Rivers Agency Headquarters, Loughry

This new two-storey office block with partial basement sits on pad-and-strip foundations on trench-fill concrete due to weak subsoils. It is steel-framed with a portalised roof structure and the ground floor slab is of suspended precast concrete due to variable and sloping ground conditions. The first-floor slab is of composite metal deck on primary and secondary beams. The basement has a partial reinforced concrete retaining wall around three sides. Side walls and roof finishes are horizontally-spanning composite panels fixed to secondary steelwork.

Full-height glazing panels occurs every five metres in the side walls, with gables fully glazed and supported off a steel box-section frame. The side walls and roof overhang main frame gables by approximately 1500mm.

A steel-framed feature staircase was designed in the entrance lobby and tied into the main frame with no visible columns.

External site works comprise a new carpark, pathways around the building and associated drainage.

A full BIM model was produced and coordinated between the architect, structural engineer and M&E Engineers. The project was designed to achieve BREEAM “Excellent”.   (Images courtesy of QMAC)

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