Civil Engineering Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers

Civil Engineering 168 August 2015 Issue CE3

Volume 168 Issue CE3 August 2015
The News Building, London: design
and construction cantilevering
over a live transport hub
Adams, Lemmens and Massey
Pages 115123 http://dx.doi.org/10.1680/cien.14.00063
Paper 1400063
Received 08/09/2014 Accepted 20/04/2015
Published online 16/06/2015
Keywords: buildings, structures & design/composite
structures/concrete technology & manufacture

ICE Publishing: All rights reserved

The News Building, London: design

and construction cantilevering over
a live transport hub
Jack Adams BSc, CEng, MIStructE Matt Massey BEng, CEng, MICE
Senior Technical Director, WSP Parsons Brinckerhoff, London, UK Associate Director, Mace, London, UK
Bart Lemmens MSc, CEng, MICE
Senior Project Manager, Mace, London, UK

This paper describes the design and construction of The News Building in London, UK, home of The Times
newspaper and winner of the Institution of Civil Engineers London building award in 2013. Together
with its sister building The Shard, the 140million project redefines the London Bridge area, offering a
new piazza, retail mall and Breeam-excellent-rated offices. It has an innovative and complex steel frame
that cantilevers over London Bridge transport hub, which allows it to achieve nearly 50% more building
mass than otherwise would have been possible. The creative approach taken resulted in an ambitious
and challenging development that minimised the impact on the operation of the underlying bus and rail
stations while ensuring the safety of those involved remained paramount at all times.

1. Introduction developed on The Shard that would appeal to large corporate

The News Building in the new London Bridge Quarter
commercial district in central London, UK was formally opened in
September 2014. Situated next to its sister building The Shard, the
tallest building in western Europe (Parker, 2013), it was developed
by Sellar Property Group in association with London Bridge Quarter
Ltd and designed by Italian architect Renzo Piano (Figure1).
The prestigious building formerly known as The Place
now houses News UKs titles The Times, The Sunday Times and
The Sun as well as sister News Corp businesses Dow Jones and
HarperCollins. It provides 40000m2 of efficient, modern office
space over 17 storeys. Occupants benefit from direct access to
London Bridge Quarters new piazza and the unrivalled transport
connections at London Bridge station, providing a seamless
transition from station to workplace.
This paper illustrates the challenges of working over a live
bus station, in front of one of Londons busiest rail terminals
and surrounded by London Undergrounds critical buried assets.
It describes how these challenges were overcome by integrated
design and construction teams working in a truly collaborative way
and by using bold techniques.
2. The brief
Architect Renzo Piano stated his vision for the project was, a
building with its own character: strong, compelling, visible, and
coherent with The Shard. The building will float above the ground,
liberating space and creating a vibrant public environment.
The clients brief for the design-and-build project was to create
a prestigious commercial building using the architectural language
organisations as a headquarters to be proud of.
Large, efficiently planned floor plates of 19002800m2 area
were deemed necessary to attract the target audience. A further
requirement was that the floor plates would be flexible such that
they could be subdivided into quadrants to suit smaller tenants
should the need arise. In addition, the design had to be adaptable
to provide tenants with a variety of air-conditioning options and
achieve an excellent Breeam rating with a compliant tenant
fit-out.
Through the clients partnerships with Network Rail and London
Underground, the brief also called for section completion of the
bus station prior to the 2012 London Olympic and Paralympic
Games embargo, improvements to the underground station ticket
hall and the creation of a new urban realm.
3. Site constraints
The development site, with an area of 055ha, occupies the
greater part of the city block defined by Railway Approach
to the west and north, London Bridge Street to the south, and
London Bridge station to the east. Three Castles House, London
Undergrounds operations centre for London Bridge, occupied the
western portion of this city block and was demolished and replaced
elsewhere to accommodate the development.
Located directly in front of London Bridge rail and bus station,
the site was originally occupied by a Richard Seifert-designed,
25-storey reinforced-concrete office block. Known as New London
Bridge House, this was situated at the east end of the site adjacent
to London Bridge station and its associated undercroft car park
structure.

