S2 Kings Cross – Orientation
I’m now several weeks into my Phase 2 placement with Carillion plc and it’s time to break my blog cherry. This post will hopefully serve to provide a quick overview of the project and company with an emphasis on pictures rather than words!
Site Orientation
The King’s Cross estate is owned by, and being developed by the King’s Cross Central Limited Partnership. One of the largest redevelopments in London, the 67-acre site has a rich history and a unique setting. What was an underused industrial area is being transformed into a new part of the city with homes, shops, offices, galleries, bars, restaurants, schools, and a university.
Kings Cross Development Area (looking West) circa 2008
The S2 site is one of seven sites that Carillion currently have within the Kings Cross Development Area. Two other contractors (Kier Group and BAM Construct) also operate sites in the development.
Kings Cross Development Site Plan (Purple-Carillion, Red-Kier, Green-BAM)
S2 project Outline
Kings Cross S2 is a new £78 million commercial office development comprising; eleven storeys of grade A commercial office development, over; retail, lobby and further office space at ground floor level, over; deep single storey basement housing plant tenant cycle storage and changing facilities and welfare. Further plant is located at levels 10 and 12 with a tenant roof terrace located at level 11. The tenant is Google UK who have signed a 17 year lease on the development. As the initial tenants numerous aspects of the build conform to their specific requirements, including double height floor spaces to various areas and open lobby spaces
Architects image of completed S2
The building frame consists of a reinforced concrete basement and ground floor, with steel frame superstructure and composite floor system. Stability is provided via a central reinforced concrete core, which is formed around passenger lifts and stairs. The cladding system is a 1.5m unitised system, with a stone faced façade. Within the superstructure of S2 there are a number of cantilever floors and setbacks. On the south-eastern corner there is a large cantilever at fourth floor level.
The substructure consists of reinforced concrete basement and ground floor with rotary bored pile foundations into London clay. Contiguous piled walls on each basement wall provide temporary retention and permanent vertical support to columns.
S2 Progress – March 2017
Contract Information
The main contract between Carillion plc and King’s Cross Central Limited Partnership is a JCT (2011) Design and Build contract with Employers Amendments. The price and payment structure of the contract is based on a lump sum with interim stage payments. The contract seems to work well on the S2 project with its provisions for collaborative working and sustainability meaning there is a real team ethos between client and contractor with a shared effort when issues are encountered. The current completion date for the contract is March 2017.
A two stage tender process was implemented for this contract. Stage one was a competitive tender aspect between Carillion and BAM, both of whom were selected off the clients selected delivery team members list. Carillion was successful at stage one and so moved forward to stage two which was a negotiated element directly between the client (Argent) and the contractor (Carillion).
Roles & Responsibilities
My current role is as the Construction Supervisor for the superstructure on the S2 project. I work directly to the Package Manager (Construction Manager) for the superstructure/substructure. Given my parameters I liaise with the other Package Managers (Fit Out, Envelope and M&E) in order to expose myself to as many activities and issues as possible. My initial time has seen my attention focused on health and safety matters and quality concerning the steel erection and composite floor construction. This period has proved challenging at times with a steep learning curve endured with regards to the project and company processes, however, this has allowed me to immerse myself in the project and understand how the project it being run.
Summary
The S2 project seems an exciting project to be involved with. I feel the timing of the attachment has been well situated in terms of the project programme with a vast amount of activity currently being witnessed with numerous trades all working on site. As with probably all students my concern at this early stage is that I will be able to meet all the ICE Attributes in the time available.
I hope this post has been partly interesting in setting the scene. I will look to provide some site related engineering issues in the near future!
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Al,
It’s interesting to read a blog from a PET (C) student starting on a project that is a bit further into the program. From our lot most of us spent all of our time in the ground at the very earliest stages of a project doing piling or excavations etc. Looking at your photo it seems as though the steel superstructure is well on its way. Have any of the internal M&E fit out or facade installation started yet?
Both these packages are typically very high cost and always require close supervision and management on site. Controlling these packages in the same space as ongoing structural work should prove an interesting challenge.
TD
Al,
It looks like you’re on a good project that will see you through a broad spectrum of trade activities. It’s almost a shame that it will be so close to finishing before you disappear to a design office (although, depending on your view of the snagging process and final fit out etc… you can also see it as perfect timing!)
You put contract completion as March 2017. Is that a typo that should have read 2018 or am I reading that wrong?
Finally, out of interest, you mentioned that the initial client was google and that double height floor spaces were being installed to conform with their user requirements… This seems counter to the usual approach of squeezing as many floors in as possible so as to maximise office floor space. Has anything been designed in to permit conversion to single height floor space if/after Google depart, or is this a permanent design/architectural feature that loses floor space but with the benefit of guaranteed rent for the first 17 years?
Tom,
Yes, they have started fitting the cladding to the ground floor and internal fit out is due to commence next month which includes some of the risers. Your suspicions are correct with regard to challenges as we have encountered numerous conflicts already, mainly due to areas not being ready for follow on trades.
The stage of the works on site was a slight concern of mine prior to starting for as you mentioned this seems to go against the general experience of students. However, the progress of works means that I am in fact exposed to a host of construction issues/conflicts. Hopefully it continues!
James,
You are right, should read March 2018. You make a fair point with regard to future use of the building. This is an area the client is obviously keen to mitigate given the potential future revenue from any tenant post Google. The Design has allowed for ‘idle’ beams to be installed in between the primary beams, adjacent to the voids. These are installed upside down so the cambers of the beams do not interact with the permanent structure above. When/if required in the future, these beams can be removed, rotated the correct way and installed to the void areas and a flooring system laid and so completing the floor space to that level. Carillion are actually contracted at the end of the project to conduct a demonstration of this activity for the client.
At a guess I would say Google would be paying the same rent whether they had the optimal floor space or not.