Projects

+ British Council for Offices Midlands Awards 2023 – Best Commercial Workplace, Winner

+ Concrete Society Awards 2022 – Shortlisted

+ New Civil Engineer Awards 2020 – Excellence in Carbon Reduction, Shortlisted

The tower reuses the existing four-storey basement and foundations to minimise the cost and embodied carbon associated with the substructure works. This was a starting principle for the project, and shaped the entire approach.

The new steel frame is constructed around a full height concrete core that creates an efficient layout throughout the height of the structure, and fully integrates building services and lift shafts. Its lightness facilitates the reuse of the foundations below. Close coordination between structures, architecture and M&E was required to achieve as efficient a floor layout as possible which minimised proposed loads onto the existing raft slab. Although the new loads are still higher than the original structure was, these are a distributed across the raft by a network of new concrete transfer walls at the lowest basement level, ensuring the existing slab is not overloaded.

The existing raft slab and basement retaining walls were entirely reused, as well as elements of the upper basement levels. As the original intended design life of the retained elements would be doubled, significant structural investigations were undertaken on the raft, to establish both its strength and durability. Early contractor engagement was also critical.

To maximise office space, the floor plate steps out over Barton Passage at the rear of the site. Transfer members take the load back into the columns, which are stepped back from the edge of the façade. The result is a striking new architectural feature for the Birmingham skyline and includes features such as a winter garden, ground floor café and a restaurant on the top floor with 360 degree views over the city centre.