Both the Crow’s Nest and Apple Kunming have attracted recognition with prestigious global awards – representing the breadth of Eckersley O’Callaghan’s work in the UK and overseas, producing diverse engineering solutions tailored to each context.
It is always great when our collaborations win awards, especially when they come from international audiences. It reiterates that quality design has the reach to transcend borders
Apple Kunming
Location: Kunming, China
Architect: IDA
Client: Apple
Apple Kunming, China, is an innovative pavilion structure designed in collaboration with Integrated Design Associates. Eckersley O’Callaghan engineered a structure finely composed of cutting-edge materials – glass, CFRP, and acrylic – in a seismic region, completed by operable glass doors all around its perimeter.
Awards
- ENR Global Best Projects 2017, Retail/Mixed-Use Development category – Winner
- Structural Awards, Structural Artistry category – Commendation
Eckersley O’Callaghan has engineered the pavilion and staircase for the new Apple store located in the Shuncheng Mall Plaza in Kunming, China. The pavilion combines glass, CFRP, and acrylic – unconventional construction materials – to interact and perform together as an efficient and elegant structural system.
The unique challenge of the project was incorporating the 24 opening glass doors around the perimeter of the structure. The structural system includes 8 sets of 5.4m high glass ‘U-columns’. These are laminated, fully tempered glass with SentryGlas interlayers.
The ‘U-columns’ support a carbon fibre reinforced polymer (CFRP) roof (20.9m diameter) with a central oculus of clear acrylic (8.3m diameter) above a glass spiral staircase leading down into the subterranean store. The 24 glass doors (16 swing and 8 pivot) are located between the fixed ‘U-columns’ and are mechanically operated. When the doors are open, the arrangement enables customers to enter the store from all directions.
Detailed consideration, technical analysis and testing was required to justify new innovations including the titanium fittings for the doors. The sensitivity of the structure to the movements of the supporting concrete slab is accommodated by careful detailing which responds to the exact performance requirements.
Images: Eckersley O’Callaghan, IDA , Hufton + Crow
The Crow’s Nest
Location: Dorset, UK
Architect: AR Design Studio
Client: Private
The Crow’s Nest is a collaboration with AR Design Studio – Eckersley O’Callaghan engineered a bold, yet pragmatic, solution for a home located at the foot of a cliff prone to severe ground movements. A system of relevelling adjustment was engineered, giving the owner the confidence to invest in quality architecture.
Awards
- UK Property Awards 2017-2018
- The American Architecture Prize 2017
- Structural Awards, Structures in Extreme Conditions category – Shortlisted
Set in an active landslip zone on the cliff tops of Lyme Regis sits a private residential building where the client was looking to extend their holiday home. During the planning process, and following the unprecedented rainfall during the winter of 2014, there was subsidence close to the house and the decision was made to replace it entirely.
The requirement changed to a completely new home where Eckersley O’Callaghan engineered a structural solution to prevent future failure. A concrete foundation was cast into the ground with a series of strategically placed dwarf walls built on top of it. A structural steel frame was then laid on top of the walls to act as an adjustable raft in case of future movement. Beneath the frame, there are specific places for mechanical jacks to be positioned so that the house can be securely releveled.
Utilising reinforced concrete piles and grillage of ground beams, the foundations allow the building to sit lightly on the landscape whilst offering the necessary support in the event of movement due to landslip activity.
The lightweight timber frame superstructure is supported off the steelwork. Isolated steel elements exist in the superstructure to help create large open plan spaces and asymmetric roof profiles as well as framing for the sliding doors to create a dramatic view over the cliff tops and sea beyond.
