The Challenge:
A screen of vertical fins and perforated panels wrap the building, evoking the industrial gas holders that once stood on the site. Design, management and construction of this complex, bespoke façade was a challenge.
The complex façade and the range of end users on the compact and unusual site footprint required constant and ongoing innovation and adaptability throughout the build.
One of the initial challenges on The Aperture project was the crane tower, which was intended to be located to the south of the building. However, it was found that erecting the crane tower towards the south of the project was not possible.
There was the risk of the crane clashing with the radius of an adjacent construction site. This alongside an additional risk of a very large obstruction below ground at the Northern end of the site, prevented piling in the single storey area.
The Solution:
A series of mock-ups, sample approvals and workshops took place to resolve the technical challenges faced due to the complex façade.
Being mindful of the variety of end users a concrete sprung floor was installed in the gym areas. A non-structural reinforced slab is cast on top of the structural slab, jacked up to create a 50mm void using a series of springs. This prevented direct noise transfer to the office and community spaces below.
We dealt with the significant challenge in locating the tower crane within the building by adapting the programme to suit without impacting on the overall duration. We designed tower crane pads to sit below the ground floor slab.
This resulted in the ability to install the ground floor slab before installing the crane, and by accelerating this area of retail space once the tower crane was removed and the first-floor slab infilled.
The Impact:
The Aperture is a highly successful project; a complex building with a bespoke façade, on a tight footprint in a multi-contractor environment to programme, with zero injuries or incidents and zero defects at handover.
The Kier team fostered a collaborative approach with the client, stakeholders and the local community.
Project Manager, Jon Staley, attended Greenwich University lectures to discuss construction management and health and safety. Students were also invited to tour the site on regular occasions and the team assisted them in providing material and information for their dissertations.
An Open Doors event was hosted at the site, allowing various members of the local community (future residents, students, journalists etc.) to get a ’behind the scenes’ view of what happens on a construction site.
Kier also sponsored and supported the Greenwich Peninsula marketing team with their Urban Village fetes to further build the community moving into the development.
" A strong and motivated team with enthusiasm and drive who quickly got to work and drove a solution that delivered the intent but with a firm hand on cost and buildability. Organisation and pragmatism ensured the project was completed to a very high standard on time. "Neil McGinty Director of Project Delivery Knight Dragon
View more projects
Every project we deliver is an opportunity for us to bring our unique thinking to solve problems, innovate and collaborate with our clients and beyond.
Butlin’s Splash, Bognor Regis
Building a £40m state of the art swimming pool and leisure complex within the existing Butlin’s resort in Bognor Regis, West Sussex.
Project Maia - Infineum
Delivery of a 33,500ft2 Global Centre of Innovation at Infineum’s headquarters in Abingdon; featuring new petrochemical laboratories for research and development into new formulas for fuel additives; collaborative meeting spaces, office accommodation, a new staff restaurant and improved site infrastructure.
Trago Mills
Developing the first site outside Devon and Cornwall for Trago Mills, an independent, family owned and run discount leisure retailer. Bringing much needed employment to the area it includes 11 retail units, external sales area, café, garden centre, goods yard, ice cream stall, bandstand, adventure dome and model railway.
3 Sovereign Square
Developing a new, six-storey office building in central Leeds, ensuring the design blended in with the surrounding historic buildings, using lean planning to ensure the smooth running of the project, applying innovative thinking to the build, and achieving an Excellent BREEAM sustainability rating.
St Sidwells Point Leisure Centre
Creating the UK’s first Passivhaus standard ultra-low carbon leisure centre, designed to save up to 70% on annual energy costs.
Aerospace Bristol
Creating a new £19m aviation museum showcasing the role played by the Bristol site in Britain’s aviation history, including a hangar to house the last Concorde ever to fly, restoring a Grade 1 listed First World War hangar to create an exhibition space
5 Pancras Square
One of the most sustainable mixed-use building in the country and winner of the Prime Minister’s Better Public Building award.
Pall Mall, Liverpool
Kier was selected by Liverpool City Council to deliver a new mixed commercial quarter known as Pall Mall, in partnership with CTP.
Everards Meadows Phase 1A
Creating a vibrant destination in Leicestershire, incorporating a new cycle centre and cafe as well as site-wide green infrastructure.
Storyhouse
Developing Chester's largest and most ambitious ever creative project, working in a restricted city centre location, adapting the programme when a Roman building was discovered on site, restoring and revitalising a Grade II Listed building, creating new cultural spaces and receiving the Arts Council's highest ever score for a building.
Everards Meadows Phase 1B
Working collaboratively with Everards to regenerate land previously occupied by their brewing facilities, for the benefit of the people of Leicestershire.
Cheltenham Racecourse Redevelopment
Delivering a new 6,500-capacity 5 ½ storey grandstand at one Britain’s most iconic racecourses.
Heron House
Refurbishment of a six-storey vibrant public building in Manchester City Centre, creating over £12.2m of social return on investment.
North Sea Observatory
A unique purpose-built marine observatory on the Lincolnshire coastline.
Bicester Eco Business Centre
The design and construction of a highly sustainable Passivhaus ‘Plus’ 1,400m2 office building. Laid out over three floors to accommodate up to 125 people, providing local office space for individuals and small businesses.
Aberdeen Music Hall
Restoring, renovating and extending this prestigious Grade A listed performing arts building, utilising building conservation techniques whilst internally upgrading the interiors and finishes to a high quality and installing new, modern building services and a/v equipment throughout.
Reading Gateway
Identifying this 20.5 acre site in Reading as a strategic development opportunity, delivering a retail and leisure scheme including new homes, a hotel, retail space, car showrooms and industrial units, trailing new innovations and generating 263 jobs and £138m of social value.
FA Parklife
As part of the Football Association’s master-plan to build new football facilities in 30 cities by 2020, Kier have successfully delivered four all-purpose football hubs using state of the art 3G artificial grass at key grass-root areas across Liverpool.
Alfred H Knight's Office and Analytical Laboratory
Alfred H Knight is a commodity analysis and mining support specialist who required our design and cost management services to build a new state-of-the-art head office and analytical laboratory.
The Aperture
The Aperture is the first phase of residential buildings on the Greenwich Peninsula. This five storey building comprises of a restaurant and deli on the ground floor, day nursery on the first floor, estate management and a community centre on the second/third floors with a gym on the remaining floors.
Hampton by Hilton, Bristol Airport
The construction of a hotel consisting of 201 bedrooms over four floors, utilising significant offsite manufacture.
The Ogilvie Building
The Ogilvie (formerly known as the Sanger Sequencing Building) provides 4,430m² of flexible laboratory and office space and an integrated energy centre which will feed future developments on the greenfield site.
Sheffield North Active
Transforming a tired council facility into a modern new leisure centre in the north of Sheffield, adhering to Sport England guidelines and taking on board local concerns, introducing a bold exterior design and keeping to tight deadlines.
Glasgow Fort
Constructing a new retail unit that included remodelling existing car parks, a major re-alignment of the existing spine road - including removal of roundabouts - significant public utility services diversions and installation of toucan crossings.
Walsall Waterfront Leisure
Completing the penultimate phase of the £65m waterfront development, taking it through the planning process, regenerating over 17 acres in Walsall including The Light Cinema and popular national restaurant chains, making the most of a canalised location and engaging with the local community.
Watford Riverwell
Delivering the £450m Watford Riverwell as a 15-20 year joint venture with Watford Borough Council, which involves regenerating 70 acres of land in West Watford to create residential, office, retail, leisure, industrial and hotel space.
Yr Egin Media and Office Development
Bringing an iconic and sustainable development to the Carmarthen campus of the University of Wales, providing 40,000 sq. ft. of accommodation for for Welsh Media company S4C and the University's new media faculty and offices, and achieving a BREEAM Excellent certificate for sustainability.
58 Victoria Embankment
Located on the River Thames Embankment, this project involved the demolition of the existing building behind a retained façade and the construction of a new steel framed Cat A office with a concrete basement. Inside the building, being the main feature is the central atrium and 3 scenic glass lifts.
