8698 CC-Construct Brochure 2 4/10/07 12:42 Page 1

Benefits of In-situ Concrete Frames

Project Case Studies

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Contents
BBC Scotland, Glasgow 4

Beetham Tower, Manchester 5

Bridgewater Place, Leeds 6

Waverly Court, Edinburgh 6

Festival Park, Glasgow 7

Green Quarter, Manchester 7

Highbury Square, London 8

One Coleman Street, London 9

Royal Victoria Infirmary, Newcastle 10

Spectrum, Manchester 11

CONSTRUCT in detail 12

CONSTRUCT member listing 13

CONSTRUCT is an association of member companies dedicated to the
task of improving the efficiency of building in-situ concrete frames and
associated structures.
It is managed by a Council comprising an elected Chairman, Secretary
and representatives from each category of membership.
For more information see page 12 or visit:
www.construct.org.uk
The Concrete Centre aims to enable everyone involved in the design Introduction SpeCC Registration
and use of concrete to realise the potential of the material. As a
This case study brochure showcases projects carried out by As part of the drive to ensure quality construction is achieved and
centre for excellence and design guidance, The Concrete Centre
CONSTRUCT members. The projects illustrate the varied techniques maintained by all contractor members, it is a requirement for
offers a reservoir of concrete information and assistance with the
which are used in concrete frame construction and highlight some CONSTRUCT’s full members to be registered with SpeCC. This is an
provision of a free national helpline; CPD seminars and short courses;
of the many reasons for using concrete as the preferred material for independent registration scheme that incorporates annual audits of
guidance and technical literature on design and construction and a
frame construction. These may be summarised as: flexibility of both office and site practice covering health and safety; environment;
comprehensive website.
design options, speed of construction, cost effectiveness as well as technical capability and deliverability; financial gearing; quality and
the inherent properties which concrete brings to construction, training. For more information visit www.specc.co.uk
To find out more about The Concrete Centre visit:
including thermal mass, fire resistance, durability and sound insulation.
www.concretecentre.com

