Lambeth College

In February 2018, O’Keefe commenced work on this multi-phase project to facilitate the creation of a state-of-the-art STEM College in Nine Elms, London.

The Project involved site enabling, hoarding, asbestos removal, soft strip, hard demolition, façade retention, underpinning and maintaining access to the neighbouring residential & commercial properties via an access road that went under one of the buildings to be demolished.

All asbestos removal was carried out prior to the main works starting, due to the amount to removal required and space needed for decontamination areas. All works being independently signed off by an accredited laboratory.

Soft strip involved the removal of all non-structural elements, prior to the full structural demolition of the works. Where soft strip was at an elevated level, an alloy tower was erected by a competent PASMA trained operative to gain access.

To ensure O’Keefe adhered to environmental compliances, a fine water mist was used to suppress dust emissions where necessary throughout the project duration.

Concurrent with the soft strip phase and prior to hard demolition, O’Keefe undertook enabling works to facilitate the removal of arisings and the transit of materials and equipment around site. These consisted of the following:

• Scaffold screens to all road facing elevations
• Construction of a suitable crane pad to allow mobile cranes access to lift plant from the roofs of the buildings
• Back propping to ground floor and lower ground floor car park slab of adjoining property
• Localised saw cuts to minimise any transfer of vibration

Upon completion of the soft strip, O’Keefe progressed to the hard demolition phase of works. This utilised both high reach & top down demolition sequences utilising a fleet of 13 tonne machines being hoisted to the highest level onsite using the site demolition mobile crane and 80 tonne high reach excavators for areas of less sensitivity. The existing lift shafts and newly constructed well holes were used to allow for the most efficient removal of demolition arisings. Top down demolition targeted the roof down to the 6th floor on the areas of the buildings closest to our neighbours. Top down internal demolition took place from the roof to the 1st floor level at which point we could utilise larger 30 tonne machines to complete the demolition from the ground.

After hard demolition has progressed to the lower levels, the lifts were then removed in accordance to the separately issued and verified lifting plan. This method employed a combination of; 360 degree excavators fitted with pulverisers, hydraulic pneumatic breakers for heavier reinforced areas and wheeled bobcat skid-steer loaders.

A tunnel under the main building required a full scaffold crash deck to be installed during the demolition to ensure no damage to the road. At the point in the works that the tunnel had to be removed we designed a temporary haul road through the site so demolition could be completed over a weekend; to minimise disruption.

All of these works took place with close co-ordination with TfL and Lambeth Council.

In continuation of O’Keefe’s commitment to exemplary environmental performance, dust emissions were controlled in all areas with the deployment of bespoke water sprays. The quantity of water emitted by the sprays was regulated and controlled to prevent any flooding at basement level and not to affect local pressures.

Fundamental to the award of this project was O’Keefe’s experience in effective incorporation of Building Information Management (BIM).

Through an illustrious portfolio of projects working at a BIM Level 2, O’Keefe can commit practised process, procedures and personnel to fulfil the client’s requirements.

Utilising drone surveys upon completion of the works we were able to handover a suitable model of the site for incorporation into the main contractor’s tender for the client.

• Contract: Lambeth College
• Client: Lambeth College
• Location: Nine Elms, SW4 9BL
• Value: £2.4m
• Duration: 26 weeks
• BREEAM RATING: Excellent
• Scope: Site enabling, Soft Strip, Asbestos Removal, High Reach and Hard Demolition, Façade retention