Our Durham Place Project Awarded ‘Large Project Of The Year’ At 2023 ASUC Awards
We are delighted to share that our Durham Place project in Chelsea was recently awarded ‘Large Project of the Year’ at the 2023 ASUC Awards. Our temporary works specialist, Patterson Construction, were the deserving recipient of the award.
ASUC is an independent trade association promoting professional and technical competence. Its membership comprises leading specialist contractors and associated companies within fields such as subsidence repairs, underpinning, retrofit basements and engineered foundation solutions.
The basement scheme for this project consists of a retrofit basement with structural alterations throughout the building, all whilst supporting the three stories above it.
Two years ago, a property adjacent to Durham Place collapsed during renovation works carried out by another contractor. Fortunately, no one was hurt, and the neighbouring residents safely returned to their homes following the installation of emergency bracing. This however led to structural complications with the adjoining building, creating the requirement for a further complex temporary works design at Durham Place. Specialists Patterson Construction (PLC) were subsequently engaged to carry out these works.
Once the initial temporary works scheme had been devised and implemented, it became apparent that the neighbouring building was less structurally stable than initially thought. PCL therefore installed additional lateral braces to the three upper floors: tying the facades to the party walls with an additional temporary spine installed throughout. This was designed to rigidify the building, with a new permanent steel spine ultimately designed and fitted.
Piles 15-meters in depth were installed to support the temporary steel structure to enable the installation of a new basement during the temporary state, that also served to anchor the basement slab in the permanent condition. The total weight of building supported by the 20 piles was calculated at 365 tonnes, with the steels designed to support the building weighing in at 27.6 tonnes.