115
Downloaded by [] on [19/07/17]. Copyright ICE Publishing, all rights reserved.
 Civil Engineering The News Building, London: design and construction
Volume 168 Issue CE3 August 2015 cantilevering over a live transport hub
Adams, Lemmens and Massey

3.1 London Underground

Due to existing London Underground assets and constraints,
only 45% of the site plan was available for foundations. The assets
included the London Bridge station Northern line escalators, main
ticket hall, Jubilee line escalators, Jubilee line running tracks and
platforms, a disused pedestrian tunnel, ventilation shaft and escape
stair shaft (Figure2).
There were further constraints relating to clearance zones around
the London Underground assets, rights of ventilation and access as
well as a zone of limited bearing capacity in the south-east corner
above the Jubilee line escalators. In addition, any works required
within the clearance zones required specific concessions from
London Underground, with fully supported engineered solutions.
Due to the proximity of the works, it was agreed that both two-
and three-dimensional (3D) ground movement assessments would
be carried out by the developer and independently validated by a
second geotechnical engineer of London Undergrounds choosing.

3.2 Network Rail

A further constraint was the concurrent construction by UK rail
operator Network Rail of a new viaduct as part of the Thameslink
project. The alignment crosses Borough High Street on a bridge,
passes up Railway Approach on a raised viaduct and crosses
Station Approach on a raised viaduct.
As a result, a third geotechnical engineer was employed on
behalf of the tripartite agreement between London Underground,
Network Rail and the developer to create a combined ground
movement assessment from the two independent ground movement
assessments created for the development and Thameslink.
A requirement of London 2012 deliverables was to remodel
London Bridge bus station by Christmas 2011. Throughout the
works, one of the busiest transport hubs in central London had to
remain operational, while demolishing and constructing London
Underground assets.

3.3 Further constraints

The development of the site was also affected by
Figure1. The News Building in London Bridge Quarter is a sister
development of The Shard
existing brick arches beneath Railway Approach and London
Bridge Street

Three Castles House

Existing arches
Ventilation shafts and escape stairs
LUL Jubilee line and escalator
LUL Northern line escalator
LUL ticket hall
Existing building foundations

(a) (b) (c)

Figure2. Building model showing underground railway assets, viewed from (a) east, (b) south, (c) west

