ACME’s Post

🚧 Major Changes Announced for Liverpool Street Station Redevelopment 🚧 It's official—Sellar and Network Rail are making significant revisions to their £1.5bn Liverpool Street station redevelopment project. This comes after substantial pushback from heritage campaigners and various stakeholders. The original scheme, which included a controversial 20-storey office block, has been reimagined to be "much more heritage-led." 🏛️ The revised plan has evolved since spring, following over 2,200 objections from the public, local councils, and Historic England. Some of the contemporary additions inside the Victorian station have been scrapped, preserving more of its historic essence. Lead architect Herzog & de Meuron is now focused on retaining key areas of high value while reducing the project's scale and floorage. The office and hotel tower, which initially received a lot of criticism, will still be part of the development but with significant modifications in height and massing to minimize its impact on the surrounding heritage buildings. This rethink aligns closely with Network Rail's enhanced involvement, ensuring a balance between modern needs and preserving historic legacy. As a recruiter, it's fascinating to see how development projects adapt based on public and professional input. It's a reminder of the importance of listening and adapting to stakeholder feedback—something we're keenly aware of in our industry. What are your thoughts on balancing heritage and modernity in redevelopment projects? #UrbanDevelopment #HeritageConservation #LiverpoolStreetStation

Liverpool Street to become “destination” station under revised plans. Network Rail Property has launched a consultation on revised plans to transform London Liverpool Street, Britain’s busiest railway station. Network Rail Property says plans will deliver significant improvements to public infrastructure for “a best in class, destination station that protects the station’s heritage setting” while easing congestion, reducing queuing and making the station more accessible. A previous scheme proposed by SELLAR – the developer of The Shard – submitted in 2023, generated significant objection from Westminster City Council and heritage organisations including Historic England. It proposed the partial demolition of the Victorian station and a new multi-storey tower cantilevered above a neighbouring Grade-II* former hotel. Commenting on the new scheme, Robin Dobson, Group Property Director at Network Rail Property, said “Investing in transport infrastructure is key to unlocking future economic growth. "We’ve spent time talking and listening: our latest plans celebrate Victorian features including the original train shed and the Great Eastern Hotel. “Network Rail Property is leading a new team with a new approach which will respect the station’s unique heritage – simple in design, embracing London’s mix of the old with the new. “A new office building on top of the station concourse will generate the money to pay for these improvements.” Architect ACME is now working with Network Rail Property to bring forward the new proposals. The new scheme is “based on a thorough understanding of the operational needs of the station and its historic significance.” The original 1864 station and its 1991 reconfiguration are remarkable for their cathedral-like concourse and train shed, and the new concourse roof “extends this language into the 21st century”. Friedrich Ludewig, founding director of ACME commented, “We are delighted to be part of this monumental design challenge to create a world-class transport gateway in the City of London... Find out more 👉 https://lnkd.in/eRiEFF4H #architecture #railstations #railproperty

Good to be at the NLA tall buildings event last night to see plans for how London's skyline is expected to change in the coming years. The new Government's recently announced mandatory housing targets and limited land supply mean that we can expect to see more building upwards in years to come. Some interesting topics discussed: • The challenges of developing in a constrained space, such as central London, mean that large parts of new buildings are pre-fabricated off-site, and brought on-site just in time to be hoisted in to place. This also has the benefit of speeding up the on-site construction phase, with one case study saying that a new floor is being completed at their current development every 6 days. • As with all areas of construction, environmental considerations are front and centre of developers' minds. In order to reduce embodied carbon emissions associated with demolition, there is a trend towards raising the height of existing buildings. In order to do so, engineers need to have a very good understanding of the existing structure to ensure that there is sufficient load bearing capacity. Hopefully the 'golden thread' requirements of the Building Safety Act will make this task easier in future. • There was a great emphasis on placemaking, with a move towards parts of tall buildings being available for public use. One speaker spoke of creating a vertical high street, with cafes, bars, restaurants, GP surgeries and other uses being spread throughout the building to foster greater connectivity between floors.  #realestate #propertydevelopment #Dentons

With all the justified excitement about how the new metro will transform Sydney, it’s fascinating to reflect on Bradfield's original "underground" plan for the city. This plan envisioned an integration of the inner-city suburbs with the broader rail network. Bradfield's design included underground loops through the inner east and inner west, with stations proposed in locations such as Paddington, Waterloo, Randwick Racecourse, SCG/Showground, Balmain, Callan Park, and Annandale. These lines would have connected to existing stations like St James, which was built with two additional unused platforms (hence the unusually wide platform and dual staircases today). The design, finishes, and signage of Museum and St James stations look very similar to the London Underground. Supposedly these lines were abandoned due to the Great Depression and capital needs of WW2. It’s interesting to imagine how Sydney might have evolved if these lines and stations had come to fruition. For an interesting read https://lnkd.in/gmP9kZH8

