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BURO HAPPOLD ON 

RESIDENTIAL

BURO HAPPOLD 

RESIDENTIAL 

res.i.dence 

ORIGIN late Middle English: from Old French, or from 

medieval Latin residentia, from Latin residere ‘remain’ 

We work to create desirable places where people want to be. Balancing the practical requirements of end 

users with architectural aesthetics, navigating intricate planning requirements and overcoming resource 

limitations to achieve affordability without compromise on quality: this is what Buro Happold does best. 

Buro Happold on Residential 

The world is changing. Cities are growing, people are more 

mobile and the planet is becoming smaller and more 

fragile. For some, making a place called home is becoming 

increasingly difficult. 

Constraints in land availability, particularly in growing urban 

areas, difficult economic conditions, the push to reduce the 

carbon embedded in housing and dwindling energy resources 

worldwide, are all challenges which Buro Happold is helping 

its clients overcome. 

The residential sector is increasingly interesting to investors 

keen to take advantage of a market in which every property, 

providing the price is right, can be relied upon to be let or 

sold. In the UK it is estimated that one in five households will 

be renting their homes from a private landlord or agent by 

2016, creating a huge opportunity for new rental properties 

to be brought to market. The last few years have seen a small 

increase in the percentage of US homes which are rented and 

emerging economies are seeing growing urbanisation create 

huge demand for accommodation within cities. 

The end clients in this sector are as varied as the properties 

they buy. Individual tenants and purchasers, buy to let 

landlords, high net worth individuals, property developers 

and collective investment companies are all represented. What 

unifies these clients is the need to maximise their investment, 

ensuring that they secure quality properties at appropriate 

prices. Whether affordable homes at the lower end of the 

market, or super-prime developments in exclusive locations; 

value and margin remain the key considerations. 

At the top of the market, to ensure the finished product will 

achieve its full value even the smallest detail must be perfect. 

Quality and craftsmanship may come before budget, but this 

is not a license to spend clients’ money. Rather it is a challenge 

to identify what creates value and to concentrate the efforts of 

our designers in achieving this. At all levels, intelligent design 

can produce cost effective solutions; with the innovative use 

of materials, or use of advanced structural analysis to create 

breath-taking designs which help set properties apart from 

the crowd. 

There is a fundamental need to create sustainable homes able 

to adapt to changing climate conditions. The natural world is 

a precious resource that we squander at our peril and growing 

concern for the environment has put sustainable development 

at the top of the social, regulatory and corporate agenda. How 

we interact with the environment is one of the major themes 

and challenges of the 21st century and governments are 

increasing the pressure on homeowners and developers to 

find ways to reduce their energy use and carbon emissions. 

The residential sector provides considerable opportunity 

for high quality redevelopment to bring existing buildings, 

including sensitive and heritage properties, back into use. 

However, it is not all about the large scale and the iconic – 

projects such as Retrofit for the Future are showing the way for 

small scale redevelopment of residential property. 

Perhaps more than any other sector, the residential sector 

provides opportunities for large and small scale developments 

which are inspiring, individual, culturally responsive, 

sustainable and commercially viable. Buro Happold is excited 

to be leading the march to challenge traditional ideas of what 

a home should be and creating better places for people to live, 

work and play. 

2

Prestigious mixed use development 

in Pudong area of Shanghai 

Highly sustainable design built 

to LEED Platinum rating 

Pudong bounded by Huangpu 

River and the East China Sea 

Steel x-columns cleverly integrated into 

structure to maximise usable space 

Tongshan Street, Shanghai, China 

Architect: Pelli Clarke Pelli Image: Pelli Clarke Pelli 

Buro Happold

OUR 

EXPERIENCE 

Buro Happold has more than four decades of experience in the residential sector, with projects ranging 

in size and scope from multi-million dollar apartment blocks, such as Skybox, Worli Towers and Dubai 

Mixed Use, right down to individual homes and property upgrades. 

Our combined expertise in developing inspirational new 

buildings and breathing new life into existing and historic 

properties has enabled us to work on some of the most 

exciting, innovative and valuable residential projects across 

the world. We are showing the way forward in designing 

buildings that tread lightly on the environment. Our projects 

are not only cost effective to build and operate, but have 

flexibility built in; utilising technologies with the capacity to 

reduce energy costs and future-proof buildings against carbon 

reduction targets. 

Buro Happold is committed to pushing the boundaries on 

every project, new build or refurbishment, to achieve the 

maximum quality, flexibility, sustainability and affordability 

for our clients. It is this commitment that sets us and our 

projects apart. 

2004 

2005 

2008 

2008 

2009 

The Hacienda 

Manchester, UK 

The Daintree Building 

Dublin, Ireland 

Rotunda 

Birmingham, UK 

Clarence Dock 

Leeds, UK 

Rote-Kaserne 

Potsdam, Germany 


2010 

2010 

Ongoing 

2010 

Ongoing 

2011 

Ongoing 

2012 

Ongoing 

The Cube 


Worli Towers 

Mumbai, India 

Tongshan Street 

Shanghai, China 

Mission Bay, Block 13W 

San Francisco, CA, USA 

Battersea Regeneration 

London, UK 

A snapshot of our work in residential 

4

Flagship development in former 

industrial area of Central Manchester 

Installation of systems focussed in areas 

where new works were permitted, 

to minimise works within listed areas 

Materials from collapsed or 

redundant areas of the site 

reused on the refurbishment 

Edwardian Baroque mill built 

in 1912 by H.S. Porter, using 

Accrington brick and terracotta 

Royal Mills, Ancoats, Manchester, UK 

Architect: FSP Architects and Planners Image: Buro Happold / Daniel Hopkinson 

Buro Happold

Buro Happold 

THE 

KEY ISSUES 

An overview of our problem-solving capabilities in the residential sector 

13 

8 

CREATING 

THE WOW! 

Turning exciting spaces into exceptional 

ones through innovation and design rigour 

18 

ENERGY USE AND 

CARBON REDUCTION 

Problem solving to create sustainable, 

energy efficient and environmentally rich 

residential spaces 

21 


6


28 

26 

UNLOCKING 

SITES 

Overcoming problems to open brownfield 

and greenfield sites for development 

39 

36 

REFURBISHMENT 

AND REGENERATION 

Retaining building integrity through sensitive 

and elegant solutions 

7

Buro Happold on Culture 

CREATING 

BURO HAPPOLD 

THE WOW!


CREATING INCREDIBLE SPACES FOR PEOPLE 

There isn’t a continent on the planet which doesn’t hold at least one example of our work, whether 

new build, or refurbishment. From iconic buildings such as The Cube in the UK, to stunning 

developments like Tongshan Street in China, Buro Happold brings a combination of excitement and 

expertise which can turn a great project into an incredible one. 

While other areas of the housing market have struggled 

in the recent economic downturn, the market for highend 

property has remained strong. Prime property in 

major cities like New York and London is still seen as a 

safe investment for buyers unaffected by worries about 

mortgage availability, and there are regular reports of 

rising numbers of buyers targeting key properties. 

Location in this market is truly ‘king’. Price is often 

not an issue, but perceived value definitely is. Buyers 

of prime property are looking to invest their money 

safely, in properties with a strong likelihood of gaining 

value over time. These individuals bring with them 

an experience and expectation of quality which 

encompasses all areas of the property; from obvious 

features such as size, layout, choice of materials and 

detailing, to the operation and efficiency of services, 

security arrangements and the state of surrounding 

infrastructure. 

Many new build properties at this end of the market 

are sold off-plan, to purchasers who expect to have 

considerable input into the finished scheme. This can 

create a juggling act for developers trying to keep costs 

and schedules under control, while meeting client 

expectations and is an area in which our experience 

and approach can really make a difference. Creativity is 

at the heart of everything we do at Buro Happold and 

it has enabled us to deliver some of the world’s most 

outstanding buildings. 

Images Foster + Partners, Pelli Clarke Pelli, Zander Olsen / Make 

9


CREATING 

THE WOW! 

Index Tower, Dubai, UAE 

INDEX TOWER 

The Index Tower is a £200m, 80-storey, mixed-use 

development at the heart of the new financial centre 

of Dubai. 

Designed by Foster + Partners, the development consists 

of a triple-height entrance lobby, 25 floors of office space 

with 520 luxury apartments, four floors of double-height 

penthouses, shops, a restaurant, pool and health club. 

Incredible views across the financial district to one side and 

the desert to the other ensure that this is a property which 

will draw buyers and tenants once completed. 