116
Downloaded by [] on [19/07/17]. Copyright ICE Publishing, all rights reserved.
 Civil Engineering
Volume 168 Issue CE3 August 2015
significant archaeological finds by the Museum of London
Archaeology, including many medieval burials and Roman villas
reorientation of the bus station islands from north-west
south-east to eastwest and upgrading the bus station while
maintaining an operational bus station throughout
existing large-diameter piles and pile caps, the foundations of
New London Bridge House
a previously unidentified Second World War access tunnel
servicing air-raid shelters located in the former City and South
London underground train line.
4. Design solutions and analysis
The structural design is a response to the brief and to the site as it
existed with its constraints to development. Major plant equipment
was located within a single-storey basement, the shape of which was
dictated by the concessions zones from the London Underground
assets. The depth was limited during design development to de-risk
the project and shorten the construction programme.
Designed by structural and services engineer, WSP UK
Ltd, the development consists of an 18-storey composite steel
superstructure over a single-storey basement. The basement
consists of a secant wall, propped in the permanent case by the
ground-floor and basement slabs.
The basement slab ranges from between 1 and 2m deep and
is supported on large-diameter bored piles acting as a piled raft.
Plunge columns were provided to enable a top-down construction
sequence and jump-start of the cores, thereby accommodating the
archaeological investigation works and achieving the challenging
construction programme.
4.1 Efficient floor plates
The large, efficiently planned floor plates were arranged around
twin cores housing vertical transportation, escape stairs and
primary vertical services distribution. Depth of floor plate from
facade to core is approximately 135m to make best use of natural
light over at least 50% of the floor area.
Floor plans were developed to suit either an open-plan arrangement
or cellular offices with corner break-out spaces. The ceiling build-up
is an efficient 650mm including a combined structural and services
zone that utilised composite construction to minimise steel weight
and provide 2750mm clear floor-to-ceiling heights with an efficient
3700mm storey height. Typical floor zoning is shown in Table1.
Composite construction was used to achieve a maximum beam
depth of 500mm while minimising steel weight and providing a
Zone Vertical dimension: mm
Floor-to-ceiling space 2750
Raised floor zone 150
Structural slab 130
Beam zone 500
Deflection 20
Ceiling and lighting zone 150
Total 3700
Table1. Typical floor zoning
Downloaded by [] on [19/07/17]. Copyright ICE Publishing, all rights reserved.
The News Building, London: design and construction
cantilevering over a live transport hub
Adams, Lemmens and Massey
shared services zone using 320 mm deep openings through the
beams for services distribution. This had the added benefit of
minimising the storey height and so maximising the net lettable floor
area achieved within the height limitation of the planning permission.
Minimising the storey height through combined zoning and
composite construction has allowed efficient use of materials,
saving cost and reducing the amount of embodied carbon dioxide
on the project. It also maximises the net lettable area for the client.
4.2 Cantilevering over existing assets
The key to maximising the potential of the site was to squeeze
larger floor plates into the space occupied by the former tower
without losing usable floor area by such means as a two-storey-
deep transfer structure.
Adopting twin cores with inclined columns springing from level
3 or 4 and extending to level 10, 11 or 12, floor plates extending
14m from the core were created above the 55% of the site where
no foundations could be placed.
The raking columns impart significant in-plane forces in the
floors, which then carry the load back to the concrete cores. Where
perimeter columns could not be used due to site constraints,
vertical hangers support the lower floors, transferring the load in
tension to the top of the raking columns at the building perimeter.
The raking columns induce tie or strut forces at each level which
must be transferred into the cores. Unique bearing details were
required within the core to deal with the high compressive stresses
from the raking columns.
As a result of detailed review it was decided to use tie beams
generally in place of Macalloy bars to transfer the tie forces to the
reinforced-concrete cores. The steel tie beams have been sized to
cater for the calculated tie forces.
In addition, the floor slabs needed to be reinforced for an element
of the tie forces to which they are subject as the steel beams are
connected by shear connectors to achieve composite action.
Generally tie beams are connected to the reinforced-concrete cores
using embedded plate connections.
There are, however, a small number of locations where, due to
the magnitude of the tie force to be transmitted, Macalloy bars are
cast into the concrete core walls to ensure transference of the load
into the cores.
4.3 Out of balance
As the loads on each side of the core are not balanced, the core
carries a gravity-induced moment down to the pile cap in addition
to the moments generated by wind and other lateral loading. The
concentrated loads from the hangers are applied to the core through
the steel beams that are fixed to the core with embedded plates. The
composite deck is also relied on to transfer load back into the core.
In most cases the embedded plates tie robustly into walls that are
well anchored into the core. The east core is significantly less stiff than
the west core when considering bending in the eastwest direction.
As such, a significant proportion of lateral loads that are applied
to the east core will be shed to the stiffer west core, therefore
requiring a robust load path between the cores.
4.4 Superstructure
The superstructure is constructed using Fabsec beams acting
compositely with the lightweight concrete slabs. The floor slab
117
 Civil Engineering
Volume 168 Issue CE3 August 2015
is a 130mm thick in situ concrete slab laid on permanent metal
decking designed to act compositely with the steel floor beams.
The fabricated steel beams are provided at a maximum of 3m
centres to suit the span of the metal decking and are generally
limited to a maximum depth of 500mm. The 300mm thick plant
room slab at roof level is supported on 600mm deep beams.
Typical composite floor slab construction was designed using
standard tables for Corus Comflor 51 re-entrant deck, for the
appropriate fire period, and anti-cracking mesh was provided.
Additional reinforcement was provided as required by the fire and
progressive collapse engineering analysis. In locations where the slab
was subjected to high tensile or compressive stresses, designs were
carried out to provide additional reinforcement where necessary.
The steel beams incorporate a series of 320mm diameter holes
and elongated slots, designed and positioned to suit fan coil units
or chilled beam air-conditioning system options.
At level 14 south elevation, the introduction of a transfer
structure to support the 3m colonnade columns has resulted in the
adoption of pairs of 630mm deep box girders. The box sections are
set with their top level with the top of slab and are therefore non-
composite.
4.5 Ground movement assessment
Due to the close proximity and sensitive nature of the existing
London Underground buried assets, ground movement predictions
were carried out to investigate the effect of the proposed work.
Three-dimensional finite-element analysis was carried
out to predict the effect of the proposed development on the
existing assets. The analysis was carried out using a Plaxis
software model to predict the ground movement around the
