Project Atlas, London
Sectors
Client
Mace Group client for design work
EWS1
Whitelake Properties investment Ltd
Project overview
BB7 were asked to deliver a comprehensive fire strategy and engineering solutions for each of the commercial and residential towers that make the impressive Atlas Building. Our involvement consisted of three stages: review and development, monitoring, updating and handover.
Project Scope
The Atlas Building is a 38-storey residential tower, a 10-storey commercial tower and kiosk building. Retail space at ground floor levels is set within a high-quality public plaza. The buildings are served by a basement that includes parking whilst the residential tower contains leisure and spa facilities. Its location on a constrained site has generated a complex structural solution to the residential tower. With its unique appearance, this striking development comprising of 300 apartments will be a highly visible addition to the London skyline.
The BB7 response
Life safety, protection of assets, homes and livelihoods are of the utmost importance. We developed a cost-efficient fire safety strategy following RIBA stages 3 and 4. Our approach is always collaborative. We worked closely with the client, architect and design team from development, throughout the construction phase, right to handover. Providing engineering designs, responding to queries, providing clarification, inspecting passive and active fire safety systems, offering alternative solutions when issues occurred.
Due to our high level of service we were also appointed to complete the EWS1 assessments a year after completion. Subsequently the contract was then passed to Whitelake Properties Investment Ltd, Investment Ltd, and whilst our senior team of engineers had worked on the development, and due diligence had been taken at each step, we were asked to provide a destructive survey to evidence the external wall construction and passive fire protection provided in the external wall. At the client’s request the survey was carried out internally so our team had the additional challenge of accessing a building in use was that the survey was carried out internally so our teams had challenges of access, and also working inside newly finished apartments. Due to the height of the building and the reliance on the document, BB7 provided a Chartered Fire Engineer who had not been involved at any stage in the design or monitoring. This allowed us to evidence an unbiased standpoint and ensure the ultimate report would stand up to the highest level of scrutiny.
Benefits of service
As BB7 were appointed during construction it allowed us to support the client when issues occurred on site, and investigate different options that would also comply with the building fire strategy, but considering cost, programme and buildability. One issue that occurred on site was the external wall that was located within 1m of the boundary distance, did not achieve the full required fire protection. Therefore, we undertook radiation calculations, structural calculations and reviewed the wall build up to determine if the proposed fire protection will be acceptable and still comply with the objectives of the building fire strategy. By undertaking this study is reduced the risk of programme delay and prevented the client replacing the façade system.
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