Steel Construction Specialist Celebrates Double Win In Awards

Two projects completed by global engineering steel specialist, William Hare Group, have been recognised with prestigious Tekla BIM Awards.

The London-based works at 40 Leadenhall Street and Maggie’s at The Royal Free Hospital were named among the winners of this year’s UK awards and will now go through to compete at the global finals later this autumn.

As a leader in engineering software, Tekla’s awards recognise the very best projects to have utilised its Building Information Modelling technology to support the design process through state-of-the-art computer-generated models.

William Hare Group, which continues to play a key role in the supply of steel solutions for major London construction projects, won the public vote for the 40 Leadenhall Street building, while Maggie’s at The Royal Free Hospital was named as the public projects winner.

Described as resembling a skyscraper in the fantasy comic world of Batman’s Gotham City, 40 Leadenhall Street is one of the largest buildings to have ever received planning permission in the City of London.

The £225m scheme, which saw William Hare collaborate with Mace, WSP, Make and Focchi, includes a stepped design cascading down towards the River Thames and is seen as a ‘destination office’ that can entice workers to switch back from home-working post-Covid.

Judges’ comments included:

“This project was impressive, because of its sheer scale. So much detail went into the design of this 34-storey steel frame superstructure, effectively using BIM for complex curved structural elements."

“This elegant high-rise structure is a very striking design with a tonne of character, and has transformed the London Skyline."

Maggie’s at The Royal Free Hospital was a smaller job in size, but was still highly regarded by the judges for its impressive use of technology to overcome complex design issues.

Working with Sir Robert McAlpine, Expedition, Magma Architecture and Studio Libeskind, the £8m project was made possible through charitable donations of time and materials.

Situated in the grounds of the Royal Free hospital in London, the newest Maggie’s cancer support centre showcases a custom raking curved facade, distinctive external fins, and a secluded rooftop garden and pavilion.

Its complexity demanded a more integrated approach than usual, including an enhanced use of the 3D resources available within Tekla software.

William Hare Group Board Director, Matthew Nesbit, comments:

“Tekla’s BIM technology was crucial to us in the design and delivery process. The Maggie’s project was a special one for William Hare as it was charitable in nature; having the opportunity to contribute so strongly to the support of anyone with cancer or their families has been an invaluable opportunity for the team involved.”

William Hare Group was established in 1945 and provides value-engineered steel solutions to some of the world’s most innovative and sustainable construction projects. A family-owned and run business, it has a turnover of c£300 million and employs 2,000 people worldwide.