Structural Openings, New Bond Street, Mayfair
GSS was engaged to undertake structural alterations to reconfigure the ground floor for commercial premises in Mayfair.
The work was undertaken in two phases, the first forming a large structural opening using a sacrificial stooling technique to create additional event space at ground floor level. This work was completed adjacent to an active part of the premises open to the public. During the works, 4 major events were held without disruption. Structurally, the challenge was to maximise headroom using an arrangement of 4 adjacent beams to minimise section depth.
The second phase involved reconfiguration of the Reception by:
- Extending sideways the ground floor level of an existing 3 storey steel frame to give a wider span and greater width to the reception.
- Forming a 6m opening in a major load-bearing wall, including new bored temporary cased piled foundation from basement level in 3.1m of headroom installed with one of our 1.5T mini piling rigs.
- Enlarging an existing staggered 3 part box frame with top beams tight to the soffit (and rooms above still occupied) required the frame to be supported on temporary works and removed sequentially while maintaining support above, to allow a new frame to be installed.
The second phase was complicated by limited details of the existing structure. Once opening up works were complete, the scope increased significantly. The programme was constrained by a fixed re-opening date, necessitating rapid design development and detailing, together with additional resources to complete the work as quickly as possible. GSS successfully delivered the increased scope with no extension required.
