composite steel boxes, harbour via the new bridge’s lifting could take place the construction team Sails’ name. again with curved soffits. The deck and channel.” had to wait for the correct tide. “Each Materials were selected to maximise sails were made up of 41 sections of Although the spans vary in length span was taken onto a barge via an durability and minimise maintenance steel. they were all, with the exception of access ramp from our assembly point,” requirements throughout the life The abutments and piers sit on top the central span, assembled on site explains Mr Binden. “The barge then of the structure. The lift span deck of 53 foundation piles, mostly 1.2m from four large box sections and four had to wait for high tide before moving utilises weathering steel to remove the in diameter and sunk 31m into the walkway sections. Each half of the the span into a position above and need for maintenance painting of the channel bed. central span was assembled from between its supports.” internal surfaces within the box. The construction process itself two large box sections and two outer Floating each span was a tricky According to Mr Thompson steel was inventive, with much of the steel walkway sections to form a triangle procedure but they were all successfully was the only option for this project as superstructure fabricated offsite. with an overall length of 25m. completed. “The spans were positioned the bridge needed to be a lightweight Modular sections were brought to the Once each span had been fully above their final bearings, using a structure that could open at least 15 site, assembled to form individual deck welded and painted they were ready to combination of the SPMTs jacks and times a day. A low level bridge that spans and welded together on the be positioned. The on-shore fabrication tidal range between high and low mirrored the height of the quayside quayside adjacent to the Channel. process significantly reduced the tides,” sums up Mr Binden. was another important design criteria The steel sections for the bridge amount of work which needed to be best achieved with steel. were all fabricated at Cleveland undertaken over the water. Only one JUDGES’. COMMENTS The adaptability of steel allowed the Bridge’s Darlington facility and welded splice was needed for each “This ingenious design for an project team to fabricate and create transported by road to Poole. The span following installation. opening traffic bridge combines robust yet lightweight sculpted forms. company initially assembled and Each completed span was loaded elegance and functional It was therefore the ideal material for positioned three spans of the bridge. onto a self-propelled mobile transporter efficiency. The client and the fabricating the triangular sails of the “We had to keep the harbour open (SPMT) which then carried it the short public are delighted with this lifting span. In addition, the use of to maritime traffic at all times,” says distance down to the water’s edge and iconic and vital bridge.” steelwork acting compositely with a Ben Binden, Cleveland Bridge Project onto a flat deck barge. SSDA 2013 COMMENDATION

PROJECT. TEAM Architect: Hopkins Architects Structural Engineer: URS Steelwork Contractor: Bourne Construction Engineering Ltd Main Contractor: Skanska Client: Brent Council

Brent Civic Centre, Wembley

The UK’s greenest public office building includes a number of architecturally impressive steel elements.

he new Brent Civic Centre is a gutter welded to the top.” multi purpose development that Central to the project is a steel Tallows the Council to consolidate framed circular area known as the drum. many of its staff into one unified facility. Clad in timber fins, it houses a multi Located opposite the world famous purpose community hall, library, one Wembley Stadium, the project has scored stop shop and civic chamber. It is topped an impressive BREEAM ‘Outstanding’ with a steel structure known as the rating and has incorporated an array lantern, a roofing feature that spans the of sustainable features. These include 15m wide void. a 33% reduction in carbon emissions, Below the civic chamber there is thanks to a combination of solar shading, a large open plan two-storey high natural ventilation, high performance community hall. “This is another steel façade, and combined cooling, heating framed area,” says Mr Barker. “Steel pin and power which utilises waste fish oil. jointed struts form the hall and give it Overall, the project is a hybrid visual expression.” structure that incorporates a number of In order to reduce costs, accurate beams and post tensioning of the floors. high quality and complex steel elements. scheduling of steel components during BIM also played an important role JUDGES’. COMMENTS “All of the steel parts are isolated and the design process also kept wastage in this job and was used to track “The new civic facilities provide the building with a lot of visual down and saved valuable time, and components, including scheduling, comprise an office building interest through the detailing,” says importantly helped achieve the main sequencing, deliveries and erection and a voluminous steel framed Robert Barker, URS Project Engineer. contractor’s green initiative. progress. The 3D model was discussed entrance atrium. The steelwork The project also features a number The project presented a number of weekly, aiding coordination of interface throughout the atrium, of large open areas utilising long span engineering challenges, which included details between steel, concrete, timber supporting the ETFE roof, glazed steel beams to create their roofs. the different tolerances posed by the and cladding. walls, exposed glass lifts and “We fabricated a series of 30m long structural steelwork and concrete “The innovative methods used on this connecting bridges, is very beams for the atrium roof,” comments elements of the building. This was project allowed Bourne Construction light, elegant and immaculately Chris Barnfather, Bourne Construction resolved through the erection of the Engineering to deliver to the client a detailed. Steel is key to this Engineering Project Designer. “These external columns with temporary cross fully integrated design solution for the impressive civic space. were bespoke members with a 1m wide bracing prior to the casting of the edge steelwork,” says Mr Barnfather. COMMENDATION SSDA 2013

