GARNHAM STREET
Can we create high quality, desirable living spaces using exposed structure?
Location: Stoke Newington
Status: Completed
Client: Artform
Architect: Dowen Farmer
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Structural Design Brief
CMC foundations.
Exposed concrete frame.
Designed for future expansion.
Delivering this high end, multi-unit development in the heart of London’s vibrant Stoke Newington required meticulous attention to detail and design right from the concept stage. Developing an existing car park would seem like an easy proposition, but the proximity of the Crossrail 2 safeguarding zone required an innovative approach to foundation design.
Utilising Controlled Modulus Columns (CMC) enabled the poor quality ground to be improved without impinging on the exclusion zones below and at a significantly reduced cost from the traditional piled solution.
The driving of concrete shafts into the ground consolidated the weak soils and created direct load transfer routes to the gravel beds below, enabling a shallow foundation solution to be delivered, which in turn simplified the party wall interfaces.
The concrete frame was designed with the capacity to support the addition of a further storey at some time in the future, but this was complicated by tight site constraints and coordination challenges which were overcome with a cantilevering transfer structure over the property entrance. The exposed internal structure was detailed with chamfers on the columns and beams to reflect the detailing of the precast elements of the façade, a detail that had to be considered early in the design coordination process.
