Ambar Kelly’s bespoke riser flooring system has been employed as part of a mixed-use commercial development in King’s Cross, central London, to provide an ideal riser flooring solution for a complex construction project involving reinforced concrete frame and steel frame buildings, to improve buildability and safety.

R8 is currently under development and is situated at King’s Cross, NC1. Designed by architects Piercy & Co, R8 consists of two, 13-storey blocks separated by an external public area. The western block comprises commercial office space, while the eastern block provides 72 residential apartments. A two-storey podium with a landscaped roof and garden links the two tower blocks to be enjoyed by users of both. 

Manufacturer Ambar Kelly has provided 227 units of its modular riser flooring system RiserSafe^®, for 13 floors across both blocks. To ensure success on the project, Ambar Kelly worked alongside principal contractor and client, McLaren, to make certain that the units aligned with project requirements.

Ambar Kelly takes an unprecedented holistic approach towards riser shaft flooring, with its RiserSafe^® system; a complete non-combustible permanent riser flooring installed from the moment the structure is formed, to prevent the fatal risks of fire and falling from height in a single product. The riser shaft solution facilitates the interfaces across the various disciplines involved in riser design and implementation, providing benefit to key parties in the supply chain. 

It is a made-to-measure system where standard constituent parts are manufactured off-site in Ambar Kelly’s factory, and the only details that change are the units’ dimensions to meet the specifications of the project and is suitable for all frame types. The commercial building’s frame was a steel frame composite deck construction, and a concrete frame for the residential buildings. RiserSafe^® was simply lifted onto the steel frame and the metal decking was installed, providing the permanent framework. The concrete frame build had the units placed onto the formwork decking and rebar steels reinforcement installed. In both cases, the concrete was poured against the RiserSafe® units and once cured provided a permanent flooring to the riser, while simultaneously protecting the construction from the risks of fall and fire during the build. 

The mechanical, electrical and plumbing (MEP) service penetrations are 3D-modelled, ensuring that all elements are incorporated into RiserSafe® design and verified in the virtual world before being manufactured and delivered to site, therefore saving time and costs. The bespoke RiserSafe^® solution also reduces overall construction time by removing the need for fall protection measures such as scaffolded handrails, cutting of builders work holes as well as temporary fire doors, and permit systems to control access to the shafts.

The RiserSafe® units are pre-cut and protected with a cover plate (lid) at the factory to facilitate the streamlined installation of mechanical and electrical (M&E) services, offering permanent flooring between the building framework and services. Ambar Kelly’s design enables maintenance engineers to access and service the building’s infrastructure, ensuring the optimum performance of the building throughout its lifetime.  

Luke Dowding, Senior Site Manager at McLaren commented, “Ambar Kelly has been a great help, accommodating us with the installation of RiserSafe^® panels on R8. Using RiserSafe^® has resulted in better safety and productivity on this project.”

R8 is due for completion in Spring 2024. Ambar Kelly’s RiserSafe^® solution has contributed to the improved safety of R8; protecting building users from the spread of smoke and flame through the riser shaft.