basement structure. The predicted ground movement field was
then used as an input for a 3D finite-element analysis using
Abaqus structural software to assess the structural implications
(movement and deformations) of the ground movements on the
existing assets.
The original ground movement analysis indicated that the
greatest movements were predicted in the eastbound Jubilee line
running tunnel. The analysis indicated the maximum Jubilee
line tunnel movements occurred at the end of the basement
excavation. However, settlement derived from the construction of
the superstructure and during long-term conditions reduced the
maximum tunnel movements.
The maximum angular distortion of the eastbound Jubilee
running tunnel was assessed to be 1 in 2630 once the basement had
been excavated.
Much of the structure is
cantilevered from the two
cores to prevent loading
existing assets below ground.
This is achieved predominantly
by raking columns springing
from level 3 or 4
118
Downloaded by [] on [19/07/17]. Copyright ICE Publishing, all rights reserved.
The News Building, London: design and construction
cantilevering over a live transport hub
Adams, Lemmens and Massey
A third-party check was carried out by an independent consultant,
GCG, on behalf of London Underground. The tunnel expansion,
compression, rotations, bending moments and axial force, based on
the structural engineers assessment, were considered to be within
the tunnels tolerable limits.
4.6 Fire engineering
A structural fire engineering study was carried out by the
structural engineer to optimise the provision of fire protection
to be applied to the structural elements to meet the 120min fire
resistance rating for the structure.
A performance-based approach was used to justify an optimised
scheme for the beams to the main floor plates. All other elements
of structure were protected to the prescriptive requirements of
approved document B of the building regulations for England and
Wales (HMG, 2010).
Fire protection ratings for the main beams were indicated on a
series of structural drawings. Generally, intumescent paint was used
as the method for provision of fire protection to the steel structure;
however, in some cases concrete filling of hollow sections was
used in tandem with intumescent paint to minimise the coating
thickness.
4.7 Safety in tall buildings
The design was developed to prevent disproportionate collapse
in line with the latest thinking on protection against the possible
effects of an extreme event and in accordance with part A of the
building regulations (ODPM, 2004). The determination of specific
measures to be implemented to enhance the robustness of the
building was outlined in more detail in a separate report.
The building core was constructed using reinforced-concrete
construction enclosing the exit stairs and vertical transportation
components of the building, providing a robust construction around
the escape routes.
Part A of the building regulations has been revised since the
September 2001 attacks in the USA and all buildings are now
categorised in accordance with building type, occupancy and
number of storeys. Table 11 of the approved document A, part 3
of the regulations defines the development as a class 3 building
requiring a specific risk assessment.
The requirements of part A have been met as described below.
In addition, the Institution of Structural Engineers report Safety in
tall buildings (IStructE, 2002) and recommendations regarding the
use of robust structure, alternative load paths, the use of elements
with robust, ductile and energy-absorbing properties tied together
with strong, ductile connections have been followed.
British standards BS 5950 (BSI, 1994) and BS 8110 (BSI, 1997)
require the following.
General tying: by providing horizontal ties at each floor level
in two directions.
Tying of edge columns: by providing horizontal ties at each
floor level in two directions.
Continuity of columns: by ensuring columns are continuous
through beam to column connections and are capable of
resisting a minimum tensile force at splice locations.
Resistance to horizontal forces: to be provided by regular
connection to the principal core.
 Civil Engineering
Volume 168 Issue CE3 August 2015
The design was developed in
line with the latest thinking
on protection against extreme
events. The building cores
were constructed using
reinforced concrete enclosing
the exit stairs and vertical
transportation components,
providing a robust construction
around the escape routes
Floor units: by anchoring in the direction of span either to each
other over supports or by direct mechanical connection to the
supports themselves.
Where any of the first three conditions were not met, the building
structure was checked at each storey in turn for the notional
removal of appropriate vertical members and the local structure
and connections designed for the effects of acting in catenary.
Where the fourth condition was not met, the building structure was
checked at each storey in turn for the notional removal of an element
of the system providing resistance to horizontal forces and the local
structure and connections designed to resist these additional forces.
A nonlinear dynamic analysis was used to determine the forces
invoked in the structure when certain critical columns, identified as
being at risk, are suddenly removed from the building.
5. Demolition and construction
Work started on site in 2010 (Figure 3). Due to existing assets
and the complexity of the structure, main contractor Mace had to
Figure3. Piling works started in 2010 but were limited to 45% of the
building plan area
Downloaded by [] on [19/07/17]. Copyright ICE Publishing, all rights reserved.
The News Building, London: design and construction
cantilevering over a live transport hub
Adams, Lemmens and Massey
adapt a number of innovative techniques for faster construction and
had to deal with the following challenges.
5.1 Building around existing assets
The occupation of the site and demolition sequence meant that
that superstructure construction could not proceed evenly on the
four quadrants of the building, on a building which is already
unevenly loaded in its final condition.
Construction proceeded on the west side in advance of the east,
while the north was in advance of the south. As a result of the
limited area for foundations there are areas of suspended structures
adjacent to ground-bearing columns.
5.2 Top-down construction with jump-start cores
Mace previously successfully implemented a jump-start sequence
at The Shard and a similar method was used here. Top-down
construction allowed for the construction of both concrete cores, the
entire steel superstructure framing and much of the concrete floor
plates before the basement substructure had been excavated.
The core walls are supported on plunge columns and the basement
is excavated within the perimeter secant pile wall (Figure 4). The
basement core walls were then cast around the plunge columns at a
later date. This allowed the archaeological investigations to be carried
out without impacting the critical-path superstructure works (Figure5).
In fact, the final superstructure steelwork at level 20 was placed
within 1 week of the pouring of the basement raft. This top-down
approach saved 6months on the overall project.
5.3 One of Londons largest diameter piles
There was so little room available for foundations in the south-
east corner of the site that the building was cantilevered in two
directions that is, a tied cantilever supporting from a raking
column. The result was a highly loaded plunge column with a safe
working load of 32MN. This required a 24m diameter pile located
just 1m from the Jubilee line escalator shaft. The pile was base
grouted in the Thanet Sands.
119
 Civil Engineering The News Building, London: design and construction
Volume 168 Issue CE3 August 2015 cantilevering over a live transport hub
Adams, Lemmens and Massey

