21 Moorfields was a flagship, high-specification office development situated above London’s Moorgate underground and rail station, as well as the Elizabeth Line ticket hall.
Background
Providing approximately 55,000sqm of prime office space across 14 floors, the development was supported by a highly-resilient services strategy, typically only found in data centres.
It achieved BREEAM ‘Outstanding’ and LEED Gold ratings and was WELL-ready, serving as Deutsche Bank’s new UK and European headquarters.
Designing and constructing a prime office space to accommodate approximately 5000 people above a major transport hub required excellence and innovative engineering solutions from the design team.
This once-in-a-lifetime project transformed an almost redundant piece of land into a premier office location for one of the world’s largest banks.
Challenges
The development needed to meet the resilience demands of a global financial institution, incorporating extensive additional plant despite the significant structural steel requirements of a building spanning six platforms with no option for basements.
The project faced complex engineering challenges, including movement tolerances of up to approximately 100mm in three dimensions, risks of electromagnetic interference on rail signals, non-concrete cores, data centre-scale resilience requirements and the constraints of a residential neighbourhood.
The absence of a basement, due to Moorgate station’s platforms one to six located directly below, further complicated the design.
The construction phase presented additional difficulties, including the impact of post-Brexit uncertainties, a global pandemic and shortages in both labour and materials.
Solutions
Despite these challenges, the project endured through the tenure of four different Prime Ministers.
Cundall, in collaboration with Wilkinson Eyre architects, led space planning with a focus on improving resilience and energy efficiency.
The 11.7MW of heat rejection and cooling plant was distributed across two roofs to mitigate the risk of a major roof fire causing total cooling loss.
The system incorporated three independent installations: a 2N configuration for critical operations and an N+1 arrangement for all other loads to meet the required resilience standards.
The critical cooling system featured two hydraulically independent systems – one utilising water-cooled chillers linked to adiabatic heat rejection units for maximum energy efficiency, and the other supported by air-cooled chillers to enhance resilience through a diversified central plant strategy.
Power to the building was supplied via two 33kV services, ensuring 2N resilience for critical systems.
Conclusion
Additionally, over 7MW of 11kV backup generators were installed, allowing the entire building to operate without disturbing neighbouring properties, thanks to meticulous acoustic considerations.
To further enhance reliability, two separate manufacturers were used for critical electrical components – ABB for the southern section and Schneider for the northern section – mitigating the risks associated with potential product recalls or malfunctions.
Cundall provided MEP, sustainability, and vertical transportation analysis and design, while MEP contractor Gratte Brothers and KONE lifts were engaged under a PCSA from the beginning of Stage 3.
| Structure: | 21 Moorfields |
| MEP Contractors: | Cundall / Gratte Brothers |
| Construction Management: | Gleeds |
| Consultant: | RINA |
| Contractors: | Beveridge Associates / Sir Robert McAlpine |
| Construction Management: | Gardiner & Theobald |
| Clients: | Landsec / Deutsche Bank |
| Structural Engineer: | Robert Bird Group |
This project previously featured as an entrant in the Tall Buildings Awards. To learn more, visit www.tallbuildingsawards.co.uk