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BBC Scotland I Glasgow
Opposite the renowned Armadillo building
(the Scottish Exhibition and Conference Centre)
is the new £129 million headquarters of BBC
Scotland. With the reflection of the River Clyde
on its glass façade, the new building marks the
beginning of Glasgow’s desire to become the
media capital of Scotland.
Although the building design was straightforward – a 5-storey concrete
framed building with a total floor area of 32,500m2 – the one critical
factor that posed a challenge was the short build time. Construction
began in August 2004 and the frame was completed in May 2005.
In order to meet this tight programme, there was a design requirement
of maximising the formwork table size to speed up the construction
process. A nine metre grid was successfully achieved with the
introduction of PERI’s MPB 24 aluminium beams. Accelerators were
added to the concrete mix to ensure that the strength of the concrete
slabs was reached quickly.
“Although I do not work exclusively with concrete
frame construction, there are contenders in the
industry who could argue that concrete frames
can be erected much quicker than steel frame
structures if the planning is right.”
Rob McCallum, site manager, PJ Carey
Another added complexity of the project was the different floor-to-
floor heights within the building. The typical floor-to-floor was 3.85
metres, but the ground to mezzanine was 2.65 metres and the
ground to first floor was six metres. This enabled the building to be
designed as multi-functional in terms of accommodating different
spaces including studios, offices and television dubbing rooms.
Here, concrete frame contractor, PJ Carey, and formwork contractor,
PERI, worked closely to design and fabricate appropriate wall, slab
and column formwork systems that could deliver a single-source
solution, whilst maintaining high levels of flexibility for the formwork
to respond to different height requirements.
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Aesthetically, BBC Scotland’s new headquarters building is aspirational.
With all internal columns constructed with exposed concrete to a
high-quality, fine-smooth finish (with the aid of PERI’s fin-ply), coupled
with the external glass façade, the building now rivals the Armadillo
in terms of showing how building materials can be showcased in
practice. Of course, the inherent sound insulation properties of concrete
are also extremely appropriate for a broadcasting centre.
Rob McCallum of PJ Carey suggested, “Although I do not work
exclusively with concrete frame construction, there are contenders
in the industry who could argue that concrete frames can be erected
much quicker than steel frame structures if the planning is right.”
Overall, BBC Scotland’s headquarters building is testimony that
concrete frame buildings can be procured within a short time-scale.
However, it is essential that early team discussions are undertaken
to draw from the relevant expertise of the frame contractor, formwork
specialist and materials supplier.
Client: BBC Scotland
Architect: Chipperfield Ltd, London (Conceptual)
Keppie Ltd, Glasgow (Detailed)
Structural engineer: Faber Maunsell
Main contractor: Bovis Lend Lease
Frame contractor: PJ Carey Ltd
Formwork specialist: PERI Ltd
Duration of project: Frame construction began in August 2004
and was completed in May 2005
Beetham Tower I Manchester
Designed by the same architect that brought us No. 1 Deansgate – These two striking features of the partnership between MPB Structures
one of Manchester’s most prestigious residential buildings – Ian and DOKA – the working platform and the concrete boom - not only
Simpson Architects has once again used the glazed façade theme to contributed to the time and cost savings of the concrete frame
unveil the 48-storey, mixed-use building housing a 285-bedroom (costing approximately £10 million), but also the safety record of the
Hilton hotel, a further 220 luxury apartments and office overall project. According to Carillion, Beetham Tower Manchester
accommodation. At a cost of around £150 million, Beetham Tower’s attained a record of over 700,000 worker-hours without a reportable
reputation as the tallest building in the UK outside of London is lost-time accident occurring.
indicative of the growth in aspirations of the architect and the city
since No. 1 Deansgate.
“Conventional formwork methods wouldn’t really
Constructing a skyscraper in Britain is challenging, especially given cut it on this project. MPB Structures needed a
the post 9/11 climate. Stringent health and safety requirements were
enforced at all stages of the construction. There was a more system that would ensure rapid progress in all
fundamental reason for the choice of concrete as the structural
material for Beetham Tower, as Sam Wong, structural engineer of
kinds of weather without compromising safety.”
WSP Group, explains, “Concrete was chosen specifically for its
inherent acoustic and fire safety properties.” Skyscrapers have been renowned for their efficient use of land and
Beetham Tower is no exception. The influence of MPB Structures
Safe working from height was an extremely critical factor in Beetham must not be diminished in this respect. Its in-house expertise on
Tower, Manchester. High winds, however, did not make site safety post-tensioning has resulted in the design of thinner slabs, which
any easier, and even occasionally threatened the progress of consequently led to greater utilisation of the space within a given
construction. Still, this gave rise to the opportunity for yet another height. Still, with over 57,500 tonnes of concrete used to form the
first. MPB Structures (Frame Contractor) and DOKA (Formwork tower, Beetham Tower Manchester should be celebrated for its
Specialists) were able to introduce an innovation to the project - the sheer size.
use of DOKA SKE100 automatic climbing system used here for the
first time in the UK. Client: Beetham Organisation
Architect: Ian Simpson Architects
According to DOKA, “Conventional formwork methods wouldn’t
Structural engineer: WSP Group
really cut it on this project. MPB Structures needed a system that
Main contractor: Carillion
would ensure rapid progress in all kinds of weather without compromising
safety.” The SKE100 system proved to be just that: an automatic Frame contractor: MPB Structures