The tower’s eye-catching geometric design grows from its 

complex glazed facade and external concrete fins, creating 

a building which is both stunning and sustainable. Buro 

Happold’s engineers designed the facade to intelligently 

respond to the local climate, keeping occupants 

comfortable while massively reducing the energy 

consumption of heating and cooling systems. 

The Index Tower won the 2011 Council on Tall Buildings and 

Urban Habitat, Best Tall Building Middle East and Africa. 

Client Union Properties 

Architect Foster + Partners 

Image Nigel Young / Foster + Partners 

10


CREATING 

THE WOW! 

The Cube, Birmingham, UK 

Drawing inspiration from its location in Birmingham’s 

traditional jewellery district, The Cube is an intricately 

patterned jewel-box, soaring 50m into the air and holding 

40,000m 2 of high quality retail, office, residential and hotel 

accommodation. An angular skyline restaurant sits on top 

of the building, affording spectacular panoramic views of 

the city. 

Gold aluminium cladding on three sides ensures that 

The Cube will gleam day and night, while bronze-tinted 

anodised metal panels, selected for their durability, add 

depth to the facade. A complex filligram screen optically 

closes the fourth side, allowing daylight to play on 

residential terraces, while light streams into the building’s 

full height atrium. Panels are independently replaceable, 

in case of damage during the life of the building and the 

gigantic jigsaw pieces defy conformity, creating angles 

and drama through their positioning. Inside the building, 

a regular grid of columns supports the floor plate, stepping 

back at each residential level, to create terraces offering 

stunning views across the city from all apartments. 

Designed to be a multi-use space where people can live, 

work and relax, The Cube has been described as ‘a city 

within a city’. The abstract glistening facade rises up in 

the urban landscape and provides the home of a 24/7 

community and is set to become a destination in its 

own right. 

Client Birmingham Development Company 

Architect Make 

Image Zander Olsen / Make 

Daylight enters through 

filligram screen which optically 

‘closes’ one side of building 

THE CUBE 

11


CREATING 

THE WOW! 

Tongshan Street 


Located in the Huangpo River Complex district of Pudong, 

Shanghai, Tongshan Street combines sustainability and 

high quality design in a fabulous new complex designed 

by Pelli Clarke Pelli Architects. The stunning development 

provides over 700 luxury apartments in eight slender 

towers, set within exquisite landscaped gardens. An iconic 

hotel, a clubhouse, significant areas of retail and leisure 

space and extensive underground parking complete the 

complex. 


Buro Happold provided MEP, facade, traffic, sustainability 

and structural engineering on the project, which makes 

extensive use of high-performance glass and metal, 

to create intricately woven facades on the apparently 

delicate structures. Inside the buildings, occupants will 

enjoy consistently comfortable temperatures, due to our 

angular triple glazed facade. Internal spaces are flooded 

with sunlight from the south, while providing exceptional 

views of the river to the north and the gardens on all sides. 

The complex feels like an oasis of calm, its tranquillity 

maintained by restricting cars to the edges of the site and 

the underground parking areas. 

This project both recognises the advancement of this 

prosperous region and inspires future growth and 

investment, in an area targeted for extensive infrastructure 

and urban development over the coming years, with a 

luxurious new area for people to live, work and relax. 

Client Vanke Real Estate Company Architect Pelli Clarke Pelli 

Image Pelli Clarke Pelli 

TONGSHAN 

STREET 

12



CREATING WOW! 

THE WOW! 

External columns protect from wind 

and seismic activity without interrupting 

residents views across Mumbai 

Worli Towers, Mumbai, India 

This trio of landmark towers in the heart of Mumbai will boast 

high end offices, a five star hotel and luxury apartments, 

capitalising on Mumbai’s unique atmosphere. Collaborating 

again with Foster + Partners, our strong relationship is 

delivering a spectacular set of buildings. 

With an ambitious project completion date, our structural 

designs have been optimised through the use of cutting edge 

high rise construction technology. Through careful placement 

of external columns, our engineers have ensured that 

occupants will enjoy incredible views across Mumbai from 

WORLI TOWERS 

all apartments, without any compromise on building stability, 

in a region subject to powerful wind and seismic activity. 

The 200,000m 2 of luxurious office, residential and hotel space 

being crafted in the heart of bustling Mumbai are described 

by developers Omkar as ‘three jewels set to redefine 

South Mumbai’. Aiming to set the standard in luxury and 

sustainability, the Worli Towers development is leading the 

charge into Mumbai’s commercial future. 

Client Omkar Architect Foster + Partners Image Foster + Partners 

13


CREATING 

THE WOW! 

Aino Mina, Kandahar, Afghanistan 

Buro Happold worked as part of the design team on the 

Award Winning Aino Mina project, creating a new city where 

people will live surrounded by the beauty and tranquillity of 

nature. 

Designed to be both culturally and contextually appropriate, 

Aino Mina is situated on the northern edge of Kandahar. 

The site rises gently so that the mosque, seen against the 

mountains bordering the Arghandab Valley, creates a 

powerful and beautiful symbol for the development. 

The development will eventually create more than 20,000 

new homes; accommodating up to two million people and 

supporting the fast emerging Afghan economy. 

healthcare centre, mosques and community centres for each 

of the four main districts, while its sparkling water features 

provide welcome relief from the summer heat. The houses 

in these neighbourhoods can be accessed by car but our 

design means that people are able to walk across the entire 

development without encountering the interruption and 

noise of traffic. 

The project was awarded ‘Residential Project of the Year’ and 

‘Sustainable Design of the Year’ in the Middle East Architect 

Awards 2011. 

Client Private sector Architect Aedas Image Aedas 

Our sustainability expertise fed into the creation of key 

features such as the stunning park, which runs through the 

heart of the city, linking key buildings including the school, 

Park runs right through the 

heart of the development 


AINO MINA 

14

SUPERTECH 

Supertech, Noida, New Delhi, India 


CREATING 

THE WOW! 

This stunning new mixed use development in Noida, New 

Delhi is breath-taking in scope, comprising a 300m high 

iconic tower, a 29-storey office building, two 41-storey 

residential buildings and a dedicated five star hotel 

building above a retail and leisure podium. Buro Happold is 

delivering structural, MEP and traffic management solutions 

to developers Supertech Realtors Pvt Ltd 

Our MEP specialists are using upper level transformers to 

serve load centres in the tower, which is designed to resist 

significant earthquake and wind forces. HVAC, plumbing 

and fire service designs are being developed in harmony 

with the structural and architectural forms, to provide 

optimum use of space within the development. 

Client Supertech Realtors Pvt Ltd Architect Benoy Image Benoy 

Carlyon Bay, Cornwall, UK 

Scheduled for completion in 2014, the Carlyon Bay 

development is the largest single private sector investment 

currently proposed in Cornwall and offers a unique 

opportunity to incorporate high quality, luxury, owneroccupied 

and holiday accommodation, with leisure and 

commercial facilities. 

Buro Happold’s sustainability and building environmental 

engineers worked alongside architects, environmentalists 

and planners, to create a design with sustainability and 

the protection of this sensitive site at its heart. The project 

will create 511 residential units, including apartments, 

penthouses and ‘mews’ houses, along with a hotel and 

spa, market place, crèche, restaurants and leisure facilities, 

creating a new town for permanent residents and holiday 

visitors. The stunning beach has been preserved through the 

use of extensive landscaping and a reinforced sand dune, 

replacing the concrete sea wall from an earlier design. 

Preparations for the phased construction programme are 

now underway and the project will create a unique, world 

class destination, attracting visitors all year round, whilst 

preserving and enhancing the natural beauty of this area. 

Client Commercial Estates Group Architect ORMS Image The Neighbourhood 

CARLYON BAY 

15


CREATING 

THE WOW! 

One of the most seismicresistant 

developments 

in Turkey 

ZORLU CENTRE 

Zorlu Centre, Istanbul, Turkey 

The new Zorlu Centre, a beautifully executed mixed use 

development, will be a jewel in the crown of Istanbul. The 

Zorlu Group’s sustainability aspirations aligned with our 

own green ethos to drive a superb example of the future 

of large-scale urban design, the first of its kind in Turkey. 

Turkey’s turbulent history of earthquakes means the site 

provided a huge challenge to our engineers. Intense 

seismic load assessment through the complex ‘non-linear 

time history analysis’ led to an innovative dual system of 

structural design capable of withstanding very high 

seismic stress. 


Residential, commercial and cultural spaces, hotels 

and convention centres are expertly integrated in a 

development which touches lightly on the earth, while 

our strength in the area of performance based seismic 

design has produced one of the most seismic-resistant 

developments in Turkey. 

