Cityside House, London, E1
Great Portland Estates Ltd
40 weeks
£2.8m
London, E1
Location & Overview
A project on the corner of Adler Street and Whitechapel High Road, a few yards from Aldgate East Station, with John F Hunt as Principal Contractor. A technical scheme entailing façade retention, demolition of the top two floors, including the core, down to basement level, as well as involved construction of the basement and ground floor slabs. Our works also included the excavation and construction of new lift pits. Existing columns were strengthened, and column benchmarking was carried out, which enabled the client to make an informed decision on the adequate level of finishes required.
Work, Challenges & Solutions
Access to the site was tight, via a rear courtyard and works coordinated around two other construction sites. The Qbic Hotel backed onto the site, therefore noise, dust and vibration were strictly controlled, with no noisy works commencing before 10:00 am. Regular meetings with the hotel management were held to coordinate our site activities with minimum disruption to the hotel.
The structure was built pre-World War II, and construction methods were vastly different between floors and quadrants, presenting a challenge regarding a suitable temporary works design solution.
Following a large amount of investigation to understand the structure, temporary works included façade retention, structural stability bracing, core propping, needling works, and basement retaining wall support propping.
Within the basement, the existing slab was demolished in restricted working conditions, and the foundations strengthened. The basement slab was then cast along with the new drainage system, and a groundwater attenuation tank was installed below the slab, strategically placed to work with the new drainage strategy.
Achievements
Excellent relationship with residents.
Very high client satisfaction.
No issues with the hotel regarding noise, dust, or vibration.