climbing system with trapezoidal windshield and high climbing Formwork specialist: DOKA UK
capacity of 100kN per unit. What is useful in this system is that two Duration of project: 34 months (frame construction: 72 weeks)
additional platform levels could be added on to the main platform,
providing safe and stable working space for the frame contractor to
prepare reinforcement steel and formwork for the upper levels,
whilst carrying out concrete pours at the same time. MPB
Structures also utilised the DOKA SKE100 automatic climbers to
raise a 28.6 tonne concrete placing boom; the 32 metre-long boom
was mounted on a frame in one of the core cells, from where it
swept both cores and the floor slab below.
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Bridgewater Place I Leeds
The landscape of Leeds has been transformed by Bridgewater
Place – a 32-storey mixed-use building containing 200 luxury
apartments spread over 22-storeys, and office space, shops and
restaurants covering a 1.5 acre-site overlooking Granary Wharf.
Commissioned by the joint venture between St James Securities
and Landmark Development Projects, the price tag for
Bridgewater Place is estimated at £140 million and at 110 metres
high, it is the tallest office and residential building in Leeds.
Concrete frame contractor, PC Harrington, was awarded the
contract and Bovis Lend Lease, the main contractor, brought in
staff from Australia who had expertise in tower construction.
However, Yorkshire gales of up to 70 km/h threatened to impede
progress.
The delays were mitigated by both product and process innovation.
In terms of product innovation, the use of a new guided climbing
system (GCS) MF400, provided by DOKA, meant that formwork
and scaffolding remained anchored to the structure, even during
repositioning of the DOKA SKE50 automatic climbing formwork
system. This enabled the project team to reposition each platform
safely and easily in a single lift, often in windy conditions.
The use of DOKA’s Framax stripping corners speeded up the
process in which the concrete shaft was constructed. This was
done by removing the need to dismantle the formwork between
each pour through a spindle mechanism that left a gap of approx
60mm between formwork panels and the poured concrete. This
allowed the entire shaft formwork to be lifted as a single unit.
Another product innovation comes from the mix design.
Collaboration between Hanson’s Premix and Sika resulted in the
formulation of a multi-functional admixture - Sikament® 160 –
which ensured that the workability of the concrete was maintained
to a height of 100 metres above the static permanent pump. This
removed the need for the use of a pump aid.
Client: St James Securities and Landmark Development Projects
Architect: Aedas Architects
Structural engineer: Connell Mott MacDonald
Main contractor: Bovis Lend Lease
Frame contractor: PC Harrington
Formwork specialist: DOKA UK
Duration of project: Construction began in May 2004 and was
topped out in October 2006
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Waverly Court I Edinburgh
Waverly Court, situated next to Edinburgh’s Waverly Station, is
the £80 million home to the administrative centre of Edinburgh
City Council. Waverly Court was delivered to programme and on
budget by Miller Construction, and represents a complementary
contrast to the historic centre of Edinburgh’s World Heritage Site.
Managing the transition from the old to the new is always complex.
Beneath the Old Town area of Edinburgh, where Waverly Court
is located, lie intricate networks of underground vaults that conceal
the city’s historic past. Following demolition of the underground
vaults below the site, the architects, Building Design Partnerships,
chose to replicate them by creating new vaulted ceilings in the
interior design of the offices. Rob McCallum from PJ Carey, the
concrete frame contractor, suggested that it was the versatility
and flexibility of concrete that allowed the project team to
achieve the rustic look of these vaulted ceilings, thereby preserving
a glimpse of the city’s rich past.
Achieving these aesthetic features required some innovative
thinking. Fibreglass moulds fabricated by Production Glassfibre
Ltd were integrated within the design of PERI’s formwork system
to produce curved beams that gave the vaulted-ceiling effect.
Indeed, high quality finishes also featured as top priority elsewhere
on the project. PERI utilised its proprietary VARIO Column
formwork to produce the required blemish-free finish on the
vertical structure.
To add to the difficulty of the project, the design also veered
away from standard shapes. Some column shapes, for example,
were parallelograms, and so the formwork had to be prefabricated
and brought in just-in-time. According to Rob McCallum, “there
was virtually no right angle on the project”. Therefore, conventional
tables were unsuitable. Instead, PERI SKYDECK aluminium panel
slab formwork was used for its versatility, ease of use and speed
of construction.
Had concrete not been chosen as the structural material, such
boldness in the design of the building shape would not have
been possible. Furthermore, the specification of exposed concrete
to the high quality finish adds to the artistry that resulted in the
rustic look of the interiors of a modern-day office building. Of
course, concrete displays other quintessential properties such
as inherent fire resistance, sound insulation and thermal mass
benefits that are necessary in a public sector building of this kind.
Client: Edinburgh City Council
Architect: Building Design Partnerships
Structural engineer: Beattie Watkinson
Main contractor: Miller Construction
Frame contractor: PJ Carey Ltd
Formwork specialist: PERI Ltd
Duration of project: 35 months (frame construction: 12 months)
Festival Park I Glasgow
Situated alongside the River Clyde, Festival Park is a 14-storey
residential tower offering 72 luxurious apartments by housebuilder,
Persimmon Homes. The project is part of a wider river regeneration
programme called Glasgow Harbour Masterplan comprising the
development of more than 600 residential units; of which RMJM,
the architects, were appointed to develop nearly half.
The design of Festival Park itself mirrors the aspirations of
Glasgow Harbour Masterplan. With a ‘stepped-block’ design, the
building appears to provide a stairway to prosperity for the
