Source: Foster + Partners
30 St Mary Axe
Callie Wendlandt | Brian Lopez | Ryan Lawrence | Garrett Barker | Jason Teal
ARCH 631 | Prof. Nichols
Project
● Location - London, United Kingdom
● Completed construction in 2003, opened in 2004
● Client: Swiss Re Insurance Co.
● Architect: Foster and Partners
● Structural Engineer: ARUP
● Project Manager: RWG Associates
● Contractor: Skanska
● Building Services Engineer: Hilson Moran Partnership
● Cost Consultant: Gardiner & Theobold
Source: Foster + Partners
Project Background
● Previous building damaged in 1992 from IRA bombing
● Has won many awards that include:
○ London Architectural Biennale Best Building Award
○ LDSA Built in Quality Awards – Winner Innovation Category
○ Emporis Skyscraper Award 2003
○ RIBA Stirling Prize
○ The International Highrise Award – Honourable Mention
○ Dutch Steel Award – Category A
Source: Foster + Partners
Site Analysis
Urban Context
● 1.4 Acre Site in the Financial District
● Less than ½ mile to London Bridge
● ¾ mile to St. Paul’s Cathedral
● .2 miles to Underground Stop
Source: Foster + Partners
Consolidation of City Cluster of High Rise Buildings
Source: Archdaily
Source: Archdaily Source: Archdaily
Wind + Temperature
Annual Wind Pattern Temperature Range °F
Source: Climate Consultant
Max 25 mph Average Temp. 52 °F
Seismic Hazards Intensity Range: 6.5 to 3.5
● Large seismic events are rare
● The most powerful earthquake recorded in the UK
occurred in the North Sea off the coast of Yorkshire in
1931. Magnitude 6.1
● Last time people were killed due to seismic activity was in
1580; it damaged numerous buildings and caused two
fatalities
● Areas of Seismic Hazard:
○ Highest: West of Scotland, North and South Wales
○ Lowest: Northern Ireland and Northeast Scotland
○ Southeast England has a low probability of
experiencing a major seismic event.
Source: http://www.earthquakes.bgs.ac.uk/hazard/UKhazard.html
Design Concept
Norman Foster designed an aerodynamic shape to allow
windflow around the building and its facade, rather than
redirecting the wind to the ground
● The enhancement of the public environment at street level,
opening up new views across the site to the frontages of the
adjacent buildings and allowing good access to and around
the new development.
● Maximum use of public transport for the occupants of the
building.
● Flexibly serviced, high specification ‘user-friendly’ column free
office spaces with maximum primary space adjacent to
natural light.
● Good physical and visual interconnectivity between floors.
● Reduced energy consumption by use of natural ventilation
whenever suitable, low façade heat gain and smart building
control systems.
Source: Foster + Partners
Design Concept
Shape
● More air flows around the cylindrical
structure than a traditional rectangular
building.
● The smooth flow of wind around the
building was one of the main
considerations.
● The shape of the tower is influenced by
the physical environment of the city.
○ In a traditional skyscraper, two-
thirds of the wind is directed down Source: Foster + Partners
to the street
Concept Sketches - Diagrid System
Source: Foster + Partners Source: Foster + Partners
Wind Simulation
Source: Foster + Partners Source: Foster + Partners
Wind Effect
Source: Archdaily
Site Plan
Source: Foster + Partners
Floor Plans
Source: Foster + Partners Source: Foster + Partners
Ground Floor 6th Floor
Floor Plans
Source: Foster + Partners Source: Foster + Partners
21st Floor 33rd Floor
Floor Plans
Source: Foster + Partners Source: Foster + Partners
39th Floor 40th Floor
Soils
● Built on London Clay
● Soil has low bearing capacity
○ More piles required 30 Saint Mary Axe
○ Piles must be driven deeper
● Poor horizontal shear strength
● Organic material in the soil
● Susceptible to settling
Source: London’s Natural Signatures: The London Landscape Framework / January 2011
Foundation
● Core column maximum design load:
33,266 kN
● 750mm diameter concrete piles into
London Clay
● Number of piles: 333
● Average length of piles: 27 m
● Total length of piles: 9 km
● Total design capacity: 117,000 Tonnes
Source: 30 St Mary Axe
General Structure
Two Primary Structural Systems
● Diagrid - Resists horizontal and
gravity loads
● Core - Resists gravity loads
Structural Core
● The core is the primary system for transferring
vertical gravity loads to the foundation system.
