Eden NW2 (Cricklewood Broadway)

Lean engineering design unlocks viability on mixed-use scheme

Historically, the site housed The Galtymore dancehall, a prominent venue for the Irish community in London since its opening in 1952. It was renowned for hosting famous musicians and was a central hub for social gatherings until its closure in 2008. Through strategic value engineering and thoughtful design, Eden NW2 revitalises this historically significant site while enhancing the urban fabric of Cricklewood with modern residential and retail spaces.

Walsh were initially approached by the D&B contractor in late 2023 to review the incumbent engineer’s design, as the project faced significant viability issues.

We conducted a comprehensive value engineering exercise, identifying opportunities to streamline the design by removing unnecessary columns and foundations and reducing beam and slab thicknesses. These modifications allowed for raising the basement level, significantly reducing excavation requirements and ensuring the project’s financial feasibility.

With piling scheduled to commence shortly after our appointment, we swiftly coordinated with the architect to implement key value engineering changes and redesign the foundations, ensuring adherence to the ambitious project timeline.

The development required a seamless transition from the residential grid above to the retail grid below, encompassing the Asda and the car park. Leveraging extensive experience in similar mixed-use schemes, we designed long-spanning post-tensioned beams and slabs, providing open spaces for the superstore while maintaining flexibility for the residential layouts above.

We also designed changes to the adjacent private road (Depot Approach) and amendments to the public Cricklewood Broadway under a Section 278 agreement with the council, ensuring improved accessibility and integration with the surrounding infrastructure.

Our value engineering initiatives led to substantial material savings, including approximately 2,000m³ of reduced excavation due to the elevated basement level and 1,000m³ of concrete eliminated from the frame, accounting for about 10% of the total volume.

Our design optimisations contributed to a more efficient construction programme, facilitating timely project delivery and cost-effectiveness.