Marlowe Theatre, Canterbury

The construction of the Marlowe Theatre faced challenges from archaeology, flooding and incorporating the original fly tower, all within the demanding town planning environment of

historic Canterbury. Helene Binet

his complex steel structure is steelwork gave the project continuity,” kind of project which has long column distributed into the auditorium at floor said to bring drama to the site, explains Ryan Thurston, DGT Structures free spans and cantilevering balconies,” level. Twith cantilevering and hung Project Manager. “We also added a says Richard Brown of Keith Williams A major benefit of the project has structures defining different spaces and galvanized steel spired roof to the Architects. “Steel is integral to the been the creation of the 150 seat creating exciting open public areas. tower, making it a feature element.” structure’s design, although most of it is Marlowe Studio. The smaller of the The site identified for the Marlowe Overall, the flexibility of steel hidden within the completed building.” site’s two venues, the Marlowe Studio Theatre was originally the location construction allowed the design team Andrew Wylie, Buro Happold cantilevers out above the café towards of a 1930s Odeon Cinema, and had to develop a challenging structure with Project Engineer, continues: “Steel the river, adding further opportunities undergone several transformations, frequently varying floor levels in a cost- was important as it gave us the for performances. including the addition of a fly tower effective way. desired lightweight solution as well as The floor of this space has been during the mid 1980s conversion to a An innovative steel solution was effectively and efficiently framing the designed to carry a collapsible seating theatre. developed to achieve this and create project’s complex geometry.” system, creating a highly adaptable A decision was made to retain the fly a highly flexible and spacious front of The area with the longest spans is space. The structure has acoustic tower steelwork as an integral part of house area. The first and second floor the new auditorium and here a closer isolation from the café below and the new theatre complex. This helped to foyer spaces are hung from trusses relationship between the audience and auditorium plant room above, and this reduce the development’s environmental in the roof. The hung foyer steelwork performers has been created as no seat prevents any noise or vibration from impact through the re-cladding and forms the backspan of the auditorium is further than 25m from the stage. spoiling the performance. reuse of existing steelwork. balcony cantilevers. Services are integrated throughout the “The sense of grandeur in the new “Connecting old steel to new “Steel is the ideal material for this steel structure, with low velocity air auditorium is coupled with a feeling of intimacy. Everything’s so much closer PROJECT. TEAM to the stage than the old theatre could Architect: ever be. It’s a great sense of shared Keith Williams Architects experience and that’s what live theatre Helene Binet Structural Engineer: is all about,” says Mark Everett, Theatre Buro Happold Director of the New Marlowe Theatre. Steelwork Contractor: DGT Structures Ltd JUDGES’. COMMENTS Main Contractor: “Good teamwork produced ISG Jackson a thoroughly competent and Client: Canterbury effective project which delights City Council the client and theatre goers.” SSDA 2013 COMMENDATION © Moxon Architects