Delighted to see ‘Pall Mall’ Manchester, a deep retrofit of a Grade II listed building in Manchester City Centre, mentioned in the UK Green Building Council (UKGBC)'s new ‘Retrofitting Office Buildings Report’, and as a case study on the UK Green Building Council (UKGBC) website. This refurbishment project, for Bruntwood, is targeting a 74% reduction in Energy Use Intensity, an EPC rating improvement from G to A, a BREEAM ‘Very Good’ rating, and a +100% increase in rental value.  Whole life cycle carbon was a fundamental driver for determining the retrofit strategy, which also create a vibrant new public realm in a previously under-utilised area. https://lnkd.in/dtM7_6xb This project is lead by Catherine Gray, Stuart Moses and Martin Bissell . We are working alongside Sheppard Robson Reimagine the Potential, #RespectReviewRenew Respect: Every building deserves respect. Recognising and enhancing the economic, social, and environmental value of existing properties can be cost effective and more sustainable. Review: Map out opportunities and de-risk your options at the earliest planning stages by using circularity methods, audits, surveys, lab tests, and analyses. Renew with knowledge - make tailored property renovation plans using multidisciplinary methods and insights that help ensure future use and attractiveness for tenants and buyers.

9 million sq ft under construction in the City of London, how are you making sure you’re getting a piece of the pie? The City of London's construction scene is booming, gearing up to transform the skyline. But in a city teeming with opportunity, how does your construction brand carve out its share? The competition is fierce. Your brand's image, messaging, and pitch could be the difference between watching from the sidelines and leading the charge. Here’s the deal: It’s not just about what you build, it’s about how you present your vision. In a market where Grade B is being upgraded to Grade A, your pitch needs to resonate with that level of excellence and innovation. Focus on creating visually stunning proposals that not only showcase your previous successes but also mirror the ambition of London’s new architectural era. Your message should speak to the sustainability, innovation, and efficiency that investors are seeking. Now is the time to ask yourself, is your brand ready to stand out in the City's most ambitious era of construction? Are you ready to be part of London's iconic transformation? Let’s discuss how to elevate your pitch and secure your slice of the London construction pie. The future is being built now, make sure you're in on it. #ConstructionBoom #LondonBuilds #BrandExcellence #CityOfLondon #LondonConstruction

We are thrilled to announce that Hammersmith & Fulham Council has given our innovative proposals for the revitalisation of Albert and Swedish Wharf the green light. EPR’s design for developer Henley Investment Management Ltd transforms an underused two-acre site by Wandsworth Bridge into a thriving mixed-use development, delivering 276 apartments - 35% of which will be affordable housing - communal landscaped gardens and a Thames Path extension, offering riverside access to new residents and the existing community. The redevelopment of Albert and Swedish Wharf is also a unique opportunity to bring the safeguarded wharf back into use. A new 55,000 sq ft last-mile logistics facility will tap into the River Thames’ potential to handle light freight, allowing goods to be sustainably distributed across London. Once complete, the exciting scheme will deliver much-needed affordable housing and bring economic dynamism to the area by re-energising one of London’s last remaining undeveloped riverside locations. #eprarchitects #architecture #design #planningpermission #fulham #regeneration #affordablehomes #residential #operationalwharf

Curious how changes to city bylaws can impact retail construction in cities like Edmonton, Vancouver and Toronto? Check out our latest blog for an in-depth look at the regulations that may affect your next project: https://hubs.li/Q02tnDZV0

As reported by Building Magazine, The City of London is currently experiencing a significant surge in development proposals, with 18 major new schemes, most tall, concentrated around Bishopsgate. Steve Watts, TTa Director and Vice Chair of the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat (CTBUH), offers his views through the article, on what lies behind the latest cycle of development and what might hold it back. The piece highlights that the number of planning applications has risen by 25% year-on-year. However, despite this surge, only some projects are expected to proceed simultaneously due to industry capacity and market demand. Steve says: “Everyone did try to be a perfume bottle… Now, it’s a lot more nuanced than that. You’ve got to think about how the building is going to be used, a much richer mix of amenities, the blurring between the private and the public, the activity of the ground floor, and social value.” Read the full article here: bit.ly/4b9EXCF #TallBuildings #LondonConstruction #ConstructionIndustry #CityofLondon

Embodied Carbon. In markets where office vacancy is relatively high, asset regeneration & retrofitting is becoming essential. Existing office towers, notably those developed in the late 80’s and early 90’s, constructed from over-engineered reinforced concrete, hold embodied carbon benefits that far outweigh any new builds. This environmental credential is not currently rewarded in the chase for green stars. Quay Quarter in Sydney is a leading example. Can you imagine the embodied carbon in Rialto Towers? Asset Regeneration requires highly skilled inputs: architecture, development, leasing, marketing, construction, and capital. It’s a passion of mine. Please reach out to discuss. #assetregeneration #development #officeleasing #investmentmanagment #capital