Impact
- 30% gross area increase
- 41% net area increase
By lifting the floors, we're keeping and reusing steel already in the building.
Structural embodied carbon figures (A1-A5) of 89kgCO2/m2
For context, the 'Business as usual' low-carbon approach of new steel and timber hybrid was nearer to 150kgCO2/m2 for the same area gains.
Can't go up, can't go down
The brief called for maximising the potential of the existing building whilst minimising the environmental impacts of the works.
But we were on an island:
- We are next to St Pauls Cathedral, so we can't build up.
- Tunnels and ancient archaeological structures sit below, so we can't build down.
- A bank, public access and roads to the sides, so we can't build out.
Why don't we just lift the floors?
But these constraints helped us to think inside the box.
It helped us get to the wild card: jacking up existing floors up to create room for a new floor. This successfully came to fruition back in July 2024 with the first floor safely lifted and reattached.
Thanks to early collaboration and open minds, the project is looking to achieve:
- 30% gross area increase
- 41% net area increase
- 80% existing steel reused
- Structural embodied carbon figures (A1-A5) of 89kgCO2/m2. For context, the 'Business as usual' low-carbon approach of new steel and timber hybrid was nearer to 150kgCO2/m2 for the same area gains.
Lifting floors