central section followed by the two outer sections. They were all landed on temporary trestles and then bolted The Saints Stadium together through the end diaphragms which acted as a backing strip for the welds between the sections. Bridge, St Helens With the deck in place and still resting on trestles, the arches, which are positioned either side of the bridge, Galliford Try had to liaise with all of were installed. These tubular sections A landmark structure, the Saints the project team members to address were brought to site in six pieces; two Stadium Bridge set an example for the main risks to the project associated end U-shaped sections with temporary with the installation of the bridge. Its bolted connections at the ends and inter team cooperation to deliver a high unique shape presented challenges two further sections for each of the both from potential settlement and two arches with matching bolted quality, cost-effective project. the difficulty of installing fixed length connections. hangers between the deck and arches. The final piece of the erection rossing the busy A58, the Saints structural engineer Flint & Neill to “Given the large numbers of process involved connecting the arches Stadium Bridge allows easier come up with a unique design. The spectators passing across the bridge on to the deck via a series of hangers. Caccess between the new rugby scheme has delivered a sleek 4m wide match days, one of the key design issues There are 14 of these bespoke hangers league stadium and St Helens town x 54.6m long bridge, which has a deck was ensuring that adequate damping for each arch, fabricated from 50mm centre. suspended via flat plate hangers from was provided to suppress pedestrian thick × 200mm wide plate. They range In order to give the structure two parabolic arches formed from induced excitation. The main concern in length from 2.5m to 6.5m. symbolic status, viewed from above, the 610mm diameter CHS sections. was vertical accelerations of the bridge steel arches on the bridge are shaped Before any steelwork arrived on site, deck and also achieving comfort criteria JUDGES’. COMMENTS like a rugby ball, which is more than apt under crowd loading. This has been for a town synonymous with the sport PROJECT. TEAM done by providing tuned mass dampers ”This elegant bridge is a key part of the development of the of rugby league. Architect: inside the bridge deck which absorb the “We wanted an iconic bridge,” says vibration energy,” explains Paul Sanders, stadium, providing most of the Moxon Architects Ltd pedestrian access. The plan form St Helens Council Project Engineer Structural Engineer: Flint & Neill Project Engineer. Les Fairclough. “One which would stand Erection of the steelwork began with reflects the shape of a rugby Flint & Neill Ltd ball, producing tough fabrication out and become a landmark.” Main Contractor: the deck brought to site in three pieces, Galliford Try won a £1.2M design each complete with parapet panels. challenges as the elements are Galliford Try non-planar. The result is a fine and build contract for the project Client: St Helens Council Using a 250t capacity mobile crane, and appointed Moxon Architects and the team lifted in the central 27m-long steel landmark structure.” OTHER FINALISTS SSDA 2013

ccommodating the commercial PROJECT. TEAM 10 Brock Street, London and retail portions of a large Adevelopment in central London, Architect: 10 Brock Street is an architecturally Wilkinson Eyre Architects impressive steel framed structure, Structural Engineer: Halcrow Yolles (CH2M) overlooking the scheme’s main plaza. It Steelwork Contractor: consists of three interconnected fingers, William Hare Ltd featuring floor to ceiling glazed external Main Contractor: Lend Lease cladding and linked by two atria. Client: British Land The central finger is 15 storeys and it is flanked by ten-storey and eight-storey steelwork below them, the roofs are finger structures. Visually the front formed from a myriad of pieces, more elevation of the 15-storey portion offers than 150 for the two outer roofs. the most impressive element as it has a Commenting on the steelwork, leaning façade, which is skewed to the Adrian Richards, Lend Lease Project rest of the building. Manager, says: “The steel frame was Each of the three fingers is topped designed in early 2011 and within four by a pitched and skewed steel framed months it was being fabricated and roof. Structurally independent from the delivered to site.”

A406 Wilmer Way Footbridge, London PROJECT. TEAM Architect: Grimshaw Architects eplacing a nearby older structure, Consulting Project Engineer. “We Structural Engineer: Hyder Consulting the A406 Wilmer Way Footbridge wanted a slender long span structure, Steelwork Contractor: Rprovides a new connection something with minimal massing in McGrath Group across London’s North Circular Road. keeping with the environs.” Main Contractor: Skanska The 48m long bridge is a steel The design also includes trusses with Infrastructure Services structure formed of three pairs of bow main chords that are continuous along Client: Transport for London arch trusses spanning at a skew of 51 the length of the bridge. The deck chord degrees across the road. The main piers is a gently curved parabola, which “Steel was absolutely the ideal support pairs of 12m long inverted allows the deck above to drain naturally. material for the project. It enabled Vierendeel bow arch trusses that are The support spans of the bridge are the creation of a structure which was fixed in the centre with a stiff steel plate anchored with inclined braced pairs architecturally expressive and allowed box support ‘tree’. of circular hollow sections. These ties us to use a prefabricated system which “The bridge has a very specific provide a crucial adjustment to the could be craned into place overnight,” shape and steel was the only way to harmonic frequency of the bridge to says Grimshaw Architects Project achieve it,” explains Tim Belcher, Hyder mitigate against pedestrian vibration. Partner Ewan Jones.

