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Arup helps breathe life back into the world’s tallest hospital building

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Charlotte S Charlotte Fernández UKIMEA Press Office,Leeds
28 May 2014

Refurbishment of Guy’s Hospital Tower in London has officially completed after a 2-year £40 million programme of re-cladding, concrete repairs and environmental improvements.

Originally built in 1974, the 148 metre high building has regained its title as the tallest hospital building in the world with the addition of a 14 metre tall light-installation sculpture on its roof.

Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust selected Arup in 2008 as a one-stop multidisciplinary team, together with sub-consultants Penoyre & Prasad architects, to deliver its vision for rejuvenating Guy’s Tower.

Arup’s Project Management group assembled a team of experienced consultants and designers from across the firm, providing the extensive range of services required to deliver the project, including focused access to specialist technical expertise when it was required. Balfour Beatty was selected by the Trust in 2012 to deