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Radical concept for temporary floating Parliament unveiled

A new temporary Houses of Parliament located on the River Thames provides a solution for the long overdue refurbishment of the historic Palace of Westminster.

International architecture, design and planning firm Gensler has unveiled a radical concept that could reduce the cost and minimise the disruption of the comprehensive refurbishment of the Palace of Westminster.

The proposed modular structure located on the River Thames could provide a flexible and secure home that helps save the British taxpayer more than £1.8 billion, based on the House Committee’s own estimates, and allows the urgent repair works to proceed.

Gensler’s design accommodates all the principle components of the current Houses of Parliament within a new structure located alongside the existing Member’s terrace. The design maintains the relationship between both Chambers and their supporting Committee Rooms. The scheme includes a dedicated new entrance from the south side of the Palace of Westminster, adjacent to Victoria Tower Gardens, with an option to enable direct access to the existing Central Lobby if required.

An essential element of the refurbishment proposals for the House of Parliament requires total decantation of the building for an estimated six years. The challenge has been to find a suitable location within Whitehall that can accommodate Parliament in an efficient and cost effective manner. This concept offers a unique opportunity to co-locate the House of Commons and the House of Lords together with all their supporting committee rooms in a purpose built structure at the centre of the Whitehall estate.

By using the River Thames, Gensler’s design creates a completely new temporary Parliament under one roof in the same world famous location in the heart of Westminster avoiding the dispersion of core parliamentary activity to multiple locations. The concept overcomes some of the initial concerns about a river location by ensuring the structure does not interrupt the navigable channel along the centre of the river. It also incorporates a number of security measures that supplement the natural defence provided by the river itself.

The design takes inspiration from the magnificent hammer-beam roof of Westminster Hall, which was commissioned by Richard II in 1393 and is the largest medieval timber roof in Northern Europe. The 250-metre-long structure would be built on a series of steel platforms and the building above would be a dramatic, high-tech, wooden-framed structure covering 8,600 square metres, which would provide all the necessary environmental and acoustic containment. The new modular structure could be built in less than three years in shipyards across the UK and floated along the Thames to be secured and assembled on the river some 10 metres from the Palace of Westminster.

Ian Mulcahey, Managing Director at Gensler, said “The concept provides a simple solution to what is a very complex problem. The challenge has been to find a location that enables all the key components of Parliament to be located together in close proximity to the wider Government estate in Whitehall. The objective has been to minimise disruption and reduce the cost of the refurbishment to the taxpayer. The Palace of Westminster is one of the most important symbols of democracy in the world. This scheme provides a powerful expression of continuity and reinforces the UK’s world-leading creative expertise.”

Duncan Swinhoe, Regional Managing Principal at Gensler, said “This not only provides a fitting short-term solution to the relocation issue it also provides some exciting long-term opportunities. Once the refurbishment of the Palace is complete, the modular structure could be relocated and adapted to provide a permanent legacy such as a Museum for Democracy or alternatively a new parliament for an emerging overseas democracy.”

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Mayor commits to building more river crossings in London

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has outlined his commitment to providing greener and more public transport-focused river crossings in the East and South East of London.

The Mayor has set out a package of new river crossings to be built in the next five to 10 years that will vastly improve travel across the capital, while supporting new affordable homes and business opportunities in East London.

These include:

  • Plans for a new pedestrian and cycle bridge linking Rotherhithe & Canary Wharf to be accelerated
  • A series of enhancements to be made to the proposals for Silvertown Tunnel to make it greener and more public transport-focused, and exploring further benefits for local residents who use the tunnel
  • A DLR crossing at Gallions Reach, helping support the development of around 17,000 new homes across Newham and the Royal Borough of Greenwich
  • Further assessment work for a Barking Riverside-Abbey Wood London Overground crossing
  • Further assessment of a North Greenwich-Isle of Dogs ferry, supporting new development on the Greenwich Peninsula and the Isle of Dogs

Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said “It’s no secret that London has long needed more river crossings in the east. With new homes and economic growth across East London, it becomes even more important that we deliver new greener transport links that allow Londoners to cross the river quickly and more easily.

“But we don’t want these to have a damaging impact on our environment, and that’s why I’ve reviewed and improved plans for Silvertown Tunnel and why I’m pushing forward with crossings that encourage public transport, walking and cycling.

“As we continue to unlock the massive economic potential of East London, we must secure the very best transport infrastructure that improves the quality of life for everyone living and working in the area.”

Alex Williams, Acting Managing Director of Planning at TfL, added “London’s population continues to grow and it’s vital that we do everything we can to support this to ensure that everyone can continue to move around freely and easily. The Mayor’s new vision for river crossings in East London is firmly rooted in supporting growth and providing better public transport links for all. We will now work hard to develop the designs for these new crossings, as well as identify potential funding opportunities, to allow them to be constructed more quickly.”

David Leam, Infrastructure Director at London First, concluded “Better river crossings will help unlock the economic potential of East and South East London and connect thousands of new homes in Newham, Barking, Greenwich and elsewhere. We’re delighted the Mayor has sped up these plans, aiming to deliver new ways of getting across the river within the next five to ten years.”

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A new Apple campus at Battersea Power Station redevelopment

Battersea Power Station has now confirmed that Apple has agreed to lease office space within the historic Battersea Power Station.

Apple will be the largest office tenant at Battersea Power Station occupying approximately 500,000 sqft., across 6 floors of the central Boiler House inside the historic icon. Apple is expected to move into the Power Station in 2021.

Battersea Power Station will be Apple’s new London campus and its office will account for circa 40% of the total office space in the whole development.

Apple has today said it is looking forward to opening its new London campus at Battersea Power Station in 2021. 1400 Apple employees from existing offices around London will relocate to this magnificent new development at one of London’s best known landmarks. Apple has added, that this is a great opportunity to have its entire team working and collaborating in one location while supporting the renovation of a neighbourhood rich with history.

Dato’ Johan Ariffin, Chairman of Battersea Holding Company Limited, said “We are delighted to welcome Apple, the world’s most valuable brand, to Battersea Power Station, London’s most iconic development. This move by a brand of such calibre will serve to generate even more interest in Battersea with its vibrant mix of commercial, exciting retail and residential offerings in a cultural setting designed to drive innovation and enterprise. Apple can only strengthen this formula for success.”

Rob Tincknell, CEO of Battersea Power Station Development Company added: “We are delighted that Apple has chosen to make Battersea Power Station its home in 2021. It is testament to our fantastic building and the wider regeneration of the 42-acre site which offers a carefully curated mix of homes, businesses and leisure amidst extraordinary open spaces and new transport links. It has always been our clear objective to create one of London’s most thriving new communities and this commitment from Apple will undoubtedly help us achieve our goal.”

Sadiq Khan, Mayor of London commented: “I am delighted that Apple is moving into Battersea Power Station‎, helping to generate new jobs and economic prosperity for Londoners. It is a further sign that London is open to the biggest brands in the world and the leading city for trade and investment.”

Cllr Ravi Govindia, Leader of the London Borough of Wandsworth said: “I’m very pleased to give Apple a warm welcome to the London Borough of Wandsworth. Apple will become the largest employer in the Borough and we are hugely excited that they will play a keen and active role in our local community.”

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Recticel Insulation set to showcase new feel-good systems at Vision

A new philosophy and a new product will headline on Recticel’s Vision stand.

Leading PIR manufacturer Recticel Insulation (stand 45) is launching its new “Feel good inside” philosophy and debuting a self-supporting room-in-a-roof system for pitched roofs at this year’s Vision built environment exhibition for architects, specifiers, clients and suppliers (June 7-8, Olympia).

The next-generation product, L-Ments™, comprises roofing underlay, counter battens and integral structural timber in one PIR insulation panel as a single lightweight cost-effective modular roofing element, making it exceptionally quick and easy to install.

The innovation new system enables specifiers and contractors to design and build roofs without the risk of thermal bridging, providing them with a future-proof solution thanks to its high-performance insulation core.

Using L-Ments in conjunction with Recticel’s full fill cavity wall insulation Eurowall + provides specifiers and contractors with a holistic building solution for the complete building envelope that showcases this “feel good inside” approach.

It also showcases Recticel’s fabric first approach to build as well as Modern Methods of Construction via the use of fewer materials and speedier installation.

Representatives from Recticel’s technical department will man the stand to answer technical questions, advise on building materials, installation, prices, grants and bespoke solutions for specific needs.

For more information please visit www.recticelinsulation.co.uk.
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“Garden Bridge will cost twice as much to cancel,” says London Mayor

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has used his first Mayor’s Question Time to lay bare the finances of the Garden Bridge.

Sadiq Khan said it would cost taxpayers more than twice as much to cancel the project now, as it would to complete it and build the new bridge.

TfL and the Government have previously committed £30 million each to the Garden Bridge Trust’s £175m project – with the remainder raised through private donations. Of the £30 million pledged by TfL, £20 million is in the form of a loan to be repaid in full.

Sadiq Khan revealed that of the £60 million total of taxpayers money pledged, £37.7 million has already been spent by the Garden Bridge Trust. If the project was scrapped now, this amount would be lost in full with no benefit at all for Londoners or taxpayers.

However, if the Garden Bridge is completed, not only will TfL be repaid its £20 million loan by the Garden Bridge Trust, but they will also pay approximately £22 million in VAT to the Treasury. That means the ultimate bill to taxpayers for completing the bridge will be £18 million – less than half the cost of cancelling the project now.

On this understanding, Sadiq Khan has given his support to the completion of the Garden Bridge but has demanded that it is made more accessible for all Londoners in return. Last week he called on the Garden Bridge Trust to ensure:

The Bridge to be closed for fewer days each year for private fundraising events – the current plans are for 12 closures a year.

The Bridge to be closed for fewer hours each time it has to close for fundraising events, so that the Bridge can still be used in the morning and evenings – the current plans are for it to be closed from midnight to midnight.

A guarantee that children at local schools on either side of the river will get to visit the Garden Bridge and be involved in planting and maintenance – with a rolling programme of events for local school children.

The Garden Bridge Trust to build a strong working relationship with all of London’s parks, so that seeds and plants grown on the Garden Bridge can then be replanted in parks across the capital – ensuring it has a positive benefit for all Londoners.

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said “From the point at which I became Mayor, it was quite clearly in London taxpayers’ financial interest to complete the Garden Bridge project. It would simply cost Londoners more to cancel the project now, than it would to finish building the Garden Bridge.

“If the Bridge was cancelled now taxpayers will have spent £37.7 million for no benefit at all. However if we complete the project and our loan is repaid in full then the ultimate cost to taxpayers will be under half that cost at £18 million.

“So I will support the building of the Garden Bridge, but I am demanding that the project is made more accessible and open to all Londoners in return.

“I expect the Garden Bridge Trust to ensure that the Bridge be closed fewer days each year for private fundraising events and fewer hours when they do. I also want a guarantee that an ongoing programme of visits will be laid on for local school children.”

This announcement comes after the recent realisation that this is becoming a steadily more unpopular project: 61% of Londoners are against it in the biggest poll so far, which has been running in the Evening Standard for the last month, with over 4,000 participants. Whatever your opinion on the project is, it is certainly a bridge over troubled water!

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Charcon Materials used in London’s best new place to live

Charcon, the commercial hard landscaping division of Aggregate Industries, has collaborated on a top London residential project, Trafalgar Place in Elephant & Castle, which is being hailed by The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson MP for design innovation and longevity.

The project, part of a wider £1.5 billion, 28 acre regeneration scheme to upgrade and reconnect Elephant & Castle with the mostly derelict Heygate Estate, saw an office block converted into a development of 235 homes.

With a brief to create a quality urban residential space, Charcon was consulted to recommend approximately 3,500m2 of hard landscaping options that would establish a strong relationship between the green spaces of both the private communal and public areas, to the adjacent buildings and edges.

1,840m2 of Charcon’s Andover Textured flag and block paving in Midnight Grey, Silver Grey and Light Grey was supplied, offering a premium quality block paving product at an affordable price. Pairing the unique three colour blend with five different block sizes specified Andover Textured offers an eye-catching design solution that runs throughout all of the main tree-lined avenues of the scheme.

1,050m2 of premium Appalachian flag paving in Leemoor Ground was used for an upper private courtyard podium. Incorporating up to 60% recycled and reclaimed materials, the uniquely formulated granite aggregates offer exceptional performance and durability.

Charcon’s technical specialists also created a bespoke product for the project, producing 250m2 of ‘Special’ Appalachian Leemoor. Using a double process prior to sandblasting to expose a greater amount of aggregate, the end product was a unique polished and sandblasted finish which, when laid alongside the Leemoor Ground, created a distinctive contrast of textures within the private courtyard.

In addition, 100 linear metres of hard wearing Natural Granite kerbs and radii in Silver Grey were incorporated to create features throughout the scheme, and 240m2 of Europa block paving in Brindle was the ideal solution for the heavy-use pedestrianised areas.

Together with the buildings, planting and communal space, Trafalgar Place has been praised within the industry as an example of exemplary design, scooping prestigious awards such as The Mayor’s Award for Planning Excellence and Best New Place to Live, both at the London Planning Awards 2016.

Architects dRMM worked with landscape architect Grant Associates to create the regeneration masterplan. The project was managed by developer Lend Lease and leading landscape architecture company Randle Siddeley was invited to complete the detailed landscape design.

Sharon Chan, Project Landscape Architect at Randle Siddeley, comments: “Peter Brown from Charcon was very professional and extremely efficient in providing us with technical information we needed during both the design stage and construction stage. Andover and Leemoor are cost effective products that meet the planning requirements but do not compromise the aesthetics of the landscape scheme.”

Mike Davies, Specification and Major Projects Manager at Charcon, said: “This has been a fascinating project to watch evolve and we’re very proud to have played a role in what has become a flagship for urban regeneration in London. Our goal is to provide innovative solutions using the highest quality and most sustainable materials across every aspect of the construction industry, and these credentials married perfectly with Randle Siddeley’s vision for the development.”

More information is available on www.charcon.com.

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Construction begins on Europe’s largest floating solar farm

Construction work has started on what will be the largest floating solar farm in Europe. Located at the Queen Elizabeth II reservoir near London, the project is part of a greater effort by Thames Water to source a third of its energy from renewable methods by 2020.

Once completed in March, the floating array will boast the impressive accolade of being the second largest of its kind in the world.

In excess of 23,000 panels will be floated on the surface of the reservoir water, generating enough electricity per year to power the equivalent of around 1,800 homes. Once complete, the finished array will cover around a 10th of the reservoir’s surface area – roughly the same area as eight Wembley-sized football pitches.

Thames Water has confirmed that the renewable electricity produced by the 6.3MW floating array will be used to power a water treatment centre nearby.

Energy Manager, Angus Berry said “Becoming a more sustainable business is integral to our long term strategy and this innovative new project brings us one step closer to achieving our goal – this is the right thing for our customers, the right thing for our stakeholders and most importantly the right thing for the environment.”

The installation will require over 61,000 floats and 177 anchors to keep the array above water and in situ, and is been delivered by solar energy company Lightsource.

Chief Executive at Lightsource, Nick Boyle commented that as an increasing number of industries quite rightly turn their attention to lowering their carbon footprint, the solar industry will need to develop new skills in order to ensure that future projects deliver maximum efficiency.

“There is a great need from energy intensive industries to reduce their carbon footprint, as well as the amount they are spending on electricity and solar can be the perfect solution. Therefore, constantly evolving new skill sets to ensure that all of our projects deliver maximum energy generation over the lifetime of the installation” said Nick.

Floating solar farms are considered an efficient way to maximise renewable energy generation in areas where land is scarce, by using the normally redundant surface area on reservoirs and lakes.

The largest floating solar array is currently under construction on a reservoir in Japan. Once completed, it will provide enough clean electricity to power nearly 5,000 households.

Advocates of the approach argue it can also reduce evaporation from reservoirs, while the cooling effect of the water is said to help improve output from solar PV cells.

News of the floating array follows the recent announcement that wind turbine towers are set to reach heights of up to 170m – almost as high as the Gherkin in London, in the near future. This shows that in the world of energy, renewables continue to power ahead in terms of growth and innovation.

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VIDEO: How London’s skyline will evolve if…

…the 250 high rise towers planned or underway in the capital go ahead as planned!

Watch video below:

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VISION – The future of the built environment

Launched in 2015, Vision is the event for architects, specifiers, clients and suppliers. Held annually, it is the place where these communities come together to discuss, debate and showcase the latest innovations and developments in architecture, design and the built environment.

The event focuses on new and innovative building products and materials and provides ideas and solutions for new and inventive ways to achieve better building design solutions and comply with changing legislation.

Through a series of seminars and case studies delivered by leading international speakers, alongside a carefully curated exhibition of cutting edge products and solutions, Vision is the meeting place for professionals connected to the built environment and a unique opportunity for suppliers to showcase their products.

With over 190 exhibitors, 160 speakers and 5000 visitors, Vision is the must-attend event of 2016 for the architecture, design and construction industries. Entry and access to all seminars is free of charge when you register in advance.

For more information please visit: www.visionlondon.com.
Email: info@visionlondon.com
Tel: +44 (0) 203 3633 2237

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Sika Sarnafil specified for roof refurb at two of London’s biggest tourist attractions

The National Gallery and the Science Museum – two of London’s major and iconic visitor attractions – have benefitted from a planned roof maintenance programme, using Sika Sarnafil membranes and specialist contractor, Delomac Roofing.

Working with the National Gallery since 1995, a programme of roof replacement and thermal upgrading has seen in excess of 12,000sq m of Sika Sarnafil membranes installed, together with insulation, roof lights and walkways in a series of over 30 completed projects – including the complete Sainsbury Wing in 2008.

Working closely with the client and architect, specifications have been delivered using the Sika Sarnafil Partner Supply Chain to ensure watertight and long lasting protection to the priceless works of art on display.

At the Science Museum, ageing and poorly insulated roof coverings were targeted for upgrade and replacement in a series of tender awards, all successfully won by Delomac and Sika Sarnafil.

Brendan McNulty said: “With the impact of rising utility costs, effective thermal upgrades were completed with the roof works, delivering tangible cost savings.”

The Science Museum’s Flight Gallery houses many historic planes, including a Spitfire, a prototype Harrier and a cut cross section form a Jumbo Jet. Visitors were able to safely enjoy these exhibits without disruption while these important roof works were completed close by.

At both sites, environmental and whole life cost considerations were key in material specification – with a target to reduce energy use.

Equally, the lightweight membranes and considered planned specifications allowed system overlays with an entirely flame-free cold application, ensuring minimal internal disturbance to visitor experience.

“As with all London sites – particularly with huge public visitor numbers, logistical issues were challenging; but the advantage of a unified supply chain with out of hours early deliveries ensured zero risk to arriving footfall.”

“The roof refurbishments on both buildings have been designed to an exceptionally high standard. Our effective installation, backed by Sika Sarnafil’s robust guarantees ensure the client has peace of mind for years to come.” Brendan added.

For more information on Sika Sarnafil’s products and services, call 01707 358500, email sarnafilroofing@uk.sika.com or visit www.sarnafil.co.uk.

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