Completed last year,
100 Bishopsgate is
already a landmark
City structure 17
16 NSC
Apr 20
Jun Commercial
success stories
A steel-framed solution is the tried and tested
method for creating high-rise and cost-effective
commercial schemes throughout the UK.
London has traditionally seen the
most activity in the construction
of high-rise commercial projects.
Over the last couple of years one
of the most prestigious jobs to complete
is 100 Bishopsgate, a 40-storey tower that
incorporates a distinctive structural design.
This stand-out City of London tower
transforms from a parallelogram at its base
to a rectangle at the top, accommodating
just over 83,900m2 of open-plan floor space
within its main tower and a contiguous sixstorey
podium.
William Hare erected 15,000t of
steelwork for this project, a total which
included a number of inclined columns that
form the structure’s sloping parallelogram
façades that stretch from ground floor up
to level 24.
The project team strove to achieve a highlevel
of excellence during the construction
programme and this was recognised
when Multiplex won a Silver Considerate
Constructors Scheme 2016 National Site
Award.
In addition, the Project was awarded the
City of London Corporation’s Chairman’s
Cup for most Considerate Contractor in
the City of London. The 100 Bishopsgate
job was said to have shown the highest
levels of consideration towards the public,
its workforce and the environment through
adhering to the Scheme’s five-point Code of
Considerate Practice.
Also in the square mile and only a stone’s
throw away, 52 Lime Street (also dubbed the
Scalpel) has also recently completed.
A total of 10,500t of steel was erected by
William Hare for this eye-catching scheme.
Setting it apart from its neighbours, the
Scalpel features an inclined northern façade,
which has a diagonal fold line running
from top to bottom giving the building its
distinctive look and name.
Unlike many commercial buildings, the
Scalpel’s main core is offset and positioned
along the south elevation, which provides
shade from solar gain. In this way, the
structure’s available floor space has been
maximised and internal spans of up to 20m
have been achieved.
Commenting on the decision to use
a steel framing solution Skanska Project
Director Ian Perry says: “Using steelwork
is an efficient option for this type of
construction project as buildability and
speed of construction are vital on a city
centre job.”
Sector Focus
Manchester’s booming
commercial sector
Second only to London, the Manchester
commercial sector has been
experiencing strong levels of demand.
To satisfy this requirement, a number of city
centre steel-framed office schemes have
either been completed or are due to be
finished in the coming months.
Two examples are the Landmark in St
Peter’s Square and the twin Embankment
development in Salford.
Billington Structures erected 1,800t of
steel to complete the 14-storey Landmark
building, which offers 16,700m2 of BREEAM
‘Excellent’ office space.
Column-free space is a prime
requirement in commercial buildings, and
the Landmark satisfies this by only having
one internal column, and having clear spans
of up to 17.6m.
Positioned on a podium that once
supported Exchange Station, which closed
down in 1969, 100 and 101 Embankment are
twin nine-storey and 10-storey commercial
buildings serving the regenerated area
where the cities of Manchester and Salford
meet.
Commenting on the scheme, Salford City
Mayor, Paul Dennett said: “These buildings
are a physical demonstration of the
commercial development and investment
in Salford.
“This iconic pair of buildings will provide
a new corporate centre bringing more jobs
and revenue to the local economy.”
Elland Steel Structures erected the steel
for both buildings.
Landmark St Peter's
Square offers highquality
office space
in the centre of
Manchester
/Multi-storey_office_buildings
/100_Bishopsgate,_London
/Design
/Facades_and_interfaces
/52_Lime_Street,_London
/Use_of_steel_in_cladding_systems#Solar_shading
/Multi-storey_office_buildings#Speed_of_construction
/Braced_frames
/Landmark_in_St_Peter's_Square,_Manchester
/Landmark_in_St_Peter's_Square,_Manchester
/The_Embankment,_Salford