Princes Gate Retail Park
Creating a new retail and leisure heart for the town comprising 23 shops, restaurants and bars, together with a multi-screen Empire cinema, 60 bed Premier Inn hotel and a 345 space car park.
Motel One
Transforming a derelict building into a 172 bedroom modern boutique hotel, retaining and preserving many historic features uncovered during the work.
Materials Analysis Laboratory
New head office and analytical laboratory for metallurgical consultants.
Gibraltar Point Visitor Centre
Creating a new visitor centre at this Site of Special Scientific Interest after the previous one was damaged by a tidal surge, ensuring its protection from flooding and its coastal position, incorporating sustainable features and refurbishing an 1800s coastguard building to be used as an exhibition space.
Howick Place
Situated close to Westminster Cathedral, Howick Place is an architecturally stunning building designed by Rolfe Judd Architecture. The building takes inspiration from the surrounding conservation area, whilst creating an environment to meet all 21st century needs.
Finlake Leisure Pool
Designing and constructing a new leisure complex within this holiday village on the edge of the Dartmoor National Park in Devon, including toddler and 20m adult swimming pools, Tornado and Twister flume rides, and water playground, gymnasium, other leisure facilities and associated plant and equipment.
Crewe Lifestyle Centre
Creating a viable and affordable facility that brought all Crewe's lifestyle services - pool, gym, sports hall, library, specialist daycare and family service facilities - together under one roof, meeting a diverse range of user needs and building within a constrained town centre site.
33 Foley Street
Delivering a central London office space where people feel inspired and want to work and collaborate, bringing together a number of Kier businesses to work jointly on the project, adding an extra floor to the building and extending two other floors to create a stunning modern space.
Oldham Town Hall
Restoring an iconic building, taking part in feasibility studies to decide the best use of the building, working on the project to turn it into a seven-screen cinema with restaurants, coffee shop and retail units, winning multiple industry awards and creating something of huge importance to local people.
Wedge House
Building a striking new build boutique hotel with works comprising the design, construction and fit out of 192 hotel rooms, 4,700m2 Cat A office space and full fit out of three floors of bars and restaurants.
One Station Square
Working with Newlon Housing Trust, the project involves the demolition of the existing structure and the design and construction of a new residential development of 128 dwellings comprising 117 shared ownership flats,11 private sale flats plus 1 commercial unit to shell and core finish.
Dyson, Hullavington
The design and redevelopment of a World War II hanger, to create a new research and development centre for Dyson.
Shire Hall
The re-emergence of Gloucestershire County Council’s (GCC) Shire Hall after its retrofit and refurbishment reads like a fairy-tale. Over 165 weeks and 82 phases of collaborative, innovative team-working, the part-listed, part 1960’s building, an eyesore, tired and inefficient, was responsibly and dynamically transformed into an elegant and highly sustainable workplace.
‘The Biosphere’ Helix Development
Design and construction of a new 7,200m2 laboratory facility. The building consists of a mixture of biology and chemistry spaces, office spaces, unfitted spaces and associated external infrastructure works. The facility has two floors of containment level 2 fitted labs and write-up areas, together with shared wash-up facilities.
Ericsson - Radio Access Network Framework
The RAN (Radio Access Network) is the technology used in the UK to allow mobile phones to transmit and receive data and voice services. Ericsson are a leading provider of RAN access to many of the UK’s mobile networks and in 2013, we were appointed by Ericsson to maintain its RAN assets to keep the UK’s 4G and 5G networks live and operational
Ecclesiastical Insurance Group Headquarters
Ecclesiastical Insurance Group, one of Gloucester’s biggest employers, had offices throughout the city which were not considered future proof. They decided to consolidate all Gloucester based staff into a new purpose-build headquarters on Gloucester Business Park. The building is leased from Arlington, owners of the business park, and long-term clients of Kier.
Ponteland School & Leisure Centre
Ponteland School & Leisure Centre features a 420-place primary school and a 1,600-place secondary school, a state-of-the-art leisure centre with swimming pools, aqua play, spa, gym, climbing walls, dance studios, soft play zone, a 3G sports pitch, bar, cafés, library and a new community fire station.