Client Zorlu Developments 

Architect Tabanlioglu Architects and Emre Arolat Architects 

Images Tabanlioglu Architects 

16


CREATING 

THE WOW! 

Pan Peninsula, London, UK 

We provided specialist facade engineering on the exclusive 

Pan Peninsula residential development, which comprises 

two striking harbour-side apartment towers (40 and 50 

storeys), a health and fitness complex, restaurants, a cinema 

and landscaped gardens. The 762 residential units range 

from ingenious studio apartments to luxurious penthouses 

and every home has its own balcony, from which to enjoy 

dramatic views over East London. 

When completed in 2009, Tower 1 became the tallest 

residential tower in Europe, so we undertook extensive 

modelling and wind testing to ensure comfort levels 

within apartments and on balconies. We designed a 

bespoke, glazed curtain walling system, using structural 

glass, pre-cast concrete and modular balconies, to provide 

weather performance to 600pa and, for apartments close 

to the elevated Docklands Light Railway, we enhanced the 

acoustic performance of the curtain wall. 

PAN PENINSULA 

The stunning towers of Pan Peninsula, topped with glowing 

‘lanterns’ that ensure they are as eye catching at night as 

they are in daylight, are providing some of the most striking 

and sought after homes in London’s Docklands. 

Client Ballymore Architect SOM, DMWR Architects Image SOM 

DUBAI 

MIXED USE 

DEVELOPMENT 

Mixed Use Development, Dubai, UAE 

The two towers, known as ’The Dancing Sisters’ stand more 

than 200m high and hold 250 luxury apartments, a five 

star hotel, prime corporate office space, retail and leisure 

facilities. Occupants enjoy stunning views of the Persian 

Gulf and Dubai city, including the tallest building in the 

world, Burj Khalifa. 

Fentress Architects designed the slender, glass clad towers 

to look like two dancers in rhythm with each other, one 

convex and one concave. Our specialist facade engineers 

oversaw the complex design and installation of large folded 

sheets of glass curtain walling, which dress the two ‘sisters’, 

providing incredible views and maintaining year round 

comfort inside. 

Client The Private Office Architect Fentress Architects 

Image Fentress Architects 

17

BURO HAPPOLD 


CARBON REDUCTION


ENVIRONMENTALLY RESPONSIBLE SPACES 

THAT TOUCH THE EARTH LIGHTLY 

Sustainable development combines resource efficiency, long term asset and risk management, 

holistic business innovation and the respect of people, to ensure that we do more with less, helping 

our clients and communities create a built environment fit for the future. 

Urban development is taking place at a scale and speed 

never achieved before and needs to be adaptable to 

changing climates and environments. Existing cities are 

seeking to remain competitive and economically viable 

in an increasingly global marketplace. 

The creation and delivery of new high-quality, functional 

urban environments is a complex process, demanding 

inspirational vision combined with an understanding of 

the present and historic context. At Buro Happold we are 

pioneering the design of low-energy, high performance 

and modular forms of building. We are also continuing 

to examine and identify new and more responsible 

ways to limit our use of natural resources – adopting 

more efficient approaches, seeking better ways to move 

people, products and waste around and encouraging 

new and improved technologies to meet existing needs. 

As engineers we believe that innovation is central to the 

development of efficient, flexible urban environments. 

Working in partnership with our clients, we create 

accessible and sustainable developments, which meet 

the needs of today’s residents, while safeguarding the 

places that we create for future generations to come. 

Images Buro Happold, NORD Architecture, X-Architects 

19




Elmswell Housing, Suffolk, UK 

This 26-home scheme, developed by Orwell Housing, was 

designed to demonstrate the very best in sustainable 

design, achieving an EcoHomes ‘Excellent’ rating. 

The houses were built using an innovative material made of 

a hemp and lime matrix, which provides excellent thermal 

and structural properties, as well sound environmental 

credentials. Garden walls are made of unfired earth blocks, 

which have good compressive strength and require a 

fraction of the manufacturing energy of a fired brick. 

Buro Happold developed the energy strategy for the 

development. To reduce carbon emissions by 60% compared 

to a building regulations compliant building, we integrated 

woodchip heating through a district heating network, heat 

recovery and highly insulated walls. Water consumption is 

reduced through the collection of rainwater in underground 

tanks, for flushing toilets and watering gardens. 

RETROFIT FOR 

THE FUTURE 

We also secured a £100,000 Low Carbon Buildings 

Programme grant for the installation of the heating scheme 

on behalf of Orwell Housing. 

This project won the January 2006 RIBA competition to 

design sustainable affordable housing in the Suffolk village 

of Elmswell and a Housing Design Award in 2007. 

Client Orwell Housing 

Architect Riches Hawley Mikhail Image Buro Happold 

ELMSWELL 

Retrofit for the Future, London, UK 

This ambitious project, delivered as part of the TSB Retrofit 

for the Future competition, sought to refurbish a pre-cast 

concrete end of terrace house in London’s Thamesmead 

Estate to achieve an 80% reduction in carbon emissions. 

The sustainability strategy for this project was led by Buro 

Happold, working with Fraser Brown McKenna Architects, 

Galleons Housing Association, Martin Associates surveyors 

and Axis Europe Contractors. 

The Thamesmead estate is a typical example of the poorly 

insulated and undervalued concrete dwellings built in 

the UK during the 1960s. Following extensive retrofit 

works using Passivhaus principles, the property has been 

transformed from a four to a six bedroom house, superinsulated 

with external cladding, triple glazing and high 

levels of air tightness. Fresh air is provided by a mechanical 

ventilation system with heat recovery (MVHR). Photovoltaic 

panels and vacuum tube collectors provide renewable 

electricity and water heating. 


Buro Happold’s role covered product specification, sizing 

of major renewable and M&E systems, whole house 

energy modelling, Passivhaus calculations, overseeing 

construction, thermal imaging and monitoring equipment 

installations. Buro Happold was also responsible for 

designing, commissioning and monitoring a fully functional 

solar-air collector, incorporating aerogel insulation, 

integrated into the external insulation on the south facade, 

pre-heating the MVHR. This product won ‘Passive Product of 

the Year’ at the 2013 CIBSE Building Performance Awards. 

A full post occupancy evaluation of the project will be 

conducted over the summer of 2013, one year after a seven 

person family moved into the dwelling. 

Client Galleons Housing Association 

Architect Fraser Brown McKenna Image Buro Happold 

20




High performance triple 

glazed facade significantly 

reduces energy use 

TONGSHAN STREET 

Tongshan Street, Shanghai, China 

The Tongshan Street project in central Shanghai is a unique 

development expected to set new standards for large 

scale residential-led projects in terms of sustainability and 

financial return; both key drivers for developers Vanke, one 

of the largest developers in China. Buro Happold’s specialist 

sustainability consultants worked to ensure that the project 

achieves a LEED Platinum rating for the residential clubhouse 

building and a LEED Gold for the remaining development. 

The high performance facade is the first step in reducing 

predicted energy use to meet the LEED targets and our 

facade team developed a triple glazed option with external 

shading, significantly improving on the local China code, 

whilst realising the architect’s aesthetic aspirations. The 

exposed roof structure of the residential clubhouse is a key 

feature of this stunning building and the use of timber for 

the roof not only helped to create an impressive space, but 

also reduced the amount of carbon embodied in the structure. 

The Shanghai climate requires significant amounts of heating 

and cooling throughout the year to provide internal comfort. 

Our approach moved away from the traditional residential 

development method of locating heating / air-conditioning 

equipment within each apartment and instead used an 

‘Energy Centre’ approach. By centralising the necessary 

equipment into a remote Energy Centre, each apartment 

could be made larger and building elevations were released 

from air-conditioning louvers, so architecture and project 

value were not compromised. 

The Energy Centre also allowed Combined Heat and 

Power, or Co-Generation, equipment to be considered, 

producing significant running cost savings for Vanke and 

attracting funding from the Shanghai government, which 

is encouraging developers to install their own power 

generating equipment to reduce pressure on central 

electricity infrastructure. 

The overall energy performance of this project is significantly 

below local benchmarks and already meets the Chinese 

government carbon emission reduction targets for the end 

of the 13th Five Year Plan, so the project is effectively future 

proofed until the year 2020. 

Client Vanke Real Estate Company Architect Pelli Clarke Pelli 

Image Pelli Clarke Pelli 

21




CARLYON BAY 

Carlyon Bay, Cornwall, UK 

Carlyon Bay is a strikingly beautiful area of the Cornwall 

coast scheduled for redevelopment to create a new 

residential and leisure community which will include more 

than 500 homes. 

