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Buildings & structures
Buildings & structurestower/high-rise

Broadgate Tower

London, England · 2004-2009 · Not readily available

The judgement call

Account-gated at launch

Innovative structural system: The steel-framed 'tube' structure with side-mounted cores allowed for flexible floor plates and efficient construction over the railway. - Construction over live railway: Required careful planning and execution to minimize disruption to railway operations. - Sustainable construction: Efforts to reduce embodied carbon by replacing cement with sustainable alternatives.

Key engineering challenges

Constructing a tall building over an active railway station (Liverpool Street Station). - Designing a steel-framed 'tube' structure with side-mounted cores to maximize internal space. - Achieving a long clear span (78m) over the railway lines. - Integrating double-deck elevators for efficient vertical transportation.

Project facts

Client / owner
British Land
Lead contractor
Skanska
Lead designers
SOM (Skidmore, Owings & Merrill)
Project type
new build
Scale
Height: 161.3 m (529 ft), 33 storeys, steel-framed 'tube' structure, side-mounted cores
Disciplines
Architecture; Structural Engineering; Civil Engineering
Standards & frameworks
UK Building Regulations (implied)

Sources: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Broadgate_Tower; https://www.som.com/projects/201-bishopsgate-and-the-broadgate-tower/; https://www.newcivilengineer.com/archive/the-beast-of-broadgate-01-09-2006/; https://www.skyscrapercenter.com/building/the-broadgate-tower/3257