Paddington Square New Project Win

January 15 2021

Ambar Kelly has won two different orders for one project: the mixed-use Paddington Square, London project.

Designed by world-renowned architect Renzo Piano, on completion Paddington Square will be a stunning 20-storey building in London. The mixed-use scheme will incorporate 360,000 sq ft of prime office space, 75,220 sq ft of retail and dining space, a 13,650 sq ft rooftop restaurant and a new 1.35-acre public square. This development is part of the wider regeneration of Paddington which also includes a £65m investment into the area’s transport infrastructure.

Ambar Kelly received a direct order for 431 RiserSafe® units from main contractor Mace for Paddington Square’s basement. Frame contractor William Hare ordered 432 units for the super structure element of the development.

RiserSafe® was selected as Mace is a champion of riser zone design and safety. The patented system forms and protects riser floor openings in one action, eliminating falls from height and preventing the passage of smoke and flame in the event of fire. With a fire resistance of 1000°C for 1.5 hours, the system will be a good benchmark for the Building Safety Regulator’s review as it reduces the fire and smoke loading of the building within the riser shaft (chimney) environment. Consequently, it offers protection from the moment of construction to the end of the building’s life. It can also be recycled.

A ‘change of culture’ requiring more focus on collaboration between firms working on a project would be ‘key’, and Dame Judith said in turn: ‘If someone is not doing what they’re required to do as part of their duties, then they can expect that to get picked up by the regulator.

Ambar Kelly is working on the single stage process of modelling all mechanical, electrical, and plumbing [MEP] services and fire wall details. These will be manufactured into the units at the factory to get it right first-time in the virtual world, eliminating site secondary works inefficiencies during construction. The RiserSafe® units will be manufactured with the client’s approved design, including separating fire walls that will be built straight from the units.

The consolidation of multiple units into larger single units will reduce construction time, lower costs, improve collaboration and make the project one of the safest in the UK by reducing the work at height activities significantly. These benefits reinforce Dame Judith Hackitt’s calls for more collaboration across construction; a process which will be key to greater transparency. The Building Safety Regulator will be able to further assure quality, collaboration and transparency, as according to Dame Judith: ‘If someone is not doing what they’re required to do as part of their duties, then they can expect that to get picked up by the regulator.’

Due for completion in 2022, Ambar Kelly is delighted to have been directly considered by Mace and William Hare for this monumental project in a historical part of London.