Watkin Road, Wembley

Project Introduction

Watkin Road is an elegant, high quality new 24 storey redevelopment of a brownfield site close to Wembley Stadium, for Barratt London. It will deliver 219 new homes, affordable workspaces, and a carefully considered new public realm.

Galldris initially undertook the groundworks and podium to level 2, the works were complicated by the need to build over an existing 1380×4000 trunk sewer, which is bridged by the main core cap. Excavation and plant loading in the vicinity of the sewer was restricted, dictating the build sequence.

The site footprint is tight, requiring “just in time” delivery processes. The site is located within the Wembley Growth Area and is surrounded by numerous other construction projects in various phases of construction. The superstructure is 24 levels each of 1000m2 up to level 18 where the structure steps back at each level to give a multiple block appearance.

Client:

Architect: De Metz Forbes Knight

Engineer: Walsh

Galldris Value: £4,221,506

Duration: Subcontractor

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A large double core arrangement formed in reinforced concrete provides the main stability structure with 225mm reinforced concrete slabs at each floor. The slab thickness is increased to 275mm at the various roof slabs and formed in waterproof concrete.

The structure was initially serviced by a single 50m luffing jib crane. To meet the clients programme expectation, Galldris provided an additional crane to supplement hook time. A Raptor type crane was positioned within one of the lift cells of the core and jumped twice within the core. The additional hook concentrated on the core construction. This method was chosen over jumpform as it avoided the initial hiatus in the programme whilst the jumpform platform is constructed and the subsequent delay to the lower slab levels whilst the platform clears. This allowed the earliest possible access to following trades.

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