Commercial
The building forms
an important part
of a new canalside
development
NSC 19
July/Aug 18
explains Arup Engineer Steve Peet.
“There are longitudinal forces generated
and these are taken back to the cores, but
generally the less steep elements are all
non-structural, acting as bracing while the
steel is being erected.”
A series of Fabsec cellular beams
connects the exterior skeleton frame to the
three centrally-positioned concrete cores.
As the building splays outwards on
plan, the eastern end of the structure has
column-free spans of 6m, but this increases
substantially to 18m-long clear spans, either
side of the core at the western end.
“Because the steelwork is left exposed as
a feature element, the cellular beams have
bespoke ‘wishbone’ connections to the core
and exoskeleton,” says Severfield Senior
Project Manager Andy Luter.
‘They taper down from 650mm-deep
sections to 350mm in order to minimise the
penetration through the cladding as well as
providing aesthetically pleasing steelwork.”
Architectural flourishes of bright
orange are a feature adorning a number
of areas within the building. The eastern
elevation of the structure features orangepainted
steel columns for the lower floors,
highlighting the main entrance, while
the ‘wishbone’ connections have all been 20
The skeleton’s nodes
have up to seven beam
connections
Orange steelwork
highlights the main
entrance
/Concept_design#Concrete_or_steel_cores
/Service_integration#Composite_beams_with_web_openings
/Facades_and_interfaces
/Paint_coatings