Olympia

Kensington Olympia is a set of several venues in West London which included Olympia Grand, Olympia National, Olympia Central, Olympia West, L‐wards, MSCP and a Pillar Hall. All buildings are Grade II listed.

We have been involved in various parts of the project assisting Erith with construction engineering and temporary work designs. Starting in L‐yard, the works included demolition of the ground floor slab for the underground machine room, also requiring enabling works for the piling works. Complex interfaces with fire escape corridor, high loads and retained basement walls needed to be considered and appropriate solution to be provided.

A 100m long, 25m high with 5.5m basement retention, façade retention system was provided for the Olympia Central. The façade retention system incorporated separate solution for the lobby area which was set back from the main façade and had a complex system of transfer and cantilever beams, each of them needed to be surveyed and included into retention. The existing lightwell running all the length of the façade was utilised for façade retention foundations as well as being designed as a gravity retaining wall, clearing up the space for the piling works happening right behind the façade.

Demolition of the building had numerous constraints such as delays with vacant possession, local authority approvals, finalised permanent design- all this led to several various stages of installation of the façade retention and partial demolition in stages, allowing timely completion.