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Mace selected GKR to provide scaffolding and access solutions from demolition to renovation stages.
The scope of the whole project included significant ‘cut and carve’ work by removing the roof and installing 2 new floors.
The internal structure needed reconfiguring including the central atrium and mezzanine that raised from the 9th floor, and also creating a basement and installing 6 new lift shafts.
Scaffolding works included:
• Full access scaffold to all external elevations and a demolition scaffold from level 6 to level 8 to enable the demolition contractor to demolish the roof and 8th floor.
• GKR designed and installed the demolition scaffold set out on level 2. This required complex planning to take into account the main logistics route in and out of the building for plant and vehicles.
• The atrium demolition support scaffolds were also set out on level 2. The atrium was spanned by a mass of beams to create a double boarded protection deck. This enabled the basement works to progress below whilst the demolition continued above.
• Design of these support scaffolds and use of beams took into account the need to spread load weights over a large area due to minimal floor loading capacity.
• Scaffolding of the roof and terrace areas required us to lift 80 tonnes of scaffold to the top of the building over 4 days.
• All works were planned around protection of the building’s retained original features.
The Art Déco building continues to be a recognisable icon on New Oxford Street.
This project stretched both design and technical access capabilities to take the building from part demolition to refurbishment.
Programme requirements meant the scaffolding throughout the building needed to serve the needs of multiple trades at the same time. Genuine collaborative planning made this possible from the on site team working with each trade to ensure that access needs were met at the right time.
Safety and protection of the integrity of the building were achieved allowing demolition and structural work to continue to fully renovate and refurbish to meet modern commercial needs.
