Developer HUB has selected seven structural engineering practices to pitch ideas for repurposing commercial buildings to provide homes using low-carbon solutions.
The practices are: Simple Works, London Structures Lab, Heyne Tillett Steel, Morph Structures, Civic Engineers, Webb Yates and Symmetrys.
Each engineer has just three minutes to pitch to a panel that includes HUB Managing Director, Damien Sharkey, Hattie Hartman, Sustainability Editor at the Architects’ Journal and Wolf Mangelsdorf, Buro Happold’s Global Head of Design, Technology & Innovation. A fourth judge will be announced shortly.
The prize is a guaranteed commission with HubCap, HUB’s wholly owned subsidiary focussed on building repurposing and low-carbon living.
The shortlisting follows the initial call for expressions of interest, which resulted in a high calibre of entries. A major focus for the Pitch is to give up-and-coming engineers an opportunity to share their ideas. The seven practices were selected based on their unique approach to design, strong track record of delivery and high-quality portfolio.
The pitch will be held on July 11th at the Building Centre in front of a live audience. Tickets can be purchased via Ticket Tailor.
Here, the selected engineers tell us why they want to pitch.
Simple Works
Tell us about your practice
Simple Works was founded with a shared desire to focus on the communities we build and work for and the environment we live in. We use our technical excellence and know-how to create equitable spaces and we specifically target projects which can benefit the many, not just the few. We have an established research agenda within the practice which focuses on regenerative design principles with an emphasis on refurbishment and low carbon design.
How old is your practice?
4 years
Why do you want to take part?
The word 'sustainability' is perhaps no longer fit for purpose in that we are no longer in a position to 'sustain’. Instead we need to be regenerative - to not only have a neutral impact but a net positive one. The brief includes many aspects we would love to tackle including the emphasis on refurbishment and low carbon development. We are also a collaborative practice, both with design teams as well as other engineers and always appreciate the benefit of collective brainstorm for the greater good. How we’re going to get ourselves out of this mess will never be in silos or thinking how we used to.
London Structures Lab
Tell us about your practice
London Structures Lab was founded with the ambition to maximise the potential of the structures we work with - both new and existing. Our team has been assembled from within the London engineering community, coalescing around a desire to deliver the change needed to meet future societal and environmental challenges. In our short existence we have been able to measure our approach against a wide variety of project types and scales. We are collaborative and most of all we listen. We always feel there is a better way for a project, a team and a city.
How old is your practice?
3.5 years
Why do you want to take part?
This is a great opportunity to showcase engineering at the forefront of problem solving in the built environment. We actively place ourselves within spaces where emerging concepts are discussed and Hub’s record of nurturing these ideas through to delivery aligns with the creative and actionable form of engineering we value. Communicating these ideas succinctly is the key to influencing design and policy, to maximise assets continual use. The up-cycling of buildings is the biggest impact engineers can have - we want to talk about it and listen to those working to the same goal.
Heyne Tillett Steel
Tell us about your practice.
Heyne Tillett Steel is an employee-owned practice of 160+ structural and civil engineers based in London and Manchester, who put sustainability at the heart of our decision making. Our creative design approach and innovative, practical solutions have helped us to deliver award-winning refurbishments and low-carbon buildings – such as The Standard, Battersea Arts Centre and our own Chart Street office - in complex, urban sites around the UK.
How old is your practice ?
16 years
Why do you want to take part?
We believe that it’s our responsibility to reduce the amount of carbon we use in our design, using all tools and techniques at our disposal. The design process no longer begins with a blank sheet – our starting point is the existing building, understanding it and working with the grain to adapt it for its next phase. Our experience in adapting and extending 20th Century office buildings to residential and hotel uses includes Grange Central St Martins and The Standard Hotel (both with Orms), Hill House and East Road (both withHawkins\Brown), as well as the Grade II* Listed Hornsey Town Hall (with Make).Bringing together the right team early on, with a curious mindset and the knowledge, creativity and passion to reuse, has been fundamental to the success of all of these projects.
Morph Structures
Tell us about your practice.
