Projects to look out for in 2021: part I
There is much to look forward to in 2021.
Despite the challenges of last year, Buro Happold’s consultants and engineers remain on schedule, putting the finishing touches to complex, beautiful buildings due to open this year. Here are five projects opening in 2021 that we can’t wait to see.
1. Manchester Jewish Museum, UK
Unique historic buildings need careful care, both in conserving their form, as well as adapting and expanding them for future use. The Manchester Jewish Museum is one such structure – based in the city’s oldest synagogue, originally built in 1874, it houses over 30,000 objects, including personal items and Torah scrolls from WW1, documenting the establishment of the local Jewish community.
When Buro Happold was asked to work on a major two-storey extension to the Museum, we made sure we provided a CARE-registered engineer for the work, as it was crucial that the new extension respected and complemented the existing structure. Our discrete structural design achieves this, concealing the structure wherever possible, to respect the building’s historic facade. Our engineers also utilised a braced steel frame, with a long-span form that reduces the need for internal columns.
Another crucial element of the design involved improving the museum’s energy performance. The building now utilises air source heat pumps to provide heating and cooling, and a combination of passive and mechanical ventilation throughout different spaces. Sustainable features such as cycle stores and efficient water fittings were adopted, and materials sourced locally wherever possible.
The two-storey extension almost doubles the size of the museum and provides new galleries, learning and event spaces and a café. The project also includes the full restoration of the existing structure.
2. Ocean Park Tai Shue Wan Water Park Development, Hong Kong
We will all need some fun this year, restrictions permitting. This 48,000m2 water park at Ocean Park in Hong Kong will open in 2021, and feature water slides and indoor wave pools that will be open to the elements during the summer but still achieve comfortable conditions without using air conditioning.
Buro Happold has been appointed as engineering services design consultant, advising on optimizing the building envelope to achieve the required environmental control, as well setting key performance measures for sustainability. Ocean Park is a long-standing destination for Hong Kong residents and tourists, and already features a marine mammal park, oceanarium, animal and amusement park. The new water park will add to the attractions already available at this popular park in the southern area of the city.
3. Seaport District Block L4 Tower, Boston, USA
Provision of outside space has never been more important in urban development. This community-focused building in the heart of Boston’s Seaport District is the first phase of a four-building block surrounding an urban park and is designed to include outdoor terraces on alternating floors and the “Paseo” – a street-level public promenade lined with shops and a central amphitheatre. The 18-storey, 525,000ft2 tower includes 15 floors of modern commercial workspace, as well as two levels of retail and underground parking.
Buro Happold is providing MEP and fire protection engineering, as well as audiovisual, IT, security, sustainability, energy modelling, and structural peer review services. To support the early design decisions related to floor-floor heights and core configuration, we worked with Gensler to lay out system distribution options with primary vertical risers and horizontal distribution pathways.
Our team also worked to identify integrated design goals related to occupant comfort, energy savings, and system design. Buro Happold studied the impact of triple glazing and determined that its additional cost was largely offset by the resulting elimination of the perimeter heating system, which was no longer required. To support the rigorous Article 37 process, Buro Happold also worked with Gensler to complete all documentation related to resiliency, LEED, energy savings and renewable energy studies.
4. Generation Park, Warsaw, Poland
Three structures, three challenges for Buro Happold’s Warsaw team. Located in the heart of Warsaw’s rapidly growing business centre, Generation Park is a high-class three-building office complex made up of two high-rise buildings and one skyscraper.
Engineering challenges at Generation Park include the fact that the foundations of the respective buildings were at different heights. The close proximity of the buildings was also logistically difficult, as was the need to work around a nearby metro tunnel.
The client is aiming for LEED Platinum C&S certification, and set targets of 40% reduction in water consumption and a 24% reduction in energy costs. In addition to this, the client wanted to eliminate as many sound silencers as possible and reduce electrical energy consumption. Our engineers analysed a few options and delivered acoustical calculations to prove that a no-silencers approach was achievable. We then installed mechanical ventilation fresh air supply systems based on active chilled beams, providing better indoor air quality, more control and improved comfort for those within the buildings.
At all design phases, Buro Happold delivered energy analysis reports to find out the best solutions for each of the three buildings, starting with the glazing area, external and internal shading and facade parameters.
5. Museum of the Future, UAE
The 2021 opening of this torus-shaped building will be eagerly welcomed by Dubai residents who have watched it take shape as they drive past the site on the Sheikh Zayed Road. Occupying a prime urban location adjacent to the Emirates Towers, the Museum of the Future breaks away from convention in both style and substance, representing a radical alternative to the traditional skyscraper form as well as challenging conventional attitudes to designing the spaces we inhabit.
The 3D Arabic poetry on the facade, written by HH Sheikh Mohamed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum expresses his vision for the future of Dubai. Translating the artistic and symbolic concepts inherent in the design into a 30,000m2 (approx.) building clad in stainless steel was always going to be a challenge for our Buro Happold team.
Our specialist engineers developed bespoke in-house optimisation routines to model and analyse numerous options for the structure to achieve the iconic torus shape. The resulting complex diagrid framework is capable of supporting the 890 stainless steel and glass fibre reinforced polymer (GFRP) panels that form the intricate silvery facade.
Working in a BIM environment also proved invaluable in working towards achieving the LEED Platinum accreditation stipulated by our client. We created a 3D energy model in which all 12 disciplines could interact in real time, agreeing more than 50 sustainable design decisions that resulted in a range of tangible benefits, including a 45% reduction in water use and total energy savings of 25%.
