engineering.
We have worked on many historic projects over the years, but few more complex than the rejuvenation of the famous West Smithfield Market. Featuring Victorian infrastructure beneath a series of island sites, we are working with architects Stanton Williams and Asif Khan to house The London Museum within the existing fabric of the western market buildings.
The London Museum has engaged AKT II to co-design this new structure to revitalise the currently abandoned West Smithfield market.
The arrival of the The London Museum will revitalise the currently abandoned market. It is the ambition of this scheme to retain as much of the existing fabric as possible utilising a complex retention system and repairing or replacing as required. The site’s new purpose will allow a celebration of the city both within the buildings and in the very fabric of the structures themselves, whilst adapting to the needs of the 21st century.
Few schemes feature such a complex array of third party interfaces; approaching these with care and precision will be vital to the success of the project. The General Market and Annex Building share a basement, which intertwines around the Thameslink railway system that passes directly through the combined basement complex, forming an integral part of the substructure. This needs to be integrated into the proposed development, as will utilities and basement access requirements.
In regards to superstructure, we have performed extensive loading assessments of varying types of existing building structures in order to maintain existing load paths, minimising the need for structural interventions to the existing fabric, and this has been harmonised with the museum’s requirements for the buildings.
