Coastal and marine

Key to all aspects of engineering coastal sites is consideration of the environmental aspects from materials, sustainability and ecology to low impact construction techniques and long-term maintenance requirements. Increasingly, climate change plays an important role in delivering projects, even when not adjacent to the coast, or a water course. During their lifecycles projects take into consideration increased flows, water levels, storminess, sea level rise and increasing surface water run off. Our team brings innovative design solutions to these primary challenges.

Our links within the industry and academia ensure that we are leaders in a rapidly developing industry. Our expertise extends to the use of a wide range of computer modelling tools, including HEC RAS, ISIS and Tuflow for Rivers, and CEDAS, DIVAST, TRIVAST and RMA models for coastal engineering. These technical packages are supported by a range of GIS platforms, interpretive software and presentation tools.

Our team delivers coastal engineering solutions from concept to completion. The coastal zone is a highly complex and sensitive environment that is in a constant state of change. Wave, current and tidal conditions can vary widely along short lengths of coastline and this means that substantial effort is required to define parameters for the design of coastal structures.

Introducing structures into a coastal zone can affect the balance of the physical environment. Breakwaters and groyne structures modify littoral drift characteristics and sediment transport along large stretches of coastline. The introduction of such structures can be used to great effect to improve coastal protection or create beaches for leisure and tourism.

We develop coastal management strategies and provide advice on the management and conservation of the coastline. This covers the assessment of alongshore/littoral drift including accretion and erosion patterns to beach design, nourishment and maintenance and the design of breakwaters, revetments and rip rap protection. We design jetties, quay walls, reclamations and other coastal structures.

Our coastal expertise includes the following services:

  • Analysis of wave, current and storm surge
  • Analysis of wave impact forces, overtopping and wave run up
  • Specification and management of physical and numerical modelling

Related disciplines

  • Bridges & civil structures

    The bridges and civil engineering structures team at Buro Happold are experts in the design, construction and maintenance of bridges, tunnels and complex highway structures.

  • Coastal and marine

    Key to all aspects of engineering coastal sites is consideration of the environmental aspects from materials, sustainability and ecology to low impact construction techniques and long-term maintenance requirements.

  • Drainage and storm water management

    Water Resource Management (WRM) is the process by which all elements of the water cycle are considered within a project. It is increasingly important that water is considered as a single, finite resource.

  • Earthworks

    Our team is highly experienced in investigating, analysing, testing and managing the movement of earth and other material around a site to establish formation levels for building and landscaping.

  • Flood risk

    Water management is a key element in virtually all building and urban regeneration projects. To maximise the potential of our developments in a sustainable and environmentally responsible way, effective water management is vital.

  • Geoenvironmental

    The rise in urban regeneration schemes and the need to conserve green spaces in towns and city centres means that many developments are now situated on old industrial brownfield sites. With this transition brings special challenges - cost, risk and liability.

  • Geotechnical

    Buro Happold’s geotechnical group provides its clients with the capability to complete structural, building and civil engineering solutions.

  • Highway engineering

    Highway engineering forms a key part of Buro Happold’s Infrastructure group. With an integrated approach to major urban strategies and masterplan projects, our highway design experts work on some of the most high profile and ambitious projects in the world.

  • People movement

    In the wider built environment, Buro Happold’s People Movement management capability has been applied to optimise circulation in a whole multitude of areas.

  • Transport planning

    Buro Happold’s transport planning team provides a wide range of services to both private and public sector clients. Our team values its client relationships very highly and considers them vital to the success of the project, be it local or international.

  • Utilities engineering

    Utilities infrastructure strategy is an important aspect of any land development or masterplanning process and provides a mechanism for bringing all aspects of development together.

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Buro Happold

Project

Qianhai urban design of pilot zone

28/02/2013

Qianhai is being developed as the new central business district of Shenzhen on the coast of Da Chan Bay. Buro Happold and Field Operations scope of work was to focus on a pilot zone of 465 hectares comprising of waterfront open space, two river water parks and the urban planning of Guimian sub-district within the wider Masterplan of Qianhai. Buro Happold’s aim was to develop sustainable solutions across the site covering water, waste, energy, and traffic.

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Buro Happold

Project

Gia Lam Masterplan

08/02/2013

A new environmentally responsible masterplan is set for a new urban district to the northwest of Hanoi. The development include medium to high end residential accommodation for up to 60,000 people, a business district, university accommodation for the Agricultural University , Science Park and leisure areas.

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Happold Consulting

Project

KAMA Tri-City Integrated Masterplan

22/11/2012

The Kama Tri-City region is one of the major industrial centres in Russia. It sits upon 30% of the world’s potash resources, a key fertiliser, and also holds metals, oil and gas reserves. It should be a buoyant area. All the major businesses together with new players have plans for expansion. Instead it is suffering from a declining working-age population and increasing proportion of elderly residents.

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Buro Happold

Project

Sahl Hasheesh International Resort Community

31/05/2011

The Sahl Hasheesh International Resort Community is located on the Red Sea coast some 30k south of Hurghada. The development covering 41km² is designed to provide a fully integrated resort and residential community through world...

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Louvre Abu Dhabi Thumbnail
Buro Happold

Project

Louvre Abu Dhabi

26/05/2011

In March 2007, the Tourist Development and Investment Company of Abu Dhabi announced that a new Louvre Museum would be completed in the city of Abu Dhabi. The new museum’s dramatic domed roof is undoubtedly the strongest feature...

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Sabah Al Ahmed Sea City Thumbnail
Buro Happold

Project

Sabah Al Ahmad Sea City

26/05/2011

The site of the Sabah Al Ahmad Sea City development is adjacent to the Arabian Gulf coastline, 85km south of Kuwait City. From two environmentally impoverished hyper saline creeks, an ecologically rich waterway city is growing....

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Buro Happold

Project

Royal Shakespeare Theatre

11/05/2011

Redefining historical cultural spaces requires a certain set of skills: vision, perception and a delicate touch. The redevelopment of the Royal Shakespeare Theatre included the creation of a 1,030 seat auditorium with a thrust...

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Buro Happold

Project

Hayle Harbour Redevelopment

05/05/2011

Hayle Harbour was constructed in the mid 18th century and until the 1970s served as one of Cornwall’s major industrial harbours. Located within the Hayle Estuary on the southern side of St Ives Bay on the north-west...

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Buro Happold

News

Buro Happold undertakes South Humber Channel Marine Studies for renewable energy proposals

06/08/2010

Yorkshire Forward commissions consultancy as part of environmental studies team Situated on the east coast of north England, the Humber Estuary is the UK’s largest port complex, handling on average 40,000 ship movements...

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Contacts

UK

Buro Happold

Paul Brenton

Associate Director

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