Victory Plaza

Redesigning in-situ concrete frame for innovative, fast-track build MMC approach

Walsh identified several key savings across the development the most significant was to change the piling and reduce the tower core sizes. These savings along with a proactive approach won the contract with Mace for the implementation of the development.

Walsh commenced work on the N08 project following a design review of the stage D plans at the request of project managers Arcadis. The developer had engaged with Mace and Walsh won the implementation of the project through a value engineering review of the proposed structural plans.

During the design development of stage E works, Mace introduced a new building concept “the rising factory”. This form of construction was a radical departure from traditional concrete frame high-rise building. The rising factory or jump factory is to build a steel warehouse over the tower footprint which is supported on jacks located on the corner columns of the tower. This created an indoor construction site – improving noise, reducing safety risks and preventing environmental delays.

Within the warehouse, two travelling cranes hoist all building materials up into itself. This enables the structure to be built with the cladding, the bathroom pods, the risers, utility cabinets and partitions, all within an enclosed environment.

To enable the rising factory Walsh worked with Mace to convert the building from an in-situ concrete frame to a fully precast frame, using omina flat slabs and cores built in twin wall.

Redesigning the project for an MMC approach allowed each floor to be installed (bar second-fix, decorating and FF&E) in just one week delivering programme savings. 98% of each floorplate was constructed off-site which dramatically reduced defects. Learnings along the way meant that the final floors took just 39 hours to complete.