Another project, another masterclass in logistical and operational know-how. Following a competitive tender, WellMax was appointed to provide scaffolding for the redevelopment of this 1980s construction office block at London Bridge, into Grade A office accommodation and retail space.
We worked alongside contractor General Demolition to erect a standard independent scaffold to enable the roof, the top 2 floors and all external cladding and windows to be removed. We also provided scaffolding to facilitate various internal structural alterations including the removal of lift shafts and risers.
This was an extremely complex project. Located in the heart of the City at the junction of King William Street, Cannon Street and Gracechurch Street, the site is surrounded by busy streets which required extensive planning. Much of the installation works were conducted out-of-hours and lack of space at the site required deliveries to be carefully coordinated with the Client. We installed a beam hoist as this was the only way to access materials.
WellMax’s initial contract was to provide pavement gantries for the protection of the general public and removal of demolition waste, to have minimal impact on the traffic and pedestrians around this project WellMax’s engineering department opted for a cantilevered debris chute over the northbound traffic exiting from London Bridge. This would allow waste to be removed much more efficiently from the building and in turn allow the project to stay on schedule. WellMax also provided demolition containment scaffolds to all elevations and a heavy duty goods hoist to enable vertical transportation of materials within the building envelope.
The proximity of the site to the Crossrail development at Bank Station also provided challenges. A strict horizontal and vertical exclusion zone restricted space on the building’s Arthur Street elevation, requiring us to install suspended platforms which placed increased loads on the building. This phase of the works had to be carefully planned to ensure that loads would be spread sufficiently.
WellMax was then retained to provide scaffolding during the refurbishment phase, including facilitating the construction of two new floors, extension of the external slab and installation of a new Portland stone façade. Due to the Crossrail restriction, we designed and erected a high-level monorail system to allow the cladding to be installed on the Arthur Street elevation.
As many as 22 WellMax operatives worked on-site during the enabling phase.