region. Constructing this stepped-block design required some
level of joined up thinking between the concrete frame contractor
and the formwork contractor. According to Anatol Himowicz from
the frame contractor, Stephenson Ltd, “Achieving the stepped
design posed certain challenges in terms of designing temporary
works.” The solution came from the selection of Ischebeck Titan’s
Climbtrac system, which offered versatility in use as well as time and
cost efficiencies associated with climbing platforms/formwork.
One of the key innovations on this project was the installation of
the balconies. As the balconies were precast, there was a challenge
of preventing cold bridging, whilst ensuring the seamless integration
of the balconies to the concrete frame. This is where the use of
Halfen’s HIT system (insulated balcony connections) came into
play. The HIT system is a reinforced and insulated continuity
product designed to reduce thermal bridging, whilst ensuring the
connection of external concrete balconies and floor slabs.
The Festival Park project has indeed highlighted the possibility
of achieving efficiency in a concrete structure, from the coordination
of its climbing formwork to its assembly of precast concrete balconies
and the design of post-tensioned floor slabs to reduce floor-slab
thickness and enhance the building’s overall utilisation rate.
Aesthetically, the use of concrete has also proved to be invaluable
as one can now see the reflection of the white-rendered concrete
finish and timber façade of Festival Park cast on to the River
Clyde.
Client: Persimmon Homes
Architect: RMJM Architects
Structural engineer: D R Murray
Main contractor: AWG Construction (part of Morrisons Group)
Frame contractor: Stephenson Ltd
Formwork specialist: Ischebeck Titan
Duration of project: 18 months (frame construction: 10 months)
Green Quarter I Manchester
The Green Quarter is the latest development ‘quarter’ to follow
in the footsteps of the hippy Northern Quarter. Situated near
the Manchester Evening News (MEN) arena and Manchester
Victoria Station, the Green Quarter is seeing an investment of over
£130 million from Crosby Homes to turn once squalid slums into
chic apartments among green, landscaped gardens – hence its
name.
Block 4, awarded to Alfred McAlpine, provided 309 luxury
apartments over 21-storeys in Jefferson Place. Designed by local
architects, Leach Rhodes Walker, Block 4 contains the highest
density of apartments per floor of any residential building in
Manchester – a total of 32 apartments. Sound insulation and fire
protection are, therefore, two key performance criteria that
have led to the choice of concrete as the structural material for
the frame construction. “Indeed, in the current climate of rising
steel prices, concrete presented an attractive option, especially
given its ability to achieve Part L compliance,” remarked Anatol
Himowicz, from concrete frame contractor Stephenson Ltd.
To achieve the time efficiencies and cost effectiveness from
concrete frames, early involvement of the contractor was
beneficial. Right from the outset of the bidding procedure,
Stephenson was involved in the design processes. Through
value engineering, Stephenson successfully incorporated its
expertise in post-tensioning into the design of the concrete
frame to minimise slab thickness and used 60N/mm2 concrete
for vertical sections to raise the utilisation of the available internal
space. This translated into immense cost savings.
Client: Alfred McAlpine/Crosby Homes
Architect: Leach Rhodes Walker
Structural engineer: Capita Symonds
Main contractor: Alfred McAlpine
Frame contractor: Stephenson Ltd
Formwork specialist: DOKA UK/Ischebeck Titan
Duration of project: 62 weeks (frame construction: 10 months)
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Highbury Square I London
Highbury Square, due for completion in June 2009, will see the
retention of the façade of the old spectator stands of the former
Arsenal FC stadium. There will be an on-site health club and 720
luxury apartments over a maximum of 6-storeys, including key
worker accommodation. Located within a stone’s throw from Arsenal
underground station, the client, Highbury Holdings Limited, together
with Islington Council, has attempted to encourage the use of public
transportation of future residents by limiting the availability of car
parking spaces to a single floor in the basement. A landscaped
quadrangle will form the centrepiece of what used to be the football
pitch. When completed, there will be 32 staircases and lift cores,
3,200 columns and in excess of 45,000m3 of concrete used.
“Concrete offers the kind of flexibility and aesthetics
that can cope with an evolving design, an aspect
that is unrivalled by structural steel due to the
long lead times involved in procuring steel.”
Bob Elliott, project manager, Byrne Brothers (Formwork) Ltd
The density of the existing residential area in Highbury posed
immense challenges for this large-scale conversion project costing
approximately £240 million; £30 million for the frame. Not only
must the site work to limited hours, but the site gates also had to
close for a couple of hours each day to ensure the safety of pupils
from the local schools. To overcome potential concrete supply problems
caused by local traffic congestion Byrne Brothers Limited erected a
batching plant on site. This solution, coupled with the need for
speedy construction, means that the decision to go for concrete as
the material for the structural frame is an obvious one.
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Eighteen out of the thirty-two cores will be constructed using traditional
formwork provided by Byrne Brothers (Formwork) Limited, and the
remaining cores will be constructed using slip-form. The decision to use
a mixture of formwork systems is down to measured pragmatism.
According to Caroline Hall, the project planner, “There is a lead-in
time for setting up the slip-form system. To benefit from the efficiencies
of slip-form, therefore, requires greater economies of scale. Slip-form
is, therefore, employed on the 14 taller cores, whereas Byrne
Brothers (Formwork) Limited can construct the shorter cores much
quicker traditionally.”
Process innovation features highly on this project. In order to speed
up the construction process further, columns were prefabricated
off-site and the reinforcement used was Rollmat™, a one directional
