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MP3 is phase 3 of Lendlease’s Master Plan redevelopment of the old Heygate Estate, Elephant and Castle, south London.  The phase is divided into two plots, H4 and H5, and is located on the south side of the New Kent Road.  Each plot comprises a 25 storey tower with midrise blocks up to 12 storeys.

This phase will deliver 828 apartments which are a mixture of market, shared ownership and affordable rental.  Retail, plant space and service yard are provided at ground floor level.  Buildings on each plot are linked at first floor level by a landscaped podium slab providing amenity space and dedicated child play space. Plot H4 is earmarked for Private Rented Sector (Build-To-Let) usage and as such will provide enhanced amenities to meet modern tenant requirements.

Key Technical Challenges

Key Technical Challenges include: a high density of existing piles from former buildings affecting proposed piling solutions; protected trees which affect foundation design and construction methodologies; stringent floor-to-floor heights (meeting maximum parameters) affecting slab thickness, movement and tolerance and service zones.  RBG technical solutions include:

  • A 2/2.5m deep pile cap under 25-storey towers and conventional pile caps for mid-rise cores; tailored pile position strategy to avoid existing piles.
  • 200mm-deep PT slabs are used to maximise floor-to-ceiling heights.  This is achieved in the mid-rise blocks by supporting the brick façade at every other level. On every other level a 250mm-deep-1200m-wide perimeter band beam supports a double height façade.
  • RBG reduced number of transfer systems by careful positioning of columns; 250mm-deep PT slabs transfer roof columns at step-back levels.
  • 500mm-deep RC slab at podium level supports high landscaping loads and offers long spans over the service yard below.
  • Axial shortening of columns considered in the tower to prevent differential settlement of the tower floor plate relative to the core.
  • Assessment of bathroom pod weights and tracking.

Key Technical Innovation

At Stage 3 RBG developed principles for slab edge co-ordination and evolved zonal arrangements for PT tendons, balcony brackets, cast-in channels, punching shear rebar and barrier protection systems. Generating this level of detail early de-risked the design and simplified construction operations. BIM Level 2 is used throughout with fully coordinated consultants’ models combined into a federated model allowing for clash detection. Plot H5 BIM model considered additional plug-in software to enable comprehensive costing take-offs for the client.

RBG Value Add

  • Precast or Insitu solution – seek guidance from LL as soon as possible to reduce Stage 4b effort
  • Tailored foundation solution reduced no of piles by 10%
  • Optimised positioning of columns allowed benchmarking of slab rebar and thickness

Sustainability

  • Element rationalization
  • Element optimization
  • High % ggbs in specified for all concrete elements
  • Reducing podium slab thickness by reducing rebar and thickness by increasing deflection limit

Project Metrics

Year Completed:
2020
Building Metrics:
828 Apartments
8 – 26 Storeys
25 to 82m height
Site Area: 92,000m²
Sectors:
Residential
Client:
Lendlease

Project Metrics

Architect:
AHMM
Environmental Performance:
BREEAM Excellent
CfSH 4
Robert Bird Group Services:
Structural, Civil and
Geotechnical Engineering Design