Tucked behind Fenchurch
Street railway station in the
City of London, a new student
accommodation-led mixed-use
scheme is quickly taking shape, thanks to the
support and spanning qualities of structural
steelwork.
The project consists of four towers,
three of which are concrete-framed and
reach heights of between 14-storeys and
12-storeys, while a fourth is a steel-framed
six-storey structure (see box).
The latest scheme from Urbanest,
a developer and operator of student
accommodation, the project will provide 654
student beds, alongside 5,500m2 of Grade-A
offices and space for start-up businesses.
Urbanest describes the project as its most
ambitious scheme to date and all of the beds
are to be offered exclusively to students from
King’s College London, through a long-term
nominations agreement.
Another aspect of the scheme will be
the inclusion of a three-storey museum
that will exhibit some previously concealed
remains of a bastion tower and part of the
4th century wall that once encircled Roman
London.
These archaeological remains, which
are set to be made readily accessible to the
public, were the main driver for the design
of a large steel structure as Robert Bird
Group Engineer Liam Guntrip explains. “In
order to span 17.5m over the wall, create
sufficient internal space for the museum
and other facilities, while also supporting an
Residential
History lesson
The need to preserve and exhibit Roman remains has dictated
the design and configuration of a steel transfer structure that
supports a new student accommodation block in London.
18 NSC
Nov/Dec 19
FACT FILE
Vine Street student accommodation,
London
Main client: Urbanest
Architect: APT
Main contractor: Balfour Beatty
Structural engineer:
Robert Bird Group
Steelwork contractor: Bourne Steel
Steel tonnage: 750t
Two cores provide the
stability and access
to the residential
apartments above
The steel structure
measures 50m long x
20m wide
/Residential_and_mixed-use_buildings#Student_residences
/Residential_and_mixed-use_buildings#Student_residences
/Braced_frames
/Design