rebar mat produced on circular formers supplied in roll format in
maximum roll weights up to five tonnes. This greatly reduces the
labour requirements on a confined site.
Bob Elliott, project manager for Byrne Brothers (Formwork) Limited,
suggested that concrete makes a perfect choice for a residential
building because of its inherent sound insulation properties and its
ability to gain compliance to Part L regulations. Furthermore, given
the iterative nature of building design, “Concrete offers the kind of
flexibility and aesthetics that can cope with an evolving design, an
aspect that is unrivalled by structural steel due to the long lead
times involved in procuring steel.” With such thought put into the
project planning, Highbury Square will undoubtedly be a success
once completed.
Client: Highbury Holdings Limited
Architect: Denning Male Polisano Limited
Structural engineer: Buro Happold
Main contractor: Sir Robert McAlpine Limited
Frame contractor: Byrne Brothers Limited
Formwork specialist: Byrne Brothers (Formwork) Limited
Duration of project: 35 months (frame construction: 14 months)
One Coleman Street I London
One Coleman Street, a 17,000m2 office
building, is a new landmark in London
that stands out from the rest due to its
unusual choice of exterior finish. The
designers of this 9-storey office building
have opted for a beautifully polished
concrete façade that sets it apart from
the usual glass exteriors. This method of
using a polished prefabricated concrete
façade has not only achieved a very attractive appearance, but has
also met the now stricter standards of Part L of the Building
Regulations.
Polished concrete is now being recognised as the new marble. The
finish that can be achieved is beautiful, giving clean, crisp lines. To
support this, it is now being used in many situations such as the
kitchen worktop, where marble once ruled as the ultimate choice. So
why not use it for a building? We know it to be hard-wearing and it
has been around long enough that we can be certain of its performance.
Being precast has not confined the designers to use repeated
shapes; in fact no single unit has been repeated more than six times
across the whole façade.
The façade units were installed by a specialist sub-contractor, PCE Ltd,
who finished four weeks ahead of schedule. The units were cast by
Decomo. The accuracy of the off-site prefabrication meant that the
installation process flowed smoothly.
There are several sustainable attributes to the concrete used on
One Coleman Street, such as the secondary coarse aggregate of
waste granite rock material produced as a by-product of the china clay
industry and the secondary cementitious material, fly ash, that was
incorporated in the concrete mix. These two features reduced the
amount of virgin (primary) material used in the construction process.
The use of a range of recycled and secondary materials is now enabled
by British Standards (BS 8500-2:2006).
Using the prefabricated units for cladding has sustainable attributes
besides its insulation properties. The material itself is hard-wearing
and durable even in the polluted city centre setting and its polished
surface should ensure the requirements for cleaning are reduced.
In order to make the best use of the technical knowledge held by the
Decomo team, they were employed early on in the process through a
technical tender to offer buildable solutions that suited the architect’s
proposals.
One Coleman Street has not only used concrete as its material of
choice for the façade, but has also employed up-to-date concrete
construction methods internally. It has a concrete core that was
constructed using twin wall techniques. This is where precast units
are used as permanent wall formwork, which, in this case, was filled
with self-compacting concrete. This method of construction allowed
speedy erection and the design has achieved an efficient net to
gross space ratio of 89%.
This building, which is now the new headquarters for Legal &
General, has certainly claimed its place amongst the landmarks of
London. A beautiful stand-alone building that has unusual lines has
certainly made an impact on the space it occupies.
Client: DIFA (Deutsche Immobilien Fonds AG)
Developer: Stanhope
Architect: Swanke Hayden Connell Architects, in association with
David Walker Architects
Structural engineers: Arup
Construction manager: Bovis Lend Lease
Concrete frame contractor: John Doyle Contractors Ltd
Precast façade units: Decomo
Project duration: 2 years from start of demolition of existing building
(frame construction: 33 weeks)
Project cost: £40 million (frame cost: £3.9m)
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Royal Victoria Infirmary I Newcastle
Designed by Anshen Allen Architects, the Royal Victoria Infirmary
(RVI) project was one of the earliest schemes to be reviewed by
CABE in July 2002. Emphasis was placed on the patient journey,
with the design taking into account such issues as way-finding and
circulation space. The central atrium is 6-storeys high and around 100
metres long, making it one of the largest internal spaces in Newcastle.
On average, the floor-to-ceiling height of 4.2 metres allowed for
both the creation of larger internal spaces and the necessary deep
services zone. The reason for choosing concrete as the structural
material was partly due to the minimum slab thickness that is possible:
use of post-tensioning in the design means that it is possible to
achieve a slab thickness of 230mm. Post-tensioning also brings
about the additional benefit of attaining 10,000m2 of flat soffits,
which in turn contributes to the ease of installing services. The concrete
frame contractor, Expanded Structures Limited, indicated where the
post-tension cables were embedded within the slabs by marking the
runs with white paint in anticipation of future client modifications.
“With concrete it has inherent sound
insulation and fire protection properties ”
Joe Thompson, project manager, Expanded Structures Limited
On the RVI project, the frame contractor realised a reinforcement
requirement of approximately 16kg/m2, equating to about 10% of
conventional reinforcement requirement. Post-tensioning expert,
Strongforce, designed cruciform shear heads where the slabs met
the columns to address the problem of punching shear. Conventionally,
this would involve installing large numbers of shear links with T25