Figure4. Top-down sequence with core jump-start: (a) install plunge digging for basement level; (d) continue steelwork, cast basement slab
columns, bearing piles, construct slab to prop secant wall; (b) start slip and infill walls
form and digging, install props and waling beam; (c) start steelwork,

Figure5. Top-down construction showing plunge columns, downstand

beams underneath cores and archaeological dig

So as not to impart load onto the adjacent London Underground construction had to be paused at level 14 so as not to overload
assets, a 20m long steel slip-liner was also installed. The pile was the plunge columns of piles. To do this, 2000m3 of concrete was
formed using 560m3 of bentonite and 280m3 of concrete, which continuously poured over a 26h period.
was poured continuously over 21h.
5.5 Pre-set core in three directions
5.4 Large single basement concrete pour Due to the shape of the site and the relatively small area
Casting the main basement raft was critical because, until available for locating the cores, the geometry of the floor plates
the substructure and cores walls were completed, the building is irregular and the spans vary around the footprint. As a result,
there is an out-of-balance both in the northsouth axis and the
The cores were pre-set 40mm eastwest. To overcome this issue, an industry-leading technique
was applied. The cores were pre-set 40mm to the west and 20mm
to the west and 20mm to the to the north from their vertical lines during construction so that
subsequent permanent works loading brought the cores back to
north from their vertical lines vertical at completion of shell and core construction (Figure6).
during construction so that The movement will continue during the building life in the form
of long-term creep and these predicted movements were taken
subsequent permanent works into account when delivering the design of the various building
elements (most importantly lifts and cladding).
loading brought the cores back The cores were also pre-set high to deal with axial shortening
to vertical at completion of and pile movements. Key to achieving pre-sets within tolerances
was continuous monitoring of the cores during slip-forming by
shell and core construction using lasers and monitoring from street level.