The project has sustainability underpinning all aspects of its 

development and our experts integrated efficient structural 

design, sustainable procurement of materials and the use 

of technologies such as rainwater harvesting, CHP district 

heating, renewable energy production, passive lighting, 

ventilation and cooling to minimise environmental impact 

and reduce operating costs. 

Largest single private sector investment 

currently proposed in Cornwall 


We predict a reduction of CO 2 emissions by 25% compared 

to Building Regulations Part L (2006) with up to 15% of 

renewable energy generated on site. Our future-proofed 

energy strategy has been designed to enable the operator 

to continually enhance the performance of the buildings 

over time. 

Client Commercial Estates Group Architect ORMS 

Image The Neighbourhood 

22




XERITOWN 

Xeritown, Dubai, UAE 

The masterplan for the new residential development of 

Xeritown uses best practice sustainable design to create 

a distinct new Green District in Dubai. The development 

features a public promenade, retail, education, leisure 

facilities, a library and a mosque; along with mixed residential 

properties, including Arabian courtyard villas and apartments 

of varying heights which create an iconic new skyline. 

Our sustainable design uses facades to minimise solar gain 

and enable natural ventilation, while the orientation of the 

building groups makes the most effective use of wind for 

ventilation. We have created an energy and water strategy 

with measures targeted at achieving a 20-30% reduction 

in consumption throughout the district. Up to 10% of 

the energy for the residential buildings will be generated 

through solar energy. 

The striking urban promenade which links the urban areas, 

uses flowing water channels, cycle and jogging tracks, an 

urban sunshade and other elements to complement the 

stunning landscape, enticing residents out of their cars and 

into healthier lifestyles. 

Client INJAZ, a member of Dubai Properties Group 

Architect X-Architects (Dubai) and SMAQ (Berlin) Image X-Architects 

WORLI TOWERS 

Worli Towers, Mumbai, India 

This high end development in the Mumbai commercial 

district takes the combination of luxury and sustainability to 

new heights. The project aims to be one of the few buildings 

in the city to achieve a LEED Platinum rating. This has 

necessitated reductions of 40% in drinking water and 35% in 

annual energy demand across the three 65-storey towers. 

Our experts used cutting edge modelling techniques to 

find the optimum services solution. A centralised cooling 

and ventilation system satisfies the vision and comfort 

levels demanded by such a high end development, whilst 

intermediate plant floors have been designed to discreetly 

supply the building in the most effective way possible. 

Treated wastewater from the building is innovatively 

recycled to supply the evaporative cooling system, providing 

massive water savings. We have also proposed a central 

energy strategy which will take advantage of diversity 

between the buildings to provide a more resilient and 

efficient energy supply. 

The approach of our building environment team is unique in 

Mumbai, balancing cost, comfort and striking aesthetics, on 

a project with sustainability at its core. 

Client Omkar Architect Foster + Partners Image Foster + Partners 

23




Highland Housing Fair, Inverness, UK 

The 2010 Highland Housing Fair (HHF) aimed to stimulate 

quality design, innovation and sustainability in housing by 

creating an exemplar community, promoting eco-friendly 

living and making exciting, inspirational use of materials. 

The five hectare site comprised 27 plots and Buro Happold 

worked on seven of these, including the feature site, 

designed by NORD Architecture, which used wood burning 

stoves and highly efficient thermal stores for space heating 

and hot water systems. The challenging geometry of this 

scheme also provided an opportunity for highly innovative 

structural engineering designs. 

The other plots included the complex geometry and locally 

sourced materials of JM Architects; HLM Architects’ dwellings 

designed to meet Passivhaus standards for insulation, 

airtightness, indoor air quality and the use of renewable 

energy; A+J Burridge’s unusual building which made striking 

use of glazing and Studio KAP Architects’ design for a large 

house with smaller work studio, which demonstrated how 

Passivhaus principles could be applied at both small and 

large scales. 

Technologies used on these properties included mechanical 

ventilation heat recovery systems which make buildings 

extremely airtight, whilst still providing fresh air for 

occupants; a bespoke solar shading system, which ensured 

that energy consumption and occupant comfort were not 

compromised by the large expanse of glass in the Burridge 

building; air source heat pump systems, under-floor heating 

circuits, thermal hot water systems and rainwater harvesting. 

The Highland Housing Fair provided us with an incredible 

opportunity to explore and showcase the very best of 

modern ecodesign and at the end of the fair, all homes went 

on to be sold, or rented and are now occupied. 

Client Highland Housing Alliance 

Architect JM Architects / NORD Architecture / HLM Architects / 

Studio KAP Architects / A+J Burridge 

Image NORD Architecture 

HIGHLAND 

HOUSING FAIR 

All homes now occupied, 

leaving the legacy of a living, 

breathing, contemporary village 

24





The 80-storey Index Tower provides some of the most 

sustainable office, residential, retail and leisure facilities 

in Dubai. Buro Happold have provided specialist facade 

engineering for the tower, which intelligently responds to 

local climate conditions. In August temperatures exceed 41°C, 

yet our designs ensure that the temperature inside the tower 

will never surpass 28°C, without the use of air conditioning, 

significantly reducing energy consumption and cost. 

The tower is oriented east to west, making the most of 

spectacular views and significantly reducing solar gain. 

The east/west walls are formed from insulating concrete ribs, 

up to 2m thick, while a complex cladding system forms the 

external envelope of the building. Unitised curtain walls, 

pre-cast concrete cladding, aluminium rainscreens, structural 

glazed assemblies and external shading devices all work 

together to ensure that internal spaces are permanently 

comfortable for occupants. 

The Buro Happold team led the process of identifying, 

incorporating and managing the installation of these 

systems, creating a seamless and highly efficient facade, 

which pushes the boundaries of sustainable design. 

Client Union Properties Architect Foster + Partners 


INDEX TOWER 

Zorlu Centre 

Istanbul, Turkey 

The Zorlu Group’s aim to submit the Zorlu Centre for a 

BREEAM International Assessment combined with our 

experts’ intrinsic commitment to sustainability to create a 

first for Turkey. 

Our extensive experience in this field allowed us to create a 

cohesive and sustainably-driven development, integrating 

the many elements of modern life into a 600,000m 2 ‘Micro- 

City’ project with environmental responsibility at its heart. 

Our holistic design process has helped to minimise energy 

consumption, reducing both running costs and carbon 

footprint, whilst creating a strong, stable development for 

the future of Istanbul. 

Client Zorlu Developments Architect Tabanlioglu Architects and 

Emre Arolat Architects Image Tabanlioglu Architects 

ZORLU 

CENTRE 

25


UNLOCKING 

BURO HAPPOLD 

SITES


UNLOCKING AND DEVELOPING 

DIFFICULT OR SENSITIVE SITES 

The UK Environment Agency estimates that there is an area equivalent to the size of the West 

Midlands (66,000 hectares) currently standing vacant, derelict and available for redevelopment in 

the UK. This is a pattern seen in countries across the world. Changing communities and the shift of 

manufacturing from the former industrial nations to emerging economies in Asia and elsewhere, 

mean that there are many thousands of buildings and plots of land available for redevelopment. 

There are opportunities and challenges associated with 

brownfield development. For example, a brownfield 

site is more likely to be located within an existing 

urban development, providing a customer base and 

reducing the need for expensive transport and utilities 

infrastructure, but demolition, refurbishment and 

remediation of contaminated land can be costly. 

Existing buildings can provide historic and beautiful 

frameworks, within which new structures can be 

created, but they can bring a multitude of planning 

and protection hurdles to be crossed. Brownfield 

sites may be awkwardly shaped, or trapped between 

existing buildings and infrastructure, limiting the type of 

development which can be undertaken, or the methods 

which can be used. 

Greenfield development is often controversial and 

normally subject to stringent planning regulations. Sites 

may be available for development only within very tight 

constraints and subject to strict protection measures. 

Buro Happold has extensive experience of delivering 

successful projects on difficult sites and these are 

challenges which we have faced on many projects, 

in many settings. Some of our most exciting and 

pioneering work has come about in response to difficult 

sites. 

Our combination of imagination and pragmatism 

ensures that the potential of sites can be fully realised, 

resulting in incredible projects and fantastic new spaces 

for people. 

Images Buro Happold, Happold Media, Tim Soar 

27


UNLOCKING 

SITES 

BATTERSEA 

Battersea Regeneration, London, UK 

Buro Happold has been appointed by the Battersea Power 

Station Development Company to provide multidisciplinary 

engineering design and consultancy to Phase one of the 

redevelopment of Battersea Power Station. We are delivering 

structural and civil engineering, as well as specialist facades, 

fire, Inclusive Design, security and water engineering on this 

major urban regeneration project situated on 38 acres of 

prime development land, within a mile of central London. 