reinforcement in the top and bottom mats. The cruciform shear
head is a welded steel crucifix which considerably reduces the
labour intensiveness and complexity of fixing traditional shear links.
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A decision was made by Expanded Structures
Limited to precast the concrete columns
off-site and connect using a pin-joint, thereby
allowing for future alterations when needed.
The use of precast concrete columns also
removed the need for having starter bars
and the formation of kickers, thus saving
construction time.
Speed of construction is extremely important. The team, therefore,
used C50 concrete to achieve the required early strength to permit
strike up of formwork. The slab surface tolerance was relaxed to
± 10mm to facilitate faster turnaround times. The project team mitigated
this by mapping out the levels using the Enforce contour mapping
software to determine screed requirement to ensure finish floor
tolerances complied with the specification.
When asked about the preferred choice of structural material, Joe
Thompson, project manager of Expanded Structures Limited, remarked,
“Concrete… everytime!” Joe is passionate about the versatility of
concrete and the fact that the coordination of concrete frame
construction is relatively more straightforward than steel frames. “I
get frustrated with having to consider intumescent coating for steel
frames. Do you get it pre-sprayed and delivered on-site, risking damage
during assembly, or do you spray on-site and deal with the mess?
With concrete, it has inherent sound insulation and fire protection
properties anyway.”
Client: Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Architect: Anshen Allen Architects
Structural engineer: WSP Group
Main contractor: Laing O’Rourke Limited
Frame contractor: Expanded Structures Limited
Formwork specialist: PERI Limited UK and SGB Formwork Limited
Duration of project: Frame construction from January 2006 to
February 2007 (Adult’s ward), November 2007 (Children’s ward)
Spectrum I Manchester
The developers of Spectrum, Dandara Ltd, provided the construction
of a residential, retail and office space in the centre of Manchester
and describe its development as, “A unique city retreat of stylish,
contemporary, studio and one and two-bedroom apartments located
in a place that combines urban living with the tranquillity of landscaped
gardens”.
Stylishness, in this case, is achieved by using the natural finish of
high quality concrete to the columns for the main blocks, which
were cast in situ. High quality concrete finishes have been achieved
for many years with the use of hard faced formwork, and, in this case,
special DOKA formwork was used in conjunction with self-compacting
concrete to achieve the quality required by the client. Self-compacting
concrete, although more expensive than conventional concrete,
has the advantage of being able to flow into complex shapes
without requiring mechanical compaction whilst creating acceptable
fair-faced finishes.
The use of self-compacting concrete had further advantages in that
the rate at which strength development is achieved is significantly
faster than conventional concrete. This provided the contractor with
the ability to strip formwork earlier and move the construction process
on quickly, thus reducing the overall planned programme.
The development is 13-storeys high and, with the use of post-
tensioned floor slabs, the overall thickness of the floor slab and
hence building height was minimised when compared with normal
reinforced concrete or other structural materials. This design concept
had benefits for the contractor in that less material had to be
transported through a busy city centre, reducing risk to both on-site
employees and the public passing the site. The sustainability credentials
were evident in the choice of the construction technique by reducing
the overall amount of materials used in the frame, floors and cladding.
This led to a reduced load needing to be transmitted to the ground
for the foundation design. In addition to the sustainability aspects
of a concrete frame, the design also provided inherent fire protection,
and the developer did not need to provide fire protection that would
be durable in the event of impact.
Situated just 450 yards from Harvey Nichols and Selfridges, Spectrum
is the ideal location for those who wish to live, work and play in the
heart of one of the UK’s most vibrant cities. However, the construction
of residential, retail and office space in the centre of Manchester
provided the contractor and designer with specific problems due to
transportation and storage, given the nature and restrictions of a
city centre site.
A combination of high quality in-situ concrete was complemented
with the use of similarly finished precast concrete balconies using
concrete as a self-finished product. Precast concrete twin wall panels
were used for the shear walls, complete with reinforcement, which
had the advantage of off-site manufacture and this equated to quality
with minimal disruption to traffic surrounding the city centre site.
The frame contractor was John Doyle Contractors Ltd and its
sub-contractors involved in the design process were Mathew
Consultants, who designed the post-tensioned floor slabs, Thorp
Precast supplied the precast balconies. J & P Building Products
were responsible for the brickwork supports and DOKA provided the
specialist formwork. Integrated team work, as seen above, ensured
best value for the client and the environment, the best current
technical solutions, right-first-time solutions, higher quality and
reduced risk for the main contractor. A well thought out design that
offers these characteristics provides a satisfactory outcome for all
parties concerned in the process.
Finally, the use of concrete will prove to be of benefit in terms of life
cycle costs. Concrete has inherent thermal mass properties that will
provide lower operating costs and a better environment for the
occupants as global temperatures rise.
Client: Dandara Group
Architect: OMI Architects
Structural engineer: SKM Anthony Hunts
Main contractor: Dandara
Concrete frame contractor: John Doyle Contractors Ltd
Frame cost: £6.75 million
Frame duration: 54 weeks
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Specialist concrete contractors I Full Members

