FEATURE BOND STREET STATION


BEHINDTHE SCENES UNDERGROUND


ONCE THE TUNNEL BORING MACHINE STARTS COMING FROM PADDINGTON, THE CLOCK IS TICKING


JAMES MELVILL


Associate structural engineer since September 2009


“I started on the western ticket hall, but I’ve worked


on the eastern one too. Designing to meet all of the interfaces was one of the largest day-to-day challenges, as well as trying to find a solution that works best for everybody.


Change happens constantly on Crossrail, and we have to respond to that. It may not be your part of the job, but a change anywhere else has an impact on you. That’s the real crux of this project – everything is connected because of the tunnel. When the tunnelling contractor came on board, they proposed a more efficient method that required a massive change to the eastern ticket hall. That meant that last year we were working under very high pressure. Once the boring machine starts coming in from Paddington, the clock is ticking. We’re the next station on the line, and the machine can’t stop for too long as it might get stuck in the clay. The good thing about this project is that while it has been a lot of work and a lot of pressure, we understood the value of what was being delivered. It’s never just because someone changes their mind.


One of the best things has been the opportunity to work in a colocated environment, sitting with the architect, the clients, and the other framework design consultants. There are unique elements of each station, but inside they all have to look the same. We’ve been able to sit down with the lead engineers on other stations and find ways to solve problems. We’re all working towards the same goal, and it’s important to build relationships. We can just get up and chat here, so it’s a lot more face-to-face.”


ADAM WILSON


Lead CDM coordinator and engineering safety manager since November 2010


HEALTH AND SAFETY ISN’T ABOUT TICKING BOXES


“I joined the project on a contract basis, but now I’m working permanently for WSP. One of the things that really impressed me about the company was that the management team recognise that health and safety and CDM is a core part of what we do. It’s really good to have that leadership and support from the top. WSP wants to do the right thing, rather than just ticking the boxes and walking away; it is about providing the right design solution.


In the rail industry, safety is of paramount concern, and Crossrail has a very stringent project assurance programme to make sure everything is done correctly, and is evidenced and supportable.


You can’t really talk about a typical day with health and safety, as it touches every part of a project. I might be preparing safety evidence reports, leading on design coordination, managing the CDM design risk register, or getting involved in the technical details. I’m generally around to provide advice to the multidisciplinary team. That’s what I like about the role – you’re not looking at one piece of a design, you have an overview of the whole project, and are able to join the bits up to make the designers’ lives easier.


We work closely with the client to highlight issues, but also to present solutions. Just because you hit the requirements or are “compliant”, it doesn’t mean the station is safe; often you have to go beyond the contract requirements to meet your legal duties, which people generally still don’t understand. That’s why we spend a lot of time and effort going through the design to make sure it’s the right solution. But we never do it in a confrontational way. It’s about trying to work with people to empower them to do the right thing.”


THERE ARE MANY CONSTRAINTS, BUT IT’S ABOUT USING THOSE TOCREATE WORLD-CLASS ARCHITECTURE


GIUSEPPE MESSINA


John McAslan + Partners, architect since 2009


“We are the lead


architect on Bond Street, working for WSP as a subconsultant to develop the design in collaboration with all the other disciplines. It’s a partnership we’ve enjoyed before.


What’s different about Bond Street compared to other stations is that we’ve been commissioned to follow the design to stage F1, rather than stage E, so we have more control over how it progresses once the contractor takes over. We always felt that design quality should not be compromised in such a prominent location, and the client agreed.


As much as 90% of Bond Street is below ground, which presents many constraints and limitations. It’s about how you use those to create world-class, memorable architecture. The brief specifies the quality we need to achieve but doesn’t indicate ‘how.’ So we’ve had a free rein to look at all sorts of solutions, which can be exhausting… The station must have a 120-year life span, so we’re striving to create a timeless, everlasting feel.


We had to find a language to explain our design philosophy to the wider team, so they understood why we wanted to make the structural beams expressive, or the columns smaller. Conceptual images, often just 3D hand sketches, helped to show how it would feel in the space and get the whole team to focus on one solution. Once that trust is gained, it’s easier to resolve issues and work together to meet some tough deadlines.”


12 SOLUTIONS

Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16