Two wins at 2023 Building Awards

Completed in 2022, the project transformed a derelict two-storey basement and unloved quadrangle between the Grade I-listed Somerset House and King's Building into a new home for the growing Department of Engineering. The retrofit resulted in vibrant new facilities for the department's diverse teaching, learning, and research activities, as well as a social hub for the central London campus.
By choosing retrofit over demolition and rebuild, the completed design significantly reduced the amount of structural embodied carbon compared to calculations associated with new construction. The benefits of retaining the existing structure on an operational urban campus go beyond sustainability. Less demolition also means reduced air contamination, vehicle congestion, and campus disruption.
Our engineering approach focused on detailed building analysis, which demonstrated that the existing structure had more than enough capacity for the proposed use and could be preserved and adapted for its new life.

The Dockley Apartments feature an undulating façade and staggered balconies that create a sense of privacy for the new residents. To accommodate the irregular shape of the façade, our engineers used a hybrid concrete frame with a lightweight steel frame.
For ground support, our engineers employed Controlled Modulus Columns as an alternative to piling, resulting in soil strengthening. This technique provided a stable ground capable of supporting a raft, avoiding the significant disturbance to surrounding sensitive public assets and structures caused by traditional piling methods.