Client Case Study: A Decade of Collaboration: Building with Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield

We’ve partnered with Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield since 2014, on ambitious, large-scale projects across the office, retail, and residential sectors.

Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield (URW) as a leading owner, developer, and operator of sustainable real estate assets in vibrant cities throughout Europe and the United States, is committed to “Reinventing Being Together.”

Their mission reflects a dedication to accelerating urban regeneration and enhancing the way we experience city life through the creation of unique, sustainable spaces.

Our collaboration has included significant developments, from the landmark Westfield London Phase 2 extension through to one of Londonā€™s largest private rental schemes in Stratford.

Throughout this journey, we have consistently delivered cost-effective solutions, pioneering sustainability practices, and innovative engineering that address the complexities of urban environments.

Below, we showcase some of our key projects that exemplify our shared vision for regenerating cities and improving the quality of life for their residents.


Retail + Office:
Westfield London Extension Phase 2, Shepherd’s Bush, London

Project Size:
Delivered a remarkable 740,000 sq.ft retail extension and URWā€™s new HQ office. 

Innovative Solutions:
Successfully navigated complex roadways and shallow Central Line tunnels, maintaining existing floor levels while expanding the site. 

Design Excellence:
Created a 22m wide, three-storey mall that seamlessly links the extension to the existing centre, enhancing the shopping experience. 

Operational Efficiency:
Kept the retail destination, car park, and cinema fully operational throughout construction. 

Timely Delivery
Completed the Ā£600m project on time and within budget in just 42 months establishing Westfield London as the largest shopping centre in Europe at 2.5m sq.ft.


Office:
14 Westfield Avenue, Stratford, London

Project Size:
Delivered 300,000 sq.ft of premium commercial space. 

Overcoming Constraints:
Skillfully managed challenges posed by a live roadways, and a shallow buried rail line, ensuring minimal disruption. 

Innovative Structure:
Designed a 14-storey office block with a 7m-deep basement, utilizing 3,700 tonnes of steel frame with lightweight decks to optimize space. 

Accelerated Construction:
Enhanced efficiency by reducing the steel piece count, speeding up the build process. 

Sustainability Achievements:
Achieved a 20% lower embodied carbon footprint than industry standards, earning a BREEAM Excellent rating and a spot on the shortlist for an Architects Journal Award.


Office:
12 Westfield Avenue, Stratford, London

Sustainable Design:
Developed adaptable, open-plan floor plates while addressing significant site constraints through a complex 7m-deep basement design. 

Innovative Infrastructure:
Designed new drop-off and crossing points, optimizing access while confirming basement structural zones. 

Smart Shading Solutions:
Integrated interlocking green rooms to provide passive shading and enhance structural stability. 

Structural Exploration:
Evaluated various forms, including post-tensioning, concrete, steel, and timber, to achieve the best outcome. 

Carbon Analysis:
Compared embodied carbon for both substructure and superstructure options, ensuring sustainability remained a top priority.


Residential:
Coppermaker Square, Stratford, London

Project Size:
Delivered 1,225 new rental homes across nine residential towers and mansion blocks ranging from eight to 38 levels as part of the Ā£670M development.

Maximized Value:
Proposed innovative solutions leading to 14% fewer piles and Ā£2.5m savings in structural steel. 

Cost Savings:
Achieved 53% savings in foundation excavation and Ā£1.5m savings in reinforcement through strategic planning. 

Engineering Excellence:
Navigated stability challenges for the tallest residential towers at 38 and 30 storeys, ensuring safety and comfort. 

Enhanced Performance:
Improved modal responses, lateral movement, and occupant comfort through rigorous design validation.

“Our partnership with Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield is built on delivering tailored, impactful solutions that address even the most complex challenges.

Each project not only showcases our adaptability and precision engineering but also underscores our commitment to adding value at every stage.”

Ian Welsh, Managing Director, Walsh

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Taking Sustainability Seriously

Sustainability is in our DNA and we have our own ambitious goals to achieve Net Zero as a business and with our designs. With innovative in-house monitoring tools, Walsh clients have seen on average reductions of 10-20% total embodied carbon, with some of our flagship work achieving 60-70% reductions compared with baseline figures.