We are an award-winning practice of structural engineers with a belief in practical, innovative, sustainable design, honestly and clearly communicated. Our approach is based on building collaborative relationships with architects and clients to help realise their ambitions and create elegant, efficient designs. We passionately believe that the construction industry should be doing more to reduce the environmental impact associated with building. Our approach is based on using proven and economical lower-carbon materials and technologies which exist and which can be easily implemented..
How old is your practice?
13 years
Why do you want to take part?
First, it’s an opportunity to demonstrate our abilities and innovative thinking to a progressive client that shares many of our interests – a love of urban housing, good design, retrofit and cutting carbon in development. Secondly, we want to show the innovative ways that economical and well established techniques can be used in order to unlock the potential of commercial buildings for residential use while minimising carbon emissions. And finally, we’d love to present our ideas to our engineering peers. Confronting the climate crisis requires a sustained collaborative effort, and broadening the engineering community’s understanding of carbon is essential – the benefit of our experience should not be hoarded and commodified for commercial advantage.
Civic Engineers
Tell us about your practice.
We are a collective of structural and civil engineers and transport planners, working over four studios across the UK. We take a holistic approach to projects, creating inspirational structures and places that positively impact the environment, to enable people to lead healthier and happier lives. We push a‘ Retrofirst’ agenda, working closely with clients and collaborators who share our values to unlock the potential of existing buildings. We celebrate their history and give them a new lease of life while reducing carbon and striving for true net zero.
How old is your practice?
9 years old
Why do you want to take part?
Our pitch will be delivered by the next generation of leaders and future guardians of Civic Engineers. The Climate Emergency is the greatest threat to society and we are in a unique position to create spaces that enables society to thrive without causing unnecessary harm to the environment, and ensuring they are resilient to the effects of climate change. We are passionate about ambitiously refurbishing existing buildings. This opportunity will allow us to explore how to reinvigorate existing buildings and places whilst maximising retention and reuse, strike the balance between flexibility and ultra-lean design and harness the power of modern technologies and their implementation.
Webb Yates
Tell us about your practice.
We are an award-winning, multi-disciplinary engineering practice comprising structural, civil, and building services engineers. An SME with offices in London and Birmingham, we maintain a collaborative, enthusiastic and responsive culture with an efficient, innovative and creative design approach. We acknowledge that construction currently contributes close to 40% of global emissions and as such our design approach encompasses considered, ethical decision-making throughout. We will always offer environmentally conscientious solutions and, where appropriate, alternative options.
How old is your firm?
18 years
Why do you want to take part?
Retrofit is the most effective way of reducing material use and embodied carbon, and we believe HUB’s goal of bringing new communities through the transformation of underused commercial buildings is an excellent approach to addressing both the climate and housing crises. We are leaders in the sector for sustainability and continuously push the boundaries of low carbon material use in our designs. We believe that the structural engineer plays a crucial role in delivering innovative and cutting-edge solutions to projects.
Symmetrys
Tell us about your practice.
Symmetrys is a London-based structural/civil engineering practice with a reputation for intelligent, sustainable design. We provide cost-effective solutions to complex building issues for UK and international clients across retail, commercial, education and large residential. We use a mixture of knowledge and experience to push technical boundaries, delivering the best value engineering in all sectors. In addition to a wealth of experience and a list of satisfied clients, what defines us is the responsibility we feel to our team, the environment, and our local community.
How old is your practice?
17 years
Why do you want to take part?
We want to tell HUB about the Ferrous Wheel, our evolving tool for replacing designed steel sections with a reclaimed steel alternative. Ferrous Wheel works to automate the process of matching and replacing design steel sections in a Revit model with a suitable reclaimed steel alternative. The tool will then compare the embodied CO2e in the structural frame to allow the user to easily make an informed choice. Steel is inherently carbon-intensive, and its creation can be detrimental to the delicate ecosystem in which we live. Reclaiming a piece of steel rather than creating a new one, can drastically reduce the amount of embodied CO2 in a project.
Images: Simple Works, Angel Yard, Co-housing Group, Norwich. Credit: Archio. Webb Yates, Hoover Building, London. Credit: Morley von Sternberg
