Project: Marble Arch Tower

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Project: Marble Arch Tower

Role: Consultant [AD]

01 – Technical Expertise

In this project, my role was that of a consultant rather than the project lead. I was responsible for delivering the structural design for several critical components, including the core design, massive transfer walls, and a steel transfer structure for the RC cores.

A key challenge was designing a transfer structure to temporarily support the core, as requested by the contractor. This approach allowed for simultaneous excavation of the five-storey basement and core construction, providing significant savings in both cost and program time, which would have been delayed if the works were sequenced.

The design and solution provided were central to overcoming the construction challenges. For further details, refer to the development of similar designs showcased on other areas of the website.

02 – Leadership and Management Skills

Managing the design of the core transfer structure required numerous conversations with both the client and internally. One of the most challenging aspects was convincing stakeholders that investing in a temporary steel structure, which would cost upwards of a million pounds, was a viable and worthwhile option.

03 – Communication and Stakeholder Management

The main challenges here were internal. As I was new to the team, I had to quickly earn the trust of my colleagues to ensure that we could work collaboratively. Despite having all the technical expertise, I had to lean on charisma and interpersonal skills to rally my team of four graduate engineers, who didn’t have the time to fully engage with the inventive solutions in place. In this scenario, my ability to lead through influence and communication played a key role.

04 – Financial and Commercial Acumen

While I wasn't directly in charge of the financial aspects, I was tasked with accommodating the requirements set by the project director. I made sure that my design work aligned with the project’s overall budgetary and timeline constraints.

05 – Personal Qualities

My structural engineering intuition was crucial in identifying design failures in the original plans. Before proposing major design changes, I carefully navigated internal dynamics and managed egos, ensuring that the necessary adjustments were accepted and made to complete the project successfully.

5 Quality Assurance and Compliance (Marble Arch)