120
Downloaded by [] on [19/07/17]. Copyright ICE Publishing, all rights reserved.
 Civil Engineering The News Building, London: design and construction
Volume 168 Issue CE3 August 2015 cantilevering over a live transport hub
Adams, Lemmens and Massey

For a typical building, all subcontractors would work from

datum levels and benchmarks in the concrete slab. Due to out-of-
balance forces, the cores moved laterally as loads increased during
construction of floor and cladding. The building, therefore, was a
moving target. As the building was not plumb during construction,
gridline systems were not plumbed relative to each other until such
time as all movements had occurred.
When the concrete core started and steelwork progressed, there
were no physical controls set on the floors as there were not yet
any concrete slabs in place. For this reason, Mace defined a system
of lateral pre-sets for the building relative to external control. The
pre-set value informed the steelwork contractor on where to build
the steelwork to at certain moments in time, in terms of level and
plan position.
A full monitoring system was put in place by Mace which measured
the geometry on a weekly basis. The lateral pre-sets changed when
the building cores moved substantially and the steelwork followed
the cores. From then on benchmarks were established on the slabs.
For lift construction this meant that they were purposely built out
of plumb, and close coordination was required to ensure they were
geometrically correct to the landings and finishes.

5.6 Bridging over London Bridge bus station

The structure was developed on the basis of a wished in
place model. This meant that the structure was only stable upon
completion of the permanent load path that is, the raking
columns being fully in place and able to distribute the forces from
the perimeter to the core. As a result, a temporary load path had to
be introduced to provide stability of the structure in the event the
raking columns were not yet complete.
As part of the London 2012 deliverables, the new bus station
had to be open by December 2011. This did not allow any supports
in the bus station area, hence the structure had to be advanced
substantially to allow bridging over a live bus station. A system of
Macalloy hangers was introduced by the contractor in co-operation
with the structural engineer, which suspended the perimeter
steelwork above the live bus station (Figure7). Movements had to

Figure6. Cores were pre-set 40mm west and 20mm north during
construction to allow for the cantilevered steelwork loading to bring Figure7. Macalloy hangars were used for temporarily suspending the
them back to vertical cantilevered steelwork over the bus station until the raking columns
were completed

