spotlight: schöck Schöck heads to Southwark Schöck and Watermanmeet structural challenges at NEO Bankside


Southwark has experienced significant regeneration in recent decades, with Bankside home to such iconic developments as the Tate Modern, Shakespeare's Globe and the Millennium Bridge. Now there is a new neighbour on the block, NEO Bankside, a stunning 1.5 acre development providing 229 residential units in five separate buildings ranging from six to 24 storeys.


T


he apartments vary in size from studios and one- bedroom to four-bedroom


units, with larger duplex unit penthouses. These are independent pavilion structures and double-height living areas are made possible by the sloping roof plane, with winter gardens as an additional feature. Designed by project architect, Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners


12 Architects Choice


(RSHP), Waterman provided structural engineering and environmental consultancy on the project; and developed the structural system and final geometry, with external stability bracing arranged on a six-storey staggered dia-grid. Each building comprises a concrete frame of columns and flat slabs, the frames stabilised to resist lateral forces by a perimeter bracing system positioned out-board of the cladding. For aesthetics, individual bracing members are steel oval- hollow sections, providing greater structural efficiency under certain critical loading conditions. The bracing has a dual function, to resist lateral building loads and support the triangular winter- gardens via a series of apex ‘nodes’.


PROTECTION AGAINST THERMAL BRIDGING The construction presented significant structural challenges, which extended to the requirement for protection against thermal bridging. This is where Schöck Ltd played a major part with its Isokorb® thermal break modules. The modules offer outstanding thermal insulation properties and dramatically reduce thermal energy loss in connective areas by guaranteeing the homogeneity of the thermal envelope between cantilever structures and the internal slab. They also transfer load, maintain full structural integrity and at the same time enable inner surface area temperatures to remain well in excess of those likely to cause mould formation and condensation. In addition to their exceptional thermal performance ratings, the


Schöck Isokorb®


range allows


connectivity between concrete-to- concrete, concrete-to-steel and steel-to-steel – and provides BBA Certification and LABC Registration. Various configurations of the type K Isokorb®, for concrete-to-concrete


construction are incorporated, plus the type KST. This is usually a steel- to-steel connection, but has been adapted on this occasion for concrete-to-steel connectivity. The two main structural challenges involved the winter gardens and the level above, the penthouse mezzanine winter gardens. The winter gardens are


triangular spaces between the columns and the hangers, which support the points at both ends of the building. These are essentially outside spaces, so the slab requires a thermal break between the winter gardens and the main slab. Also, the hangers are not fire protected, so in the event of a fire, the winter garden slabs will need to safely cantilever from the rest of the building. This meant the Schöck technical team had to resolve two load cases. In the first instance, where the


winter gardens are supported by the hangers, this was relatively simple as only shear forces are involved and the standard type Q Isokorb®


meets this requirement. Structurally more challenging


was the second load case. Should a fire destroy the hangers, and turn the winter garden slabs into cantilevers, then a high bending moment as well as shear force would result. To meet this challenge Schöck designed and supplied bespoke thermal break connectors with a moment


capacity of up to 200kNm/m. It was also clear that the fire strategy would require the Isokorbs to provide two-hour fire protection and to achieve this Schöck incorporated the patented HPC thrust-bearing block into the units. The penthouse mezzanine


winter gardens are steel structures with beams connected to the reinforced concrete slab. Conventionally the Schöck Isokorb®


type KS, for concrete-to-


steel, would be used here. However, the high forces acting at the connection meant that an adapted KST (for steel-to-steel connectivity) was the chosen solution, with the KST units being bolted to an endplate and then cast into the concrete. 


For further information telephone 0845 241 3390 or visit www.schoeck.co.uk


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