Latest News: Sheet Piling Commences for New Google HQ in Kings Cross

October 16th, 2017

Sheet Piling Commences for New Google HQ in Kings Cross

After years of planning, work has recently commenced on the new London Headquarters for search giant, Google.

The new 93,000m2 London campus comprises three buildings and features a rooftop garden, running track and swimming pool. Located in the Kings Cross area on central London, the Zone A building rises in height from seven storeys to eleven and will house a roof garden running the full length of this impressive structure.

The scheme includes an events centre, swimming pool, sports centre, gymnasium, food courts and shops at street level. Speaking about the scheme, lead architect Bjarke Ingels commented: “Our design for the new Google Campus at King’s Cross is rooted in the local character of the area, taking advantage of the contextually defined building envelope while creating continuously cascading work environments that will connect Googlers across multiple floors.”

“By opening up the ground floor and activating the roofscape, the light and airy workspaces are sandwiched between the terraced gardens on the roof, and market halls, auditoria and shops on the ground.” The new Google campus will allow the technology giant to bring staff from other locations in the capital together, under one roof, for the first time.

Lendlease have been appointed by Google as the Construction Partner for the £350 million shell & core element of the project and Galldris are currently undertaking the enabling works package.

Sheet Piling (UK) Ltd have been appointed for the ‘Design, Supply & Installation’ of a temporary anchored Sheet Pile Retaining Wall which will provide retention to the existing Kings Cross Boulevard to facilitate construction of a secant pile wall from a low level.

Temporary Sheet Pile Retaining Wall for Google HQ, London
Silent Piling at Google HQ, London

 

In total 150No. Arcelor Mittal GU27 Sheet Piles will be installed together with 160No. self drilling anchors installed over 2No. levels to provide the retaining structure for a maximum excavation depth of 10.0m.

The works are particularly restricted in terms of access and environmental constraints due to the adjacent Kings Cross Development to one side of the site and Kings Cross Station to the other side of the site.

Consequently, Sheet Piling (UK) Ltd are using one of their new Giken F201 Silent Vibration Free Pile Pressing Machines to install the sheet piles which has environmental benefits for such an urban London location site including low noise and vibration levels and Tier 3B emission standards.

All deliveries are undertaken using FORS Silver accredited haulage contractors in accordance with the Fleet Operator Recognition Scheme.

Sheet pile installation commenced in mid October 2017 following a detailed pre-construction design process including obtaining all necessary 3rd party approvals for the works together with an Independent CAT3 design check on the proposed temporary sheet pile structure. The works are programmed to be completed over a 12No. week period.

Commenting on the project, Sheet Piling (UK) Ltd managing director Andrew Cotton said: “We’re delighted to be an integral part of the team constructing the new Google HQ in central London. Naturally, we’ll be utilising the latest silent, vibration free sheet piling technology and all the materials used in the scheme have been sourced through Google’s ‘Healthy Materials Programme’.”

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NOTES TO EDITORS
Sheet Piling (UK) Limited is one of the UK's leading piling contractors. Owning and operating a comprehensive range of specialist piling equipment Sheet Piling (UK) Ltd also carry extensive stocks of new and used piles enabling rapid reaction to any urgent requirements or emergency situations.