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The increasing number of tall and super-tall buildings is a direct response to the rapid urbanisation of our world.

Innovative Design

Robert Bird Group has developed specialist engineering skills to innovatively deliver these iconic structures, including:

  • One Central Park by Jean Nouvel / PTW, Sydney AUSTRALIA
  • PNB 118 by FKA Architects, Kuala Lumpur MALAYSIA
  • The Shard by Renzo Piano, London (construction engineering) UNITED KINGDOM
  • Crown Resort by Wilkinson Eyre, Sydney AUSTRALIA
  • Greenland Centre Sydney by BVN (construction engineering) AUSTRALIA
  • Australia 108 by FKA Architects, Melbourne AUSTRALIA
  • ICD Brookfield Place by Foster + Partners, Dubai UAE

Our Services

Robert Bird Group provides structural, civil, geotechnical (UK) and construction engineering services globally for the design and delivery of tall and super-tall buildings with a range of project types and challenges, including:

  • Residential, commercial and mixed-use towers
  • Towers above or adjoining Retail / Leisure / Transport Hubs
  • Towers with and without deep basements
  • Towers with exposed feature structural bracing / framing systems
  • Towers with complex external and internal geometry
  • Vertical extension of existing buildings by up to 40 storeys….!

These services can be provided for facilities of various scale, anywhere around the globe.

Building Acceleration Control

Building acceleration, both from wind loads (horizontal) and within floor structures (vertical), are a key aspect of the efficient structural design of tall buildings. Robert Bird Group has extensive experience in these fields and utilises advanced analysis techniques supported through internal technical collaboration.

Several of the tall buildings the practice has designed structurally use forms of active damping to achieve high aspect ratios driven by efficient plot use. Robert Bird Group’s structural designers have experience collaborating with the major wind consultants and integrate such damping into the structural design successfully and seamlessly. Our interaction with wind consultants internationally gives access to the latest developments in this field.

Differential Axial Shortening

RBG’s structural designers have in-depth understanding of the material properties and construction sequencing that dramatically affects differential axial shortening in vertical structural elements – a key aspect of the structural design of tall buildings. For these materials (typically steel or concrete), their behavior under load and their long-term responses to creep, shrinkage and temperature effects need careful consideration, including their effects on non-structural elements. Another driver of vertical differential movements is foundation settlement and soil-structure interaction. Again, RBG’s exceptional experience in the construction phase of tall buildings informs the consideration of sequencing and timing, thereby providing measures to mitigate the effects of such vertical differential movements from the early phases of design.

Efficient Floor Systems

Tall buildings need to be as light and fast to construct as possible, since there so many floors to construct. The design of super-efficient floor systems that optimise mass without sacrificing stiffness, is key.

Through successful internal collaboration across our regions, we can bring an understanding of the latest developments in steel and concrete floor systems to each project around the globe. Consideration of the constructability of these systems is also key to successful project delivery. A holistic approach to the assessment of different floor systems enables Robert Bird Group to maximise value engineering opportunities in tall buildings whether at initial concept or contractor design and delivery stage.