Milestone reached on east London’s Rowe project

BAM has topped out at the Rowe in Whitechapel, a new 12-storey project that includes a retained 1960s façade.

Originally built as a textile factory, and more recently used as the Cass School of Art and Architecture for London Metropolitan University, the Rowe is a well-known east London building located at the junction of Whitechapel High Street and Commercial Road.

As reported in New Steel Construction (March 2022), the project consists of five concrete floors behind the retained façade, while the upper seven storeys have been formed with a lighter steel-framed solution.

Commenting on the topping out, BAM Construction Manager Rob Biddle said: “This has been a challenging project. But it’s been great to be able to share our progress with the client, and everyone who’s working on this ambitious build.”

With a floor area of 22,579m², the sustainable commercial scheme is targeting Well Gold in addition to a BREEAM “Excellent” rating.

BAM said, the Rowe will run on 100 percent renewable electricity, providing a 45 percent carbon emission reduction compared to a standard office building.

Elland Steel Structures has fabricated, supplied and erected 850t of structural steelwork for the project.