Project Update: Telephone House, Malborough Street

This project entails the refurbishment, extension, and conversion of a 1960’s commercial office building into a 290-bedroom aparthotel. There are several technical structural challenges not typically encountered in new-build construction, such as:

• Structural surveys and full assessment of the existing sub-structures and superstructure for change of use loading as well as two additional levels.
• Consideration of differential settlement risk between existing and new build structural elements and through reuse of foundations.
• Retrofitting of vertical ties using near surface carbon fibre reinforcement to this predominantly precast structure to meet the robustness requirements of the current building regulations.
• Upgrades to fire resistance levels of selected elements of the concrete frame to meet the fire rating requirements of the taller building.
• Structural adaptation to facilitate Marlborough St. façade alterations at ground to second floor levels.
• Provision of a full height temporary steel bracing system to maintain the lateral stability of the building during demolition of the existing core, to make way for the new cores and horizontal floor plate extension.

Barrett Mahony Consulting Engineers were engaged at concept stage by JMK Group and have worked collaboratively with the dedicated and talented design team through planning, tender and now construction phases.
We’re delighted to now see the structural works progressing at pace, through the excellent work of Stewart Construction.

This project is a wonderful example of collaboration across the full project team to bring a significant city centre building back to life and thereby provide significant embodied carbon savings when compared against demolition and new-build construction.

JMK Group
Stewart Construction
JFA
Homan O'Brien
Mitchell McDermott
Eamon O'Boyle and Associates, Fire Safety & Event Safety Management
DCON Safety Consultants Limited

Assigned