Scheduled for completion in 2024, the overall scheme, 

London’s biggest ever planning application, will provide 

over 8million sq ft of mixed use development, within and 

around the landmark building, including 3,400 new homes. 

Phase one of the development, Circus West, comprises 

1million sq ft of high end residential development, 800 

homes in all. A ground floor retail and leisure zone and 

two levels of below ground parking are also included. 

Early development will improve riverside access, providing 

a pedestrian route to Battersea Park. It will also survey 

and repair the fabric of the iconic Grade II listed building. 

Design development is already proceeding with basement 

construction expected to commence in the summer of 2013. 

This sensitive site has long been targeted for development, 

but the search for a project which protects the iconic 

property, without compromising commercial sustainability, 

has been long and challenging. Our expertise in the 

development of listed and protected sites has been a vital 

ingredient in the development of the scheme which will 

anchor the wider regeneration of the Vauxhall Nine Elms 

Battersea Opportunity Area and be supported by a Northern 

Line extension, including two new stations: Nine Elms and 

Battersea Power Station. 

Client Battersea Power Station Development Company 

Architect Rafael Viñoly Architects, 

Ian Simpson Architects and LDA Design 


Iconic Grade II listed building 

will be repaired and protected as 

focus of mixed-use development 

28

UNLOCKING 


SITES 

THE BOTANY 

Mission Bay Block 13W, San Francisco, CA, USA The Botany, Maryhill, Glasgow, UK 

The Botany area of Maryhill, Glasgow got its name from the 

large number of travellers, destined for Botany Bay, who 

passed through the area in the early 19th century. It had 

long suffered many of the problems associated with social 

deprivation; including high unemployment, crime and poor 

health when the local authority approved a regeneration 

plan to breathe new life into the 18 hectare site. The scheme 

will eventually create more than 700 new homes – a mixture 

of high quality social rented and private housing on the 

banks of the Forth and Clyde Canal. 

Buro Happold were commissioned to provide the multidiscipline 

engineering services for the first phase of the 

project, creating 35 new homes for Maryhill Housing 

Association. 

This 163 acre brownfield site is being developed as part 

of the FOCUS regeneration programme which promotes 

‘infill developments’ to provide improved housing and 

transportation to all residents and enhance existing 

neighbourhoods in and around the San Francisco bay. 

Targeted at urban professionals, the Block 13W development 

is located within a large new parkland area, just a few blocks 

from the Giants AT&T Park. Due for completion in 2014, it will 

comprise 273 market rate residential units spread across a 

16-storey tower on the west and a five story podium on the 

eastern two thirds of the site. 

The properties include 2, 3 and 4 bedroom apartments, 

designed to maximise daylight and the occupants contact 

with the natural landscape. The designs were developed in 

response to workshops involving local community members 

and waiting list tenants. 

The Maryhill Locks scheme has been awarded ‘Scottish 

Sustainable Community Status’ by the Scottish Government. 

Aiming to create places which raise standards in design 

and sustainability, this project has now started to transform 

the derelict land on the edge of the Forth and Clyde Canal, 

with new homes, shops, leisure and commercial spaces and 

community facilities. 

Client Maryhill Housing Association Architect Elder & Cannon Architects 

Image Elder & Cannon Architects 

The development provides a visual and geographic centre 

in the redeveloped South Mission Bay. The tower provides 

a point of focus in the 5th Street corridor, forming the apex 

of the Merrimac Street axis, while the podium brings the 

development down to a pedestrian scale, creating a street 

edge reminiscent of many residential streets in San Francisco. 

Client Equity Residential Architect HKS Architects Image HKS Architects 

MISSION BAY 

29


UNLOCKING 

SITES 

THE CUBE 

The Cube, Birmingham, UK 

Located in Birmingham’s traditional jewellery district, this 

£76m development project is a high quality mixed use 

building, including a five-storey basement with 17 aboveground 

storeys to house 40,000m 2 of retail, office, residential 

and hotel accommodation. The Cube links the canal and city 

centre to Attwood Green in the south of the city. A skyline 

restaurant sits on top of the building, affording spectacular 

city views. 

Building next to existing buildings and canals provided a 

challenge to our structural and geotechnical engineers. 

Before any works were carried out, a monitoring strategy 

was developed which detailed the allowable retaining wall, 

ground and building movements and outlining contingency 

measures if allowable movements were exceeded. 

Basement works consisted of constructing a 900mm 

diameter contiguous bored pile wall around the excavation 

to support up to 19m of soil and rock. To control ground 

movements and maintain stability the wall was propped 

with a combination of pre-stressed anchors, struts and 

beams. The resulting basement houses retail and fully 

automated parking areas, providing the standard of facilities 

which professional occupants require, with no compromise 

on the quality of the residential and leisure space above. 

Client Birmingham Development Company Architect Make 

Image Zander Olsen / Make 

PFORZHEIM 

Pforzheim, Baden-Wurttember, Germany 

Built on the site of a former Barracks, Pforzheim is an urban 

development comprising detached houses, apartment 

blocks, an educational institution and retail space. 

Together with Lèon Wohlhage Wernik Architekten, Buro 

Happold won the design competition for the project which 

includes four cubic residential blocks, a total of 76 residential 

units and a parking garage. There was a special focus on 

sustainability for this project. 

The residential blocks sit partially over the garage and we 

used our experience in creating energy efficient buildings 

to explore a range of sustainable design options. The owner 

opted for a monolithic, reinforced concrete structure, with 

static and cantilevered wall and ceiling panels which proved 

both effective and economical. 

We also developed an Energy Plan for the development to 

secure energy standard EnEV 2009. 

Client Stadtbau GmbH Pforzheim Architect Léon Wohlhage Wernik Architekten 

Image Léon Wohlhage Wernik Architekten 

30


UNLOCKING 

SITES 

Centred around transport 

interchange at North Greenwich 

underground station 

Greenwich Peninsula Residential Developments, London, UK 

Buro Happold worked as part of a consortium to develop 

a masterplan for this 120-hectare site which includes 

the famous Millennium Dome and land on the western 

site of the Peninsula. Aiming to create a huge mixed 

use development comprising 10,000 homes, shops and 

leisure facilities, the planned development is centred 

around the North Greenwich underground station and 

multi-modal interchange for buses, trams and ‘park 

and ride’. 

With architects CF Møller we developed designs for 

a group of three-storey townhouses and a 12-storey 

residential block, to be split between owner occupiers, 

shared-ownership buyers and housing association 

tenants. With Jestico + Whiles, London we designed a 

development comprising 207 new residential units for 

sale and rent. 

In line with the London plan, all properties were 

designed to achieve the Code for Sustainable Homes 4* 

Rating. A phased Energy Strategy provides a temporary 

biomass heating solution, until the site is sufficiently 

developed to activate a district heating system. All 

properties were designed to be ready for the switchover. 

Economic conditions mean that the development of 

Greenwich Peninsula has been suspended since late 

2008. When work recommences this project will create 

a new and vibrant ‘quarter’ of London, convenient for 

commercial centres such as Canary Wharf and The City 

of London and integrating sustainability with high-end 

luxury and affordable housing. 

Plot M0116 

Client Meridian Delta Ltd and RSL Partners Architect CF Møller 

Plot M0114 

Client Mode Homes Architect Jestico + Whiles, London 

Images CF Møller and Buro Happold 

GREENWICH 

PENINSULA 

31


UNLOCKING 

SITES 

Estidama Communities Pilot Project, 

demonstrating commitment to 

preservation of environmental, 

social, cultural and heritage tenets 

AIN AL FAYDA 


Ain Al Fayda, Abu Dhabi, UAE 

Ain Al Fayda is a luxurious new residential development at 

the foot of Hafeet Mountain, in the outskirts of Al Ain. 

The striking new city which is designed to look like a 

human eye (Al Fayda means ‘the flooding well’, while Ain 

translates as ‘eye’) aims to recreate the communal feeling of 

a traditional Fareej, with villas clustered around the Oasis 

Park, a beautiful sheltered outdoor space. Ain Al Fayda 

was selected by Abu Dhabi Urban Planning Council as a 

pilot project for its Estidama Communities Project, which 

is committed to the preservation of environmental, social, 

cultural and heritage tenets. Phase One will create 2,000 new 

residences, in an area of 3.75 million m 2 . 

