Embassy Gardens

Delivering complex mixed-use developments sustainably

This prestigious mixed-use development demonstrates Walsh’s ability to deliver large multi-phase sites. It sits on a former gas works site resulting in heavy contamination, a scour feature in the northern half of the site further complicates the ground. Walsh worked with each of the design teams to avoid basements while giving careful consideration to foundation construction.

A number of architects worked across the eight plots resulting in a variety of architectural styles and expressions. Walsh were able to develop a standard frame system across the residential sites using long-span P.T flat slab construction that allowed flexibility for apartment layouts and resulted in a regular open column grid in the low-level commercial spaces.

Two particularly notable features of the residential buildings are the high-level bridge blocks on plots A10 and the tenth floor swimming pool spanning between blocks A4 and A5. Walsh designed the bridging blocks as steel and concrete hybrid structures using Vierendeel trusses to span between adjacent blocks. Walsh also worked with the post designers to ensure that differential horizontal and vertical building movements could be resisted by the pool at support points.

Plot A02 provides approximately 18,000m2 of office space over eleven storeys. Walsh worked with the team to produce a very economical design while keeping within a stringent brief of a British Council for Offices (BCO) compliant building with an Excellent BREAAM rating. We produced designs in several structural systems in steel and concrete for initial costing.

Full costings were developed for all of the structural systems for the superstructure and substructure including knock-on effects to cladding and servicing a post-tensioned concrete scheme was favoured by both the QS and Project Manager and developed through to RIBA Stage 4.