40 Portman Square, London

Role: Project lead structural engineer for Ove Arup

A prestigious Landmark £36.5 million 10 storey luxury mixed use building located on Portman Square  in Mayfair, providing over 9000 m2 of offices and 2000m2 of residential space.

One of the structural challenges was to efficiently re-use two existing basements from the adjoining building plots. Thus the structure is a steel frame of long span fabricated beams and composite floors about a central braced steel core. The compact central core and long span floors allow for an open plan office arrangement.  An innovative suspension system concealed within the dry lined walls of the residential floors permits the 42m wide northern elevation of the sixth floor office to be entirely unobstructed by columns. The weight saving from using steel determined that single piles for each column were feasible with consequential large savings to cost and programme.

David was the lead structural engineer for Arup on this project from inception to completion.

Architect: Squire and Partners

Completed: 1997

IStructE Awards, Shortlisted, 2009

Finalist, Structural Steel Awards, 2009

Finalist, Natural Stone Awards, 2010

Winner, Office Development Awards, 2009

Shortlisted, BCO Awards, 2010