121
Downloaded by [] on [19/07/17]. Copyright ICE Publishing, all rights reserved.
 Civil Engineering
Volume 168 Issue CE3 August 2015
be anticipated when releasing temporary works and mobilising the
permanent load in the raking columns.
The construction sequence and temporary works meant that most
hangers commenced as load-bearing columns before the final load
path was constructed and load could be jacked from the temporary
arrangement into the final arrangement that is, the load path reversed
and load transferred by way of the raking columns into the cores.
The structural engineer prepared pre-set values based upon the
full wished-in-place structure with no allowance for the effects of
the construction sequence. Maces temporary works engineer built a
model based upon the construction sequence, which was built with
approximately 30 stages and so allowed for any additional effects
caused by the construction sequence and changes in load path.
Significant building movement was a result of removing the
temporary Macalloy hangers. Initially, these hangers were in tension
and the perimeter columns were in compression. Upon removal of
the hangers, the perimeter columns were suddenly in tension and
would elongate under load. Moreover, by activating the raking
columns, they would be subject to axial shortening as a result of the
loads imposed, hence the structure would settle significantly.
During the load transfers, hung grids were predicted to move
up to 35 mm instantaneously due to the removal of hangers. As
movement would clearly exceed cladding tolerances, cladding
could only be installed after all load transfers had been completed.
The temporary works engineers calculations were validated as
movement occurred within 5mm of their predictions.
Due to availability, floor slabs were not poured in a floor-by-floor
sequence but as sections, generally west prior to east. As a result,
the steelwork had to be pre-set to account for the construction
sequence and future predicted movement of the structure (Figure8).
Pre-setting the structure vertically was complex on the building
due to the variety of hung and gravity grids. This resulted in
members being subject to differential shortening or elongation.
If the entire building was built level, the floor landscape would
not be acceptable after completion due to the fact that predicted
movements would exceed structural and cladding tolerances.
5.7 Cladding installation
The cladding erection was a critical-path element and, to meet
the programme, needed to commence no later than when the
(a) (b)
Figure8. Superstructure under construction viewed from (a) east and
(b) west core movements were analysed for around 30 construction
stages
122
Downloaded by [] on [19/07/17]. Copyright ICE Publishing, all rights reserved.
The News Building, London: design and construction
cantilevering over a live transport hub
Adams, Lemmens and Massey
During the load transfers,
hung grids were predicted
to move up to 35mm
instantaneously due to the
removal of hangers. As
movement would clearly
exceed cladding tolerances,
cladding could only be
installed after all load
transfers had been completed
concrete slabs were five storeys ahead and before much of the
movement had occurred (Figure 9). However, the concrete slabs
were not completed for entire floor plans, so there were future
movements and deflections to predict such that the steelwork, floor
slab and cladding supported from it ended up in the final design
location within tolerance.
The construction sequence was modelled in a 3D analysis
model and predicted deflections and stresses calculated. Members
had to be evaluated for temporary loading and in some instances
enhanced in cases where the temporary loading exceeded the
final design case. A schedule of pre-sets was developed by both
permanent and temporary works engineers, to ensure ultimately
the cladding could be installed and floor plates would be level
at completion. In essence, longer members are introduced when
shortening is anticipated and shorter members when members are
subject to elongation.
A full jacking sequence and methodology was developed and
agreed between the structural engineers, main contractor, steelwork
fabricator, cladding supplier and concrete contractor. Jacking
operations were inspected and witnessed.
Figure9. Cladding installation had to start while the structure was
still moving, requiring complex analysis
 Civil Engineering
Volume 168 Issue CE3 August 2015
Figure10. The prestigious 17-storey building was officially opened by
London mayor Boris Johnson in September 2014
The proof of the pudding was that cladding erection was able to
commence without entire floor plates being available and that the
predictions were accurate, and installation and jacking operations and
survey checks were carried out to such a degree of expertise by all
parties involved that the superstructure was constructed such that the
cladding fitted within allowable tolerances. It was a great success that
allowed the extremely challenging programme to be met (Figure10).
6. Conclusion
This paper describes the design and construction of a 17-storey
high-quality office building in the congested centre of London.
It describes the engineering challenges of working over a live
bus station, in front of one of the citys busiest rail terminals and
surrounded by London Undergrounds critical buried assets. It
explains how these challenges were overcome by integrated design
and construction teams working in a truly collaborative way and by
using bold techniques.
Formerly known as The Place, the building won the Institution
of Civil Engineers London region building award on its completion
in 2013. The judges said, The Places innovative steel frame
cantilevers over one of Londons busiest transport hubs, allowing it
to grab 50% more space than a conventional building would.
Downloaded by [] on [19/07/17]. Copyright ICE Publishing, all rights reserved.
The News Building, London: design and construction
cantilevering over a live transport hub
Adams, Lemmens and Massey
Formerly known as The
Place, the building won the
ICE London region building
award on its completion
in 2013. The judges said,
The Places innovative steel
frame cantilevers over one
of Londons busiest transport
hubs, allowing it to grab
50% more space than a
conventional building would.
In 2014 the building became the headquarters of News UK and
was named The News Building. It was officially opened by London
mayor Boris Johnson in September 2014.
Acknowledgements
The project team for the structure was as follows: Sellar Property
Group development manager; Mace main contractor (design
and build); Renzo Piano Building Workshop architect; Adamson
Associates executive architect; WSP UK Ltd structural
and building services engineer; Severfield Rowen steelwork
subcontractor; Byrne Bros. concrete subcontractor; Robert
Bird & Partners client monitoring team (structures); and Troup
Bywater & Anders mechanical and electrical services.
References
BSI (1994) BS 5950-4:1994 Structural use of steelwork in building. Code
of practice for design. Composite slabs with profile steel sheeting. BSI,
London, UK.
BSI (1997) BS 8110-1:1997 Structural use of concrete. Code of practice for
design and construction. BSI, London, UK.
HMG (Her Majestys Government) (2010) The Building Regulations
Approved Document B Fire Safety. NBS, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK.
IStructE (Institution of Structural Engineers) (2002) Safety in Tall Buildings
and Other Buildings with Large Occupancy. Institution of Structural
Engineers, London, UK.
ODPM (Office of the Deputy Prime Minister) (2004) The Building Regulations
Approved Document A Structure. ODPM, London, UK.
Parker (2013) Engineering The Shard, London: tallest building in western
Europe. Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers Civil
Engineering 166(2): 6673, http://dx.doi.org/10.1680/cien.12.00036.
What do you think?
If you would like to comment on this paper, please email up to 200 words
tothe editor at journals@ice.org.uk.
If you would like to write a paper of 2000 to 3500 words about your own
experience in this or any related area of civil engineering, the editor will be
happy to provide any help or advice you need.
123