COPTHALL AVENUE
Can we create prime city office space and maximise net lettable areas, without demolishing historic buildings?
Location: London Wall
Status: On Site
Client: LM Stern
Architect: Stiff + Trevillion Architects
:
Structural Design Brief
Add 2 floors and roof terrace to exiting 5 floor building
Reuse of cast and wrought iron frame
Reuse of foundation
Located just off London wall, in between Moorgate, Liverpool Street and Bank stations, in the heart of the city, this historic structure was originally constructed in 1888 as a print house, later to be used as a bank. The frame had been significantly altered historically, with very little record information available, so the fabric investigations were crucial in determining the potential for the building. The cast iron columns and wrought iron beams supported a clinker concrete floor.
Through retention of the frame and re-use of the foundations we identified the capacity to support two new storeys and a roof terrace- increasing the lettable area by 60% with only one column needing strengthening for one level. With only a narrow local road for access for the site, which needed to be maintained for others use throughout the works, early consideration of construction logistics was essential in developing the right structural solution for the scheme.
