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NQ4 (Bengal Mill)
A mixed-use residential development, NQ4 includes 93 units and ground-floor commercial space in Ancoats, the first industrial suburb in the world when early, 18th century steam-powered mills were first built.
In the aftermath of the 2008 financial market crash, our client acquired another developer’s unfinished project with foundations already completed―but designed for a steel-framed structure.
However, the new developer preferred a concrete frame. As structural engineers for the project, we set about tackling this initial challenge. We developed a cost-optimized scheme that scaled the project down so that the existing foundations could still be used.
| Client | Renaker |
|---|---|
| Architect: | MBLA |
| Size | 9 Stories | 75,000 SF (7,000 SM) | 93 Units |
| Office: | Hebden Bridge |
| Completion: | 2014 |
We designed a robust structural hybrid of steel and precast concrete chosen for its strength and fire resistance in the 9-story building, which includes a two-story podium. Our design required the careful integration of an external precast concrete frame with a primary internal steel frame and precast floor decks. We completed highly precise engineering calculations to ensure the effective transfer of all gravity and wind load paths between the different material types and connections.
The external, precast concrete frame supports large, double-story panels of grey, stack-bonded brickwork, interspersed with full-height windows and colored panels intended to complement nearby historic buildings.
An example of successful placemaking, NQ4 represents one of the finest modern urban regeneration stories of its kind in Europe.
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