Sky Wind Turbine, Isleworth PROJECT. TEAM Architect: Arup Associates tanding 60m tall Sky’s Wind to be shaped into trussed elements Structural Engineer: Arup Associates

Turbine makes a very visual and resist fluctuating tensile and © Simon Kennedy Steelwork Contractor: statement for renewable energy compression forces from dynamic loads. S William Hare Ltd in west London and puts renewable The design of the wind turbine uses Main Contractor: Mitie infrastructure firmly onto the curved trusses to make most effective Client: BSkyB architectural stage. use of the structural geometry to both “It had to be this height to be taller minimise and resist the applied forces. strategy also minimised the amount than the surrounding buildings in The three tower sections were of lifting adjacent to Sky’s TV studios order to catch sufficient wind,” says assembled and clad at ground level, which were in constant use. Tim Snelson, Arup Associates Project then lifted fully assembled in a single “Sky always insisted the wind Engineer. day. To minimise site works, the top turbine make a real contribution in Steel is the material of choice for section of the tower was fully welded energy terms. After all the hard work wind turbines, due to the strength in the fabrication yard. A specialist of the team, it was great to see it to weight ratio (thereby minimising erection team then added the nacelle go up.” says Steve Holford, Head of craneage requirements) and its ability and blades the following day. This Engineering, Sky. SSDA 2013 OTHER FINALISTS

National Football Centre, St George’s Park, Burton-upon-Trent

most of the large buildings, including for the framing material,” adds David two hotels which have more than 200 Bloomfield, Arup Project Engineer, “the rooms, conference and banqueting same reasoning why steel was used in facilities, restaurants and an 18m the sports structures.” swimming pool. To create the 80m wide spans of Adjacent to these facilities are this large column free space, steelwork the indoor sports areas, housed in contractor Billington Structures has PROJECT. TEAM nglish Football has a new three large steel framed structures, erected a series of large 4.5m deep home at St George’s Park, a all interconnected but divided by trusses, fabricated from UKC and CHS Architect: redboxdesigngroup 330 acre site near Burton- movement joints. The largest of these, sections. Structural Engineer: Arup E Steelwork Contractor: upon-Trent. The facility provides The measuring over 100m in length, houses “This was a very complex procedure, Billington Structures Ltd Football Association with a teaching a full sized synthetic football pitch and but all of the trusses and their Main Contractor: and development centre as well as required more than 700t of structural supporting columns were erected in just Bowmer and Kirkland Ltd a training home for all 24 England steelwork. six weeks, with three trusses lifted into Client: representative teams. “There are some long spans in these place every week,” sums up Neil Brook, The Football Association Steelwork has been used to construct areas and steel was the obvious choice Bowmer and Kirkland Project Director.

Manchester Road Bridge, Bradford PROJECT. TEAM Architect: City of Bradford his replacement foot/cycle bridge this landmark project,” comments Ziad Metropolitan District Council Structural Engineer: spanning Manchester Road is Younis, Bradford Metropolitan District City of Bradford Metropolitan Ta crucial element of Bradford’s Council’s Project Engineer. District Council Living Street, a collaborative project All of the columns are pin-ended Steelwork Contractor: between Bradford Council, Sustrans and at both ends to allow them to tilt in Briton Fabricators Ltd Trident (a community led regeneration response to the thermal movement of Main Contractor: Eric Wright Civil Engineering Ltd © City of Bradford MDC © City of Bradford company) creating a new gateway into the bridge. Client: City of Bradford the city centre. Due to the complexity of the project, Metropolitan District Council Endorsed by public consultation, and to assist with the many parts the design of the bridge is based on a and spiralling decks/ramp sections, to keep control of every component and series of deck plates supported by cross the steelwork contractor decided to track its way through the fabrication. beams at 2m centres, spanning onto prepare detailed fabrication drawings Overall the bridge including the continuous curved steel members. utilising 3D modelling software. With ramps is 210m long, with the typical “Steel gave us the strength, beauty 7,400 component parts to trace it was spans measuring 14m and rising up to and the visual presence required by important that a system was employed 23.5m over Manchester Road.

