The Perfume Factory is a large private rental sector development in North Acton, in a mixed industrial and residential area. The development will deliver 480 homes distributed across a 34-storey tower, a 19-storey tower and two 10-storey buildings. Extensive communal amenities both internally and externally include dedicated child-play space and roof terraces. The development will be built using volumetric modular technology, off-site fabricating the 480 apartment units into approximately 1200 modules, reducing the construction programme by at least 6 months, compared to traditional construction.
Key technical challenges
Key technical challenges include using modular construction techniques on one of the tallest modular towers in the UK. RBG technical solutions include:
- A concrete transfer deck at first floor of variable thickness between 0.5m to 1.2m where the modules will be sitting
- A concrete core to provide stability for the two tallest buildings and vertical bracing to provide stability to the two low-rise structures
- In plane bracing in order to provide adequate stiffness to the modular floor assembly
- A piled foundation with piles of 900m diameter up to 50 metres deep under the tallest tower
- Axial shortening considerations to evaluate the long and short term differential shortening between core and the adjacent steel posts of the modular units
- Study of the dynamic response of the building under wind forces (particularly critical for a light-weight highrise building
- Integration of amenity areas within the modular design
Project Metrics
Building Metrics:
480 Apartments
34-storeys
Height: 125m
Site Area: 4500m2
Sectors:
Residential
Project Metrics
Client:
Essential Living
Architect:
Darling Associates
Robert Bird Group Services:
Structural Engineering
Civil Engineering
Geotechnical Engineering