● It is a rigid frame made up of moment
connectected steel members.
● The core also ensures that the horizontal hoop
system does not splay outward by acting as a tie
back from the diagrid.
● The core’s central, symmetrical placement within
the building does not allow torsion as an effect
from lateral loading.
● High structural stiffness is advantageous when
dealing with loose soil types
Structural Diagrid
● The diagrid provides vertical support to the floors
while allowing for a column free interior space.
● Implementation of the diagrid system allows the
radical form.
● When coupled together, the structure and form
are the ideal solution to dealing with wind loads.
● Combination of HSS steel members and rigid
node connectors
● Diagrid column sizes vary throughout - larger
towards the base
● There are 19 hoop structures that prevent the
diagrid from splaying out
Source: Foster + Partners
Nodes
● 360 total nodes
● The nodes transfer loads both horizontally
and vertically
● The node itself is composed of three welded
steel plates
● The plates are oriented at oblique angles in
order to facilitate the complex geometry of
the structure
● HSS - round sections bolted to the plates in
order to facilitate the diagrid structure
Source:https://sites.google.com/site/diagrid390a/limitations-of-the-system
Construction Process
Source: Foster + Partners
Construction Process
Source: Foster + Partners
Sustainability
Natural Ventilation
● Windows opened 40% of
the year
● Six light wells act as
buffer zone to collect
fresh air and control the
speed and temperature
as it flows through the
building
Source: Foster + Partners Source: Foster + Partners
Wind Load
Gravity Load
Load Tracing
Sources
Baxter, A. (2011). Natural Landscape Areas of London and their Natural Signatures. London’s Natural Signatures: The London Landscape Framework, 26-26.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swiss_Re
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-11327433
http://www.earthquakes.bgs.ac.uk/hazard/UKhazard.html
http://www.archdaily.com/445413/the-gherkin-how-london-s-famous-tower-leveraged-risk-and-became-an-icon/
http://www.slideshare.net/VikramBengani/the-gherkin-case-study
http://www.archinomy.com/case-studies/669/30-st-mary-axe-the-gherkin-london
http://www.skanska.co.uk/Projects/Project/?pid=6753
http://www.skanska.co.uk/News--Press/Display-news/?nid=pns0t1xB
http://www.arup.com/Projects/30_St_Mary_Axe/Details.aspx
http://www.bbc.com/news/business-29988282
http://www.fosterandpartners.com/news/archive/2001/10/steel-superstructure-starts-on-swiss-re-london-headquarters/
http://www.30stmaryaxe.info/gallery/30-st-mary-axehttp://epab.bme.hu/oktatas/2009-2010-2/v-CA-B-Ms/FreeForm/Examples/SwissRe.pdf
http://www.earthquakes.bgs.ac.uk/hazard/UKhazard.html
http://next.swissre.com/en/index.cfm/stories/project-and-planning-team/the-architect-designs-the-engineer-makes-it-happen/
http://www.skyscrapernews.com/buildings.php?id=58
http://www.archdaily.com/447221/the-gherkin-how-london-s-famous-tower-leveraged-risk-and-became-an-icon-part-4
http://www.newsteelconstruction.com/wp/new-building-for-swiss-re/
http://arquitectura.estudioquagliata.com/tag/the-gherkin
http://www.architectureweek.com/2005/0615/design_2-3.html
http://www.building.co.uk/gherkin-interior/3034986.article
https://books.google.com/books?
id=UpTwpiGrvZ4C&pg=PA851&lpg=PA851&dq=london+clay+properties&source=bl&ots=PRYYsUo5Hg&sig=psm7PsSWv7B06Jo3BaxFaxXytdw&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwj7peWti7fJAhUH8j4KHUJCD4UQ6AEISTAG#v=onepage&q=london%
20clay%20properties&f=false
https://books.google.com/books?
id=60EYMuPunzsC&pg=PA241&lpg=PA241&dq=london+clay+soil+properties&source=bl&ots=S4gAs8B_xv&sig=hVNNEdstYVV3NHbpozMXGVf8Zd8&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiCssq5jaXJAhUCVT4KHezDCg0Q6AEIOTAE#v=onepage&q=lond
on%20clay%20soil%20properties&f=false
http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=315471