Two Snowhill, Queensway, Birmingham PROJECT. TEAM Concept Architect: he 17-storey high steel framed “Every steel connection to the core Yvonne Aust Curtins Consulting Project Sidell Gibson Architects Two Snowhill office block is is bespoke on this building, requiring Engineer, since it could connect back Architect: Weedon Architects Structural Engineer: Curtins Tthe second of three landmark us to measure the exact geometry and to the existing cores and construction Steelwork Contractor: office schemes in the Snow Hill area of then fabricating elements to exact could proceed quickly. With offices Caunton Engineering Ltd Birmingham. dimensions,” explains Dave Tighe, occupying the majority of the floors, Main Contractor: Balfour Beatty Project Manager. clear spans and a flexible structure were Balfour Beatty Construction The building’s footprint covers an also very important for the client. Northern Ltd Client: Hines area 54m long by 45m wide and is An atrium occupies the centre of the made up of a 9m × 9m structural grid. building from ground floor. The curved supporting steel beams in the atrium The main entrance façade tapers out roof for this structure is supported by roof. from ground level up to level 13 where a system of steel “trees” which spring Bow string trusses which support the building then steps back, creating from level 14 and 15. The tallest double glazing for the building’s scenic lift balconies. storey tree sits at level 14 and is made also offered some of the most technical A steel framed solution was an from a 406mm diameter circular hollow challenges for the design and build obvious choice for the building explains section “trunk” with four “branches” team on this project. OTHER FINALISTS SSDA 2013

South Wolverhampton & Bilston Academy PROJECT. TEAM Architect: Capita Symonds playing fields, the site had coal seams Structural Engineer: Capita Symonds and mine shafts beneath it, all of Steelwork Contractor: which had been grouted up prior to Mifflin Construction Ltd the construction programme. Main Contractor: “Because of these ground Carillion Building conditions we needed a lightweight Client: SWB Academy Trust & Wolverhampton City Council framing solution as piling was out of the question,” says Andrew James, Capita Symonds Lead Engineer. atria, architectural forms which again “Steel offered the best solution swayed the design team to choose a for this challenge and to achieve the steelwork solution. desired architectural form within a “Steel allowed us to easily create outh Wolverhampton & Programme and is a new build school constrained site.” the long span areas of the school as Bilston Academy forms part of on a site adjacent to the former The new school is a four-storey well as the architectural cantilevers,” SWolverhampton City Council’s premises. structure featuring numerous confirms Neil Farquhar, Capita £270M Building Schools for the Future Previously occupied by the school’s cantilevers and two triple height Symonds Architect.

The Crystal, Royal Victoria Docks, London PROJECT. TEAM Architect: rock crystals bursting forth from the Wilkinson Eyre Architects Structural Engineer: Arup ground. As well as nature, the design Main Contractor: ISG draws inspiration from its waterside Client: Siemens location and curvature of the nearby

O2 arena. internal spaces in each half or crystal “Steel not only allowed us to create with a series of portal frames in one the building’s shape, but also much direction and cantilevers in the other. of it has been left exposed as it looks “The design concept led to the aesthetically interesting,” sums up Chris decision to use structural steelwork,”

© Edmund Sumner Carroll, Arup Project Engineer. says ISG Senior Project Manager ocated in London’s Docklands, highlighting ways of living and working Within the two crystalline shapes Mike Jenner. “To achieve the project’s the world’s first Siemens’ in a more environmentally friendly there are offices, a 300 seat auditorium, slenderness and get the detailing Lsustainability centre is a flagship manner. meeting rooms, an exhibition area, correct would have been extremely development built to present new The design of the 7,000m2 building along with a shop and classrooms. difficult with any other framing technologies and host exhibitions is unique and based on two interlinked Structurally the design creates the material.”

The Shoal, Stratford

he Shoal is a large art project which support an array of giant introduced to improve the moveable leaf shapes, which reflect Tfrontage to the Stratford the varying light conditions throughout shopping centre in east London. the day. It consists of a trellis of steel trees, There are plans for the shopping centre to be developed and a new public PROJECT. TEAM realm created to the rear of the Shoal. “This meant we had to think about the Architect: Studio Egret West Structural Engineer: views of the project from all directions,” Packman Lucas says Ron Packman of structural engineer leaves that are free to pivot about rising separately from the ground and Steelwork Contractor: Packman Lucas. “The Shoal consequently their upper supports in response to the coming together at high level to form S H Structures Ltd rewards the eye from all angles.” prevailing winds. a braced arrangement. The second are Main Contractor: Ringway Jacobs The Shoal consists of three separate The supporting frames are designed cantilever, or ‘C’ frames, which project Client: London Borough of Newham linear installations or ‘runs’, each of in one of two ways. The first of these from a single point as a robust assembly which has an array of titanium clad are ‘A’ frames, which have two trunks of up to five tubes. www.steelconstruction.info is the new go to resource for all steel construction related information and guidance.

Produced for The British Constructional Steelwork Association www.steelconstruction.org and Tata Steel www.tatasteelconstruction.com by Barrett, Byrd Associates www.barrett-byrd.com