Enjoying a location amid abundant foliage and healing 

hot springs, the 2400 hectare city will be home to an ecourban 

community in search of healthy lifestyles. The range 

of holistic wellbeing services available integrates modern 

Western practice with evidence based alternative treatments 

such as Ayurveda, homeopathy and herbal medicine. 

Buro Happold provided engineering, transport and 

sustainability support on this greenfield project which 

required completely new infrastructure, enabling us to use 

the most sustainable technologies and approaches available. 

The city benefits from superb weather and a cool climate, 

so our designs encourage residents and visitors alike to 

leave their cars on the outskirts, then use the abundant 

pavements, pathways, E-vehicles, buses and boats to move 

around and enjoy the space. 

Client Al Qudra Real Estate Architect X-Architects Image X-Architects 

32


UNLOCKING 

SITES 

Bath Western Riverside, Bath, UK 

As one of the largest brownfield regeneration projects in the 

South West, Bath Western Riverside is regenerating a former 

industrial site on the banks of the River Avon, which had lain 

vacant for 25 years. The development represents a major 

opportunity for Bath to deliver a platform for the city’s future 

economic and social prosperity. 

Buro Happold is providing structural, environmental, 

infrastructure and utilities engineering on the development 

which integrates more than 300 high-quality new homes 

with leisure and work spaces, employment, learning 

and lifestyle opportunities, all linked by an integrated 

public transport system. The vision is to create a world 

class, comprehensive scheme based on the principles of 

sustainability. 

Scheme proposals targeted the inclusion of 10% onsite 

renewable energy generation and an EcoHomes 

‘Excellent’ rating. Our detailed investigations showed that 

a combination of gas-fired CHP and biomass boiler plant 

would achieve these targets, reaching the level required to 

achieve Code for Sustainable Homes Level 3. 

Key challenges were flooding and contamination of earth 

on the 70 acre site. Our specialists undertook an impact 

assessment for flooding and hydrology, then provided 

ground remediation strategies and drainage designs which 

provided effective and sustainable solutions to the problems. 

Parkland has been created at the edge of the river, to act as 

a community resource and provide natural protection from 

flooding. In addition, more than 45,000 tons of soil have 

been moved and cleaned onsite, ready for reuse within the 

development, resulting in both time and cost savings. 

The completion of Phase One of the development saw the 

creation of 59 new homes and 200 homes will be created 

in Phase Two. 

Client Crest Nicholson 

Architect Fielden Clegg Bradley Studios (masterplanning), 

Holder Mathais Architects (buildings) 

Images Holder Mathais Architects, Fielden Clegg Bradley Studios 

BATH WESTERN 

RIVERSIDE 

33


UNLOCKING 

SITES 

Barking Town Centre, London, UK 

Lying at the entrance to the Thames Gateway, the Barking 

Town Square development is central to the much needed 

regeneration of the area. Phase One of the development 

created new public realm facilities and improved 

infrastructure, before Phase Two created hundreds of 

new homes and commercial spaces, all focussed around a 

stunning new arboretum. 

We provided structural engineering support on a new 

residential development comprising 200 apartments, spread 

over six floors which were constructed on top of an existing 

library and learning centre. The project also refurbished and 

extended the original library building. 

Ensuring the existing building could support the new 

structure was a major challenge in this project, as there 

could be no transfer of vertical load onto the original 

building. Our design incorporated a large transfer structure, 

supported by a series of reinforced concrete columns, 

which in turn provide lateral support to the original pre-cast 

concrete frame. The new columns were carefully threaded 

through the original building’s existing pre-cast concrete 

structure and are supported on new, mini-piled foundations. 

In 2005 the development won a prestigious Housing 

Design Award. 

Client Redrow Regeneration Ltd Architect Allford Hall Monaghan Morris LLP 

Image Tim Soar 

BARKING TOWN CENTRE 

200 new apartments 

constructed on top of existing 

library and learning centre 


34


UNLOCKING 

SITES 

107 West 57th Street, New York, NY, USA 

A tiny 43ft x 100ft plot in New York’s Midtown Manhattan 

will soon become home to the most slender high rise 

building in North America. Due for completion in 2014, 

107 West 57th Street is a dazzling 55-storey tower which 

soars out of a space just big enough for two row houses. 

28 units provide occupants with some of the most 

luxurious living space in New York, no more than one 

property per floor and incredible views over Manhattan’s 

skyline to the south and Central Park to the north. 

Buro Happold engineers are helping to create floor to 

ceiling glass curtain walls on the north and south facades, 

ensuring that none of the spectacular view is wasted, 

while internal temperatures are regulated, keeping 

energy consumption low. On the linking lot-line walls, 

dark grey stainless steel panels are rippled and sprinkled 

with tiny perforations to reveal a stunning display of 

kinetic light, from thousands of concealed LEDs which 

sparkle at night, ensuring this structure will stand out 

from the crowd in its exclusive neighbourhood. 

Inside the 14 duplex and one quadruplex apartment we 

have created stunning glass staircases which link the 

floors inside properties without losing any of the light 

and space which make the apartments so special. 

The tower at 107 West 57th Street also holds 10,000 sq ft 

of retail space and a top floor entertainment suite, 

providing an incredible example of what can be achieved 

on a tiny plot when passion, invention and expertise 

come together. 

Client JDS Development Group Architect Cetra Ruddy Image Cetra Ruddy 

107 WEST 57th STREET 

35


REFURBISHMENT 

BURO HAPPOLD 

AND REGENERATION


BRINGING A NEW LEASE OF LIFE 

TO HISTORIC BUILDINGS AND SPACES 

The effective refurbishment and reuse of existing building stock is a vital element in sustainable 

urban development and Buro Happold’s expertise has helped to create some of the most 

spectacular examples in recent years. 

There are many reasons for refurbishment and 

re-use. A building may be upgraded to improve 

accessibility, to reduce energy consumption, or simply 

bring its appearance up to date. A property may be 

changing its purpose, or a whole urban district may 

be reinventing itself to better meet the needs of a 

changing community, or to trigger economic and social 

regeneration. 

We bring specialist knowledge and skills to projects 

of any scale, helping clients to see the full potential of 

their refurbishment schemes, supporting them through 

survey, design and project management processes. 

Our extensive knowledge of complex planning and 

regulation procedures, including those for heritage and 

protected sites, means that we can help clients navigate 

their path efficiently and effectively. Refurbishment 

projects can be undertaken while buildings are 

occupied, in stages to ease cash-flow management and 

in partnership with large or small contractor teams. 

With experience ranging from iconic projects such 

as Highbury Square and the stunning Lakeshore 

development, right through to micro-projects like 

Retrofit for the Future, we are delivering projects which 

create incredible new spaces for people to occupy 

and enjoy. 

Images Alan McAteer, Piotr Dziubak, Urban Splash, Vision Four Developments Ltd 

37


REFURBISHMENT 


Highbury Square, London, UK 

After 93 years at Highbury, Arsenal Football Club, moved 

from their beloved home to the new state of the art Emirates 

Stadium. Almost immediately work began on transforming 

the Highbury site into a residential development with 750 

apartments and 550 underground parking spaces, the first 

transformation of this kind in Europe. 

Planning conditions meant that the appearance of the new 

scheme should as far as possible retain the form and layout 

of the original football ground with features from the original 

spectator stands integrated into the scheme. The six-storey 

art deco steel framed masonry facades in the South stand, 

listed by English Heritage, needed to be reproduced in the 

West stand, albeit slightly less ornately. The famous marble 

entrance presented some challenges, as the walls had a thin 

precast concrete slab lining and the floor was badly cracked. 

In the new residential scheme, the 12m high hallway would 

have four floors of apartments above it. Careful design 

meant that this delicate hall could remain undisturbed, 

without the number of apartments bring reduced. 

Preservation of the original features – the beautiful art 

deco facades, stunning sun-burst gable windows and the 

marble entrance hall – was our primary concern. Using in 

situ concrete flat slab framed construction on the six storeys 

allowed the existing structure to be supported. Innovative 

restraint fixings, designed specifically for the job, gave the 

building the necessary control and stability. Working with 

English Heritage in the marble hall, we proposed a new 

column to support the scheme’s vision. Because of the 

incredibly tight programme, Buro Happold introduced slip 

form construction into the frame design; an onsite plant was 

used to produce the concrete and roll mat reinforcements 

were used on the flat slab. All this meant an overall increase 

in the reinforcements used, but massive savings in time, 

keeping our clients on programme and on budget. 

Topped out by Arsene Wenger, this £170 million project 

retains all the drama and theatre of the original sporting 

venue, along with a real sense of community and belonging. 

