One Centenary Way is the first building to be constructed in Phase Two of the Paradise development. The project comprises a 16 storey commercial building, providing office and retail accommodation and public realm works connecting the site to Phase One of the Paradise development.
Ramboll is appointed to provide multi-disciplinary engineering and environmental consultancy services to Sir Robert McAlpine, and is responsible for completing the detailed design of this iconic building, allowing the development potential of a highly constrained site to be unlocked.
Constrained Site
The majority of the building footprint is located directly above the A38 dual carriageway tunnel; a key transport artery through the city. In addition, the site overlays a major services tunnel. This, along with the proximity of the adjacent above ground highway results in an unusually challenging site for a development in Birmingham.
Being situated directly above two major tunnels, all sixteen floors of the building are supported on storey-deep steel trusses. These span up to 35m over the tunnels below and allows the tunnels below to remain fully operational throughout the construction works and the life of the building. The steel frame structure is fundamental to realising the development potential of the site and is architecturally celebrated in the form of vierendeel exoskeleton frames, which provide lateral and vertical support to the building. Ramboll’s engineers have pushed the boundaries of steel frame design, working closely with architects, steel fabricators and the main contractor to achieve a buildable structural solution that respects the highest aesthetic aspirations for the building.
Complex Foundation Solutions
Ramboll designed the complex piled substructures for the building to transfer the structural loads safely into the ground whilst avoiding any overloading of the tunnels. Sophisticated geotechnical modelling was utilised to demonstrate to the asset owners that the new development would not negatively influence the existing tunnel structures as required by the rigorous approvals process. Ramboll’s survey team was utilised to produce a 3D laser scan of the tunnels to allow their positions to be accurately recorded and provide a full 3-D photographic record of the condition of their condition. Continuous tunnel monitoring throughout the works ensures that tunnel movements were always within acceptable limits.
Multi-Disciplinary Team
Ramboll’s fully integrated design team provided a suite of engineering and consultancy services for the project, including façade engineering, Vertical Transportation, Façade Access, Acoustics, Wind Engineering and Contaminated Land advice.