Addington (Formwork) Ltd P J Carey (Contractors) Ltd Expanded Stuctures Ltd

Kiln Lane Carey House Bridge Place
Easthamsptead Road Great Central Way Anchor Boulevard
Bracknell Wembley, Middlesex HA9 0HR Admirals Park
Berkshire RG12 1NA Dartford, Kent DA2 6SN
Tel: 020 8900 0221
Tel: 01344 304466
Fax: 020 8903 9987 Tel: 01322 296844
Fax: 01344 304926
Website: www.careysplc.co.uk Fax: 01322 296262
Website: www.addingtonformworks.co.uk
Website: www.laingorourke.com

Coinford Ltd Michael J Gallagher Contractors Ltd

Anderson Structures Ltd Redeham Hall Jackson’s Corner
Springfield Lodge 137 Redehall Road Puttenham Heath Road
Colchester Road
Burstow Compton
Springfield
Surrey RH6 9RJ Nr Guildford, Surrey GU3 1DU
Chelmsford, Essex CM2 5PW

Tel: 01245 399999 Tel: 01342 840800 Tel: 01483 810449

Fax: 01245 399900 Fax: 01342 841600 Fax: 01483 811268
Website: www.andconst.co.uk Website: www.coinford.co.uk Website: www.michaeljgallagher.co.uk

What is CONSTRUCT? CONSTRUCT has established a UK network of full-sized reference

panels which provide a visual benchmark for structural concrete
CONSTRUCT is an association of member companies dedicated
finishes. The panels provide a true representation of site formed
to the task of improving the construction efficiency of in-situ
finishes rather than laboratory simulations. Such a benchmark
concrete frames and associated structures.
allows constructive discussion between architects, clients and
contractors on the required standard of finish for each project.
Background to CONSTRUCT
CONSTRUCT Concrete Structures Group was formed in 1993 to Publications Duffy Construction Getjar Ltd
Buildstone Ltd
focus on matters that affect the design and buildability of Duffy House Masterson House
The National Structural Concrete Specification for Building 93 Ealing Park Gardens
concrete structures. The membership consists mainly of specialist The Old Coal Yard 30-31 Mark Road
Construction has been developed by CONSTRUCT. Edition 3 was Ealing
contractors and is supported by associated market leaders, Kew Bridge North, Lionel Road, Hemel Hempstead
published in 2004 and is currently being updated as a Euro London W5 4ET
especially from the concrete, formwork and reinforcement Brentford, Middlesex TW8 9QR Hertfordshire HP2 7BW
Edition to be published in late 2008. The document is designed
industries. CONSTRUCT thus provides an interface for all sectors Tel: 020 8569 9263
to achieve increased efficiency through a definitive, simple and
of the concrete structures market. It offers the opportunity for Fax: 020 8568 8815 Tel: 020 8995 4382 Tel: 01442 404260
straightforward approach to specification. This has benefited
pan-industry discussion on all topics that have an effect on the Fax: 020 8742 1960 Fax: 01442 404261
both designers and specialist contractors and has allowed more
design and construction of concrete frames and structures. It is Website: www.duffy.co.uk Website: www.getjar.co.uk
freedom to innovate.
now widely acknowledged as a professional and proactive
association able to identify key issues and to act constructively
A full list of publications is available on the CONSTRUCT website
and positively on behalf of the concrete industry.
(www.construct.org.uk). The latest series of guides has focused
on health and safety issues including the safe erection and
How does CONSTRUCT work?
dismantling of falsework and formwork.
The association is managed by a Council consisting of an elected Dunne Building and Civil Engineering Ltd John Cooper Construction Ltd
Byrne Bros (Formwork) Ltd
Chairman, an Executive Secretary and representatives of each Quality Inchmuir Road Cooper House
13-15 White Hart Lane
category of membership. There are several active dedicated Whitehill Industrial Estate 25 Belmont Circle
To ensure quality construction, CONSTRUCT has played an Barnes
task groups, such as health and safety, made up of members London SW13 0PX Bathgate Kenton Lane
instrumental role in establishing SpeCC. This is an independent
and selected specialists to study specific subjects and provide West Lothian EH48 2EW Harrow, Middlesex HA3 8RF
registration scheme that incorporates annual audits of both
industry-wide solutions. It also sponsors seminars and workshops Tel: 020 8878 9161
office and site practice covering health and safety; environment;
to disseminate information gained or to encourage discussion on Fax: 020 8878 3848 Tel: 01506 657777 Tel: 020 8907 8908
technical capability and deliverability; financial gearing; quality Fax: 01506 657770 Fax: 020 8907 8903
relevant issues. It creates a range of publications that cover Website: www.byrne-bros.co.uk
and training. It is a requirement for CONSTRUCT’s full members Website: www.dunne-group.com Website: www.johncooperconstruction.co.uk
best practice and provide practical, hands on guidance for site
to be registered with SpeCC.
practitioners and designers. CONSTRUCT sponsors its own award
for innovation and best practice.