The landscaped gardens on the site of the historic pitch 

combined with six smaller more intimate courtyard gardens 

reflect London’s long tradition of garden squares. Parking, 

a swimming pool and gym have all found a home and help 

to create a wonderful haven for residents who can revel in 

the history of the site and enjoy a new style of urban living. 

This development shows how sustainable, innovative and 

inspiring a place to live can be. 

Client Highbury Holdings Ltd 

Architect Allies and Morrison and Denning Male Polisano 

Image Vision Four Developments Ltd 


Former home of Arsenal 

Football Club converted 

into 750 apartments 

HIGHBURY SQUARE 

38


REFURBISHMENT 


Lots Road, London, UK 

From 1902 to 1998 Lots Road Power Station fuelled the 

London Underground. Now decommissioned, a new vision 

will see it turned into a dual-site residential and commercial 

development. Split across the boroughs of Hammersmith 

and Fulham and Kensington and Chelsea, the site will 

eventually provide more than 800 new homes and 78,000 

sq ft of commercial space. 

Alte Mälzerei, Pankow, Germany 

ALTE MÄLZERIE 

After standing empty for more than two decades, the 

Old Malt House in Pankow is now providing high quality 

residential space, with approximately 100 new apartments, 

where malt was once dried, crushed and stored. 

Built in 1874, the complex was home to the Schultheiß 

Brewery and has been continuously extended during 

its lifetime. The original spaces were laid out to suit 

various industrial functions, causing many variations of 

size and function on the site. We were able to bring our 

detailed knowledge of working with historic structures 

and materials to this project. Working closely with client, 

architect and the State Heritage Office we ensured that 

elements such as the detailing of the ceilings with barrel 

and cross vaults were fully protected, while modern 

standards, such as fire safety, were met. 

Some of the most challenging elements of the existing 

structure became key features of the resulting apartments, 

which ranged in size from 50 to 135m². For example, 

awkward gallery levels requiring specialised engineering 

solutions were incorporated into striking rooms with 

ceilings up to 7m high. 

After years of standing empty the Old Malt House is now 

being used again, offering high quality living space whilst 

securing and revitalising this valuable piece of German 

heritage. 

Client Terraplan Grundstücksentwicklungsgesellschaft 

Architect Vangeistenmarfels Architekten Image Buro Happold / Piotr Dziubak 

Lots Road is not listed, but the facade and some key 

features are protected by a licence from English Heritage. 

This presented us with the challenge of weaving 21st 

century high-end living, into a 100 year old industrial 

complex, without risk to the original structure. Our experts 

used the latest 3D CAD modelling to design a ‘building 

within a building’, so that the new spaces will be selfsupporting. 

The decision was taken to retain the existing foundations, 

but to dig a new double basement to balance the 

additional weight and stresses of the new structures. The 

new basement cleverly exploits original 1902 features, 

providing bountiful car parking spaces for future residents. 

This scheme turns the challenges of a former industrial 

site into opportunities to create a world class urban 

development close to some of the most desirable 

residential areas in the city. 

Client Hutchinson Whampoa 

Architect Farrells, Formation Architects and BTPW 

Image Buro Happold 

LOTS ROAD 

39


REFURBISHMENT 


The Brunswick, London, UK 

The Brunswick is a Grade II listed mixed use, low rise, high 

density urban development within a concrete and glass 

megastructure. Comprising retail units, a cinema, social 

housing and car parking, the Brunswick is one of London’s 

iconic 1960s buildings, but by the 1990s it was tired, worn and 

largely deserted. The client’s aim was to achieve the original 

architect’s vision of a stylish residential and shopping area, 

creating a focus for fashion and leisure in Bloomsbury, 34 years 

after the scheme was originally completed. 

Our structural specialists conducted detailed analysis to 

comprehensively identify and record the defects in the 40 

year old concrete and rendered masonry. We then prepared a 

detailed repair methodology and specification for the repairs, 

before moving on-site to supervise contractors, ensuring 

quality control and mitigating unnecessary facade repair work 

and cost. 

The structural works to the centre involved significant 

amounts of demolition with specialist demolition techniques, 

such as crunching concrete instead of breaking, employed to 

reduce noise, dust and other impacts on the neighbouring 

community and businesses. 

The redevelopment of the Brunswick secured a BCSC Gold 

Award for In Town Retail in 2007 and the 2008 Civic Trust Award. 

Client Allied London Properties Architect Levitt Bernstein Associate Limited 

Image Buro Happold 

THE BRUNSWICK 

Anchor Mills, Paisley, UK 


The Domestic Finishing Mill, known as Anchor Mills, is a 

five-storey, Category A-listed building in Paisley, West Central 

Scotland. Built in 1886, the building was one of the earliest 

buildings in the town to have electric light and was at the 

heart of the towns thriving cotton industry, until its closure in 

the 1980s. The building stood empty for two decades before a 

partnership group was established to save the building. 

Buro Happold and James F Stephen Architects were 

commissioned to undertake a restoration project which 

would create 60 luxury apartments, 25,000 sq ft of commercial 

business space and new internal car parking facilities. 

Years of dereliction, vandalism and the harsh Scottish climate 

had taken a heavy toll on the building. Extensive repair and 

replacement works were needed. The architectural objective 

was to produce a sensitive design, which complemented 

the historical building and had minimum impact upon the 

aesthetical quality. All interventions needed to protect the 

original fabric of the building, so we used specialist methods 

such as cast iron stitching to undertake the repairs with 

minimum impact on the historic structure. 

The future of the Domestic Finishing Mill is now assured, 

through a project which celebrates Paisley’s economic history 

and looks to the future, providing beautiful homes and 

comfortable workspaces for the community of Paisley. 

Client Phoenix Trust / Persimmon Homes Architect James F Stephen Architects 

Image Buro Happold / Alan McAteer 

ANCHOR MILLS 

40


REFURBISHMENT 


CLARENCE DOCK 

Clarence Dock, Leeds, UK 

The redevelopment of the 19th century Clarence Dock 

presented the typical issues faced when developing 

brownfield sites. Site investigations and contamination 

studies highlighted hot-spots of concentrates, so we 

worked with the client and the local authority to establish 

the risks and then implemented a remediation strategy 

which maximised site potential and minimised risk during 

construction and in the longer-term. 

We carried out a site-wide flood risk assessment and 

developed a flood prevention strategy which includes 

active measures to control the dock level, acceptable 

levels for ground floor accommodation, external ground 

levels management and basement designs which prevent 

water ingress. 

Throughout the project we were focussed on protecting 

the integrity of the historic dock wall, with initial surveys 

helping us calculate where buildings could be located on 

the site, to allow access around the development while 

avoiding any danger of damage to the wall fabric. 

The transformation of Clarence Dock in Leeds has created 

a vibrant waterside community and a premier tourist 

destination. As the largest development of its type in 

the city, it has generated a resurgence of interest in the 

dock area. 

Client The Clarence Dock Company 

Architect Carey Jones Architects Limited 

Image Buro Happold / Daniel Hopkinson 

Key site challenges included 

contamination, flood-risk 

and protection of dock wall 

41


REFURBISHMENT 


Rote-Kaserne, Potsdam, Germany 

The historical Red Barracks in Potsdam were built for the 

Prussian Army in the late 1890s and were in use until 

German Reunification. Buro Happold Berlin worked as part 

of the team that planned the restoration and conversion of 

the storage depot and former bakery into 27 high quality 

condominiums. 

Retaining and protecting the existing historical structure 

was the key challenge for our team. We ascertained that the 

existing structure was in very good condition, so were able 

to maintain the brickwork, wooden ceiling beams and cast 

iron columns which remained visible after refurbishment. 

To comply with modern residential standards, we increased 

fire resistance and sound insulation through the addition 

of concrete slabs, installed on top of the existing timber 

floor structure. These slabs not only support and protect 

the historical elements in case of a fire, but improve sound 

insulation, through increased mass. 

To ensure natural daylight reached the inner apartments, a 

former internal passageway that once carried wagons was 

converted into an atrium. Clad with transparent pneumatic 

ETFE foil cushions the atrium feels like an external space, 

flooded with ambient light creating a friendly atmosphere. 

ROTE-KASERNE 

The atrium arcade provides central access to the apartments, 

acting as a hub in which residents can relax and socialise. 

Through the sensitive and innovative approach of the 

design team the former barracks have been rehabilitated 

and renovated for modern day living. Seamlessly integrating 

the old with the new and retaining the important historical 

essence of the site, we have helped create bright, welcoming 

apartments with a beautiful view. 

