London School of Economics
"We are delighted to have been awarded this prestigious contract. It firmly establishes our leading position in the higher education sector." Cliff Thomas, Sector Director
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Work has started on the 12,600m ² New Academic Building for the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE). LSE appointed Osborne as main contractor to convert the existing Edwardian building into a modern teaching environment fit for a world-class institution. The development will enable LSE to more than double its teaching space when it opens in autumn 2008.
The dramatic scheme completely remodels the existing building, formerly the Public Trust Office built around 1912. It is an eight-storey, U-shaped structure and the plans incorporate an atrium, roof pavilion and a revamped forecourt area. The scheme will provide three new lecture theatres, 18 classrooms, research facilities and academic offices on the upper floors.
The largest lecture theatre, measuring 16m by 21m, is located at basement level and accommodates up to 400 students. To offer unobstructed views for every student, the lecture theatre roof is constructed without the use of columns. Instead the structural design utilises precast beams spanning the length of the lecture theatre. The beams are overlain with a 200mm thick insitu concrete slab to form a composite structure.
Eight beams are used in total; each weighs 17 tonnes and measures 18.2m long by 1m deep. The site is located on Kingsway, a particularly busy London road. A 500-tonne mobile crane was used to lift the beams into position. Due to the size of the crane and of the beams the lift was scheduled for the weekend of 16th to 17th March 2007. Road closures and diversions were arranged with the Metropolitan Police and the mobile crane arrived late on Friday night to set-up. The crane needed 175t of counterweight and a 49m fly jib was installed to lift the beams up and over the ten-storey structure.
The beams were lifted into position on Saturday and Sunday. One end forms a pinned connection with a storey-high steel truss; the other is simply supported on a concrete retaining wall. The beams are furthermore precambered and temporarily supported at mid-span until the concrete slab is poured over the top. Once cured the slab and the beams act in composite and the temporary supports can be removed.
The lecture theatre offers a world-class ‘Harvard Style’ teaching space and will help the student population grow from 7,500 to 9,000. The single most important change offered by the New Academic Building though is to unlock the overcrowded centre of the campus, giving it breathing space and letting departments with similar academic interests come together.
Temporary propping for the eight lecture theatre roof beams. The props will be removed once the concrete for the metal decking is cast and the structure acts in a composite manner.
The high level truss being prepared for lifting. The truss measures 3.3m high by 17.5m long and weighs 15.5t.
The high level truss in position. The truss will be used to hang other elements of the steel frame above the basement lecture theatre.
The lecture theatre roof viewed from above. Also visible are the floor structures and hangers suspended from the high level truss.
Click here to view the Project case study
Click here to view the Press release
For more information contact construction@osborne.co.uk