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Specialist concrete contractors I Full Members Specialist concrete contractors I Associate Members

John Doyle Construction Ltd C J O'Shea & Co Ltd Whelan and Grant Adenstar (Reinforced Concrete) Ltd Lancsville Northfield Construction Ltd
John Doyle House Granard Business Centre 4 Thames Street New Sussex House 103-105 Greenford Road Northfield House
Little Burrow Bunns Lane Walton on Thames Fishersgate Terrace Sudbury Tilford Road
Welwyn Garden City Mill Hill Surrey KT12 2PU Portslade Harrow, Middlesex HA1 3QP Newstead Village
Hertfordshire AL7 4SP London NW7 2DZ West Sussex BN41 1PH Nottinghamshire NG15 0DS
Tel: 01932 253545 Tel: 020 8422 5558
Tel: 01273 439203
Tel: 01707 329481 Tel: 020 8959 3600 Fax: 01932 253650 Fax: 020 8422 7440 Tel: 01623 886950
Fax: 01273 439205
Fax: 01707 364594 Fax: 020 8959 0184 Website: www.whelanandgrant.com Website: www.lancsville.co.uk Fax: 01623 886960
Website: www.adenstar-group.co.uk
Website: www.john-doyle.co.uk Website: www.cjoshea.co.uk Website: www.northfield.uk.com

Mitchellson Formwork & Civil P C Harrington Contractors Ltd Biggins & Gallagher Ltd Leander Construction Ltd J Reddington Ltd
Engineering Ltd 19 Witley Gardens Unit 4 Ashtead House 4 Elstree Way
Bellman Court Business Park 8 Borehamwood
Mitchellson House Southall
Great Knolly’s Street Barnett Wood Lane Hertfordshire WD6 1RN
Stanwell Road Middlesex UB2 4ES
Reading RG1 7HN Leatherhead, Surrey KT22 7DG
Horton, Slough SL3 9PF
Tel: 020 8574 5431 Tel: 020 8953 7800
Tel: 01753 684508 Fax: 020 8571 7218 Tel: 0118 950 7713 Tel: 01372 379100 Fax: 020 8953 7774
Fax: 01753 682130 Website: www.pcharrington.com Fax: 0118 950 3460 Fax: 01372 383486 Website: www. jreddington.ltd.uk
Website: www.leandergroup.co.uk
Website: www.mitchellson.co.uk

GCL McDermott Bros Contractors Ltd Tamdown Ltd

A J Morrisroe & Sons Ltd Stephenson Ltd Ground House McDermott House 1 Tamdown Way
Unit 4 Oakwood House Graham Close Cody Road Business Centre Braintree
Oaks Court Guildford Road St Albans South Crescent Essex CM7 2QL
Warwick Road Bucks Green Herts AL1 2QX London E16 4TL
Borehamwood, Hertfordshire WD6 1GS Horsham Tel: 01376 320856
West Sussex RH12 3JJ Tel: 01727 851851 Tel: 020 7511 6677 Fax: 01376 329972
Tel: 020 8731 4000 Fax: 01727 797550 Fax: 020 7511 1114 Website: www.tamdown.com
Fax: 020 8731 4001 Tel: 01403 824960 Website: www.groundconstruction.com Website: www.mcdermott-bros.co.uk
Website: www.morrisroe.co.uk Fax: 01403 824961
Website: www.stephenson-ssc.co.uk

O’Donnell Developments Ltd UKR Limited JJ Cafferkey & Co Ltd MPB Structures Ltd Togher Construction Ltd
O’Donnell House Ryder Close 61 Hertford Road 14 Crucible Road Unit 7, Knuway House
Riverside Drive Appleby Glade Industrial Estate Enfield Corby Cranborne Road
Stechford Swadlincote Middlesex EN3 5JD Northamptonshire NN17 5TS Potters Bar
Birmingham B33 9BF Derbyshire DE11 9EU Hertfordshire EN6 3JN
Tel: 020 8804 1965 Tel: 01536 264100
Tel: 0121 783 2200 Tel: 01283 554880 Fax: 020 8443 4672 Fax: 01536 264102 Tel: 01707 240016
Fax: 0121 783 2240 Fax: 01283 554881 Website: www.mpb.co.uk Fax: 01707 645841
Website: www.odonnelldevelopments.com Website: www.ukrltd.co.uk Website: www.tclonline.co.uk

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CONSTRUCT The Concrete Centre

Riverside House Riverside House
4 Meadows Business Park 4 Meadows Business Park
Station Approach Station Approach
Blackwater Blackwater
Camberley Camberley
Surrey GU17 9AB Surrey, GU17 9AB

Tel: 01276 38444 Tel: 01276 606800

www.construct.org.uk www.concretecentre.com