Client Terraplan Grundstücksentwicklungsgesellschaft 

Architect Vangeistenmarfels Architekten 

Image Buro Happold / Piotr Dziubak 


Pneumatic ETFE foil cushions 

used to clad internal atrium to 

carry light throughout the space 

42


REFURBISHMENT 


Lakeshore, Bristol, UK 

The redevelopment of Lakeshore in South Bristol is a 

fabulous example of the creative re-use of industrial 

buildings. The former UK headquarters of Imperial Tobacco 

had lain empty for many years and was listed while under 

threat of demolition. This development transformed 

the iconic 1970s building and landscape into 270 

contemporary apartments, ranging from studios to 4-bed 

apartments, which welcomed their first occupants in 2011. 

De Vere Gardens, London, UK 

De Vere Gardens is a 47,000m 2 luxury residential 

development in Kensington, due for completion in 2014. 

Built on the site of two former hotels and overlooking 

Kensington Park, the new buildings retain the beautiful 

Victorian facades on the northern side of the site and 

then integrate these into an outstanding group of new 

buildings, ranging from five to seven floors in height. 

97 luxury apartments will be created along with leisure, 

fitness, entertainment facilities and underground parking. 

Our role includes site investigation and ground 

remediation, demolition, piling and foundations, detailed 

structural and services design, plus on-site supervision. 

To reduce programme length and take advantage of 

contractor feedback to minimise costs, we overlapped site 

enabling works packages with the early design phase. 

The biggest challenge on the project is retaining, restoring 

and integrating the stunning facades, a familiar sight in 

this conservation area. Our project plan, which integrated 

the facades into three new reinforced concrete structures, 

then reinstated original residential entrances at street level, 

secured the full approval of the local authority, English 

Heritage, The Royal Parks and Historic Royal Palaces. 

Client Lancer Property Asset Management 

Architect David Chipperfield Architects 

Image David Chipperfield Architects 

The Buro Happold structural team undertook a careful 

study of the existing structure to ensure that the building 

had the capacity to withstand the interventions proposed 

by the Bristol based architects Ferguson Mann. These 

included cutting an atrium down the centre of the building 

to bring light into its heart, creating an uplifting and 

memorable space. 

A new build car park, concealed in the contours of the site, 

also challenged the team and was successfully executed 

with the use of a ground anchor system. Hidden beneath 

the footprint of this car park are geothermal boreholes 

which have helped the building to achieve an EcoHomes 

‘Excellent’ rating. 

Perhaps the most impressive feature of the development, 

and the inspiration for its name, is the formerly overgrown 

and neglected lake which surrounds the building. Our 

geoenvironmental team used a bioremediation technique 

to recover the water quality, creating a stunning relaxation 

space to be enjoyed by the building’s new residents. 

Client Urban Splash Architect Ferguson Mann Architects 

Image Urban Splash 

LAKESHORE 

DE VERE 

GARDENS 

43

SERVICES 

INTEGRATED MULTI-DISCIPLINARY ENGINEERING 

Buro Happold delivers world-class engineering consultancy across a range of disciplines spanning 

buildings, infrastructure, environment, and project management. We combine creativity with solid 

technical skills and an awareness of the key drivers that shape projects in the residential sector. 

BUILDINGS 

BUILDING ENVIRONMENTS 

Acoustics 

Building services engineering (MEP) 

Computational analysis 

Lighting 

Sustainability 

BUILDING PLANNING AND OPERATIONS 

Asset management 

Fire engineering 

Inclusive design 

IT communications and control 

People movement 

Safe & Secure 

HAPPOLD CONSULTING 

STRATEGY 

Economic development 

Economic infrastructure 

Integrated development planning 

Regional planning 

Sustainability and environment 

DELIVERY 

Organisational development 

Procurement 

Project management 

BUILDING FABRIC 

Facades 

SMART solutions 

Structural engineering 


ENVIRONMENT AND INFRASTRUCTURE 

SPECIALIST CONSULTING 

Bridges and civil structures 

Coastal and marine 

Drainage and storm water management 

Earthworks 

Flood risk 

Geoenvironmental 

Geotechnical 

Highway engineering 

People movement  

Transport planning 

Utilities engineering 

STRATEGIC CONSULTING 

Environment  

Transport 

Urban development 

Water 



44


INDEX 

FEATURED PROJECT PAGE FEATURED PROJECT PAGE 

Ain Al Fayda 32 

Abu Dhabi, UAE 

Aino Mina 14 

Kandahar, Afghanistan 

Alte Mälzerei 39 

Pankow, Germany 

Anchor Mills 40 

Paisley, UK 

Barking Town Centre 34 

London, UK 

Bath Western Riverside 33 

Bath, UK 

Battersea Regeneration 28 

London, UK 

The Botany 29 

Maryhill, Glasgow, UK 

The Brunswick 40 

London, UK 

Carlyon Bay 15, 22 

Cornwall, UK 

Clarence Dock 41 

Leeds, UK 

The Cube 11, 30 


De Vere Gardens 43 

London, UK 

Elmswell Housing 20 

Suffolk, UK 

Greenwich Peninsula 

Residential Developments 31 

London, UK 

Index Tower 10, 25 

Dubai, UAE 

Lakeshore 43 

Bristol, UK 

Lots Road 39 

London, UK 

Mission Bay Block 13W 29 

San Francisco, CA, USA 

Mixed Use Development 17 

Dubai, UAE 

Pan Peninsula 17 

London, UK 

Pforzheim 30 

Baden-Wurttember, Germany 

Retrofit for the Future 20 

London, UK 

Rote-Kaserne 42 

Potsdam, Germany 

Supertech 15 

Noida, New Delhi, India 

Tongshan Street 12, 21 


107 West 57th Street 35 

New York, NY, USA 

Worli Towers 13, 23 

Mumbai, India 

Xeritown 23 

Dubai, UAE 

Zorlu Centre 16, 25 

Istanbul, Turkey 

Highbury Square 38 

London, UK 

Highland Housing Fair 24 

Inverness, UK 

45

ABOUT 

BURO HAPPOLD 

From our very first project we have used our intricate knowledge of the industry to push the 

boundaries and achieve more. It is this commitment that sets us apart, that adds value, that 

makes us award winning. We apply the same level of complex thought and specialist expertise 

to every project we work on. 

Our people define what we do. We invest in them 

in the same way that they invest in us; by providing 

opportunities to learn, to research, to develop. Our way 

of design is to draw on every talent, to consider every 

approach, to strive to progress; but to always use our 

proven methodologies to get results. 

After 35 years in the industry we have never lost our 

desire to be challenged, our passion for creativity and 

our sense of adventure. We know that building a place 

with a future involves creating strong communities 

that enable economies to thrive, engaging with 

society’s big issues and enriching people’s lives. 

We are at the forefront of low energy design: we 

deliver projects that have less carbon emissions and 

are more sustainable, we deliver projects that do 

not cost the earth. Our expert teams of engineers 

and consultants know how to get the best out of 

the world’s precious land and resources to provide 

for a growing population. We are leading the way in 

shaping a new future. 

Fuhai New City Xinjiang, China 

Masterplanner: Barton Willmore 

Image: Barton Willmore 

The Kogod Courtyard at the Smithsonian 

National Gallery Washington, D.C., USA 

Architect: Foster + Partners 

Image: Foster + Partners 

Emirates Stadium London, UK 

Architect: Populous 

Image: Simon Warren 


46

Al Faisaliah’s 267m tower houses 

Kingdom’s highest restaurant, 

set within a golden glass sphere 

Innovative external shading 

systems minimise solar gain and 

protect against harsh climate 

Thermal ice storage plant cools 

tower and mall, reducing peak 

energy demand by around 30% 

Al Faisaliah Riyadh, KSA 

Architect: Foster + Partners Image: Buro Happold / Joe Poon 

Long span, column free arch 

structure allows all-round visibility 

in 2000-seat banqueting hall 


47


Abu Dhabi 

Bath 

Beijing 

Berlin 

Birmingham 

Boston 

Cairo 

Chicago 

Copenhagen 

Dubai 

Edinburgh 

Glasgow 

Hong Kong 

Jeddah 

Kuwait 

Leeds 

London 

Los Angeles 

Manchester 

Milan 

Moscow 

Mumbai 

Munich 

New York 

Riyadh 

San Francisco 

Warsaw 

Contact: 

Martin Feakes 

Tel: +44 (0)1225 320 600 

Email: martin.feakes@burohappold.com 

Buildings Environment and Infrastructure Consulting 

www.burohappold.com 

Front cover project 

The Cube Birmingham, UK 

Architect: Make Image: Zander Olsen / Make

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