Source Design Services; a specialist utility engineering design consultancy and part of leading engineering service provider McNicholas Group, are excited to be working on the latest phase of improvements to the Royal Albert Hall. This will facilitate the Grade I listed building’s development of an underground expansion project on the west side of the building to be ready for the Hall’s 150th anniversary in 2021.
The £1 million contract is part of a project, which has been fondly nicknamed ‘The Great Excavation’ and will facilitate the rationalization of the Hall’s backstage areas to provide much-improved facilities for artists, promoters and staff, whilst also creating dedicated public spaces. The basement of the new scheme will also house a new boiler room.
Source were instructed by Sir Robert McAlpine’s team on behalf of the Royal Albert Hall (RAH), to carry out a Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) and Sewer Closed Circuit TV (CCTV) survey to determine which Utilities would be affected by the new basement.
From this information, and the development of a suitable plan Source were instructed to carry out a trial trench around the perimeter of the new proposed basement, liaise with all of the utilities affected, and arrange for them to be either cut back, capped off or diverted to a more suitable and permanent route where possible.
On the back of the company’s performance on this contract, Source secured other large elements of works on the project, including the development of a trial hole shaft (3m X 3m X 6.6m) to identify the depth of a significant chimney flue, and the extent of the footings which is now complete, and the installation of a 5m X 6m X 5.5m shaft and a 5m X 1.5m X 1.5m tunnel. This will allow the Royal Albert Hall’s underpinning team to remove the spoil and pump in the necessary concrete, whilst minimizing any disruption to the Hall and any of their shows.
“To minimize disruption, speed was of the essence on this project, and so to save time we went for a steel reinforced box which we hydraulically pushed into place, rather than using conventional timber heading. This meant the underpinning contractor could install a more robust conveyor system, and weld the concrete pumping pipes in place within the tunnel sections,” explains explained Business Director for Source Design Services, Rob Campbell.
“We are also undertaking all negotiations and developing the designs for a full diversion of a Thames water sewer. This involves the excavation of a 3 m x 5.1m x 6.5 m sheeted shaft to accommodate the new 2.1 m diameter manhole over the 450mm existing sewer. This means that the manhole that was meant to make up part of the basement construction will now be removed; therefore freeing up valuable basement space for the Hall,” Rob said.
Source has also been awarded the construction phase of these works and are on target to complete all works on the Hall’s basement improvements by xxxx
MORE INFORMATION
For more information or high resolution photographs contact Marit Meyer-Bell
e: marit@meyerbell.co.uk
t: 0786 765 3392
SOURCE DESIGN SERVICES
Source Design Services is the design and consultancy arm of the McNicholas Group specialising in the delivery of utility design and consultancy services. Our multi-disciplined team of engineers and experts have an unrivalled depth of understanding and practical experience in the challenging area of utilities. Working with a client base that encompasses diverse industries and includes clients, such as Canary Wharf Contractors, Sir Robert McAlpine, Tesco Stores Limited, Network Rail and many more, Source Design Services have a wealth of experience in the understanding of utility processes. We successfully complete projects from feasibility studies through to detailed design and delivery; all with a focus on programme certainty and achieving tangible savings for our clients. www.sourcedesignservices.co.uk