The Shard
Info
Client
Byrne Bros
Location
London Bridge, London
Project Year
2010 - 2013
Price
£250 Million
OverView
At 310m high, the Shard is the tallest building in the United Kingdom. It is an iconic building located next to the London Bridge station. The Shard is a mixed use development, spread over the 72 floors, including a luxury hotel, commerical offices, public viewing decks and private apartments.
Challenge
The height of the Shard was the main difficulty. Having to pump concrete from the base to the high level floors required a series of pumps and immense pressure. The other complexity was the top down construction of the basement, so whilst the tower was built, the basement was also being constructed. From a RC detailing perpectively the basement was the more difficult area with complex layering of reinforcement. Another difficult element was the concrete core, the back bone of the buildng, this required complex slipform RC detailing for the entire height.
Solution
Working with the client, Byrne Bros, we were able to discuss the best solutions for delivery of the the RC Details. Understanding what would work best with their proposed construction sequences and programmes. Our detailing teams split, enabling us to produce RC Detailed drawings for both the superstructure and the substructure at the same time, as both areas where built similateously. The Shard is definitely one of our stand out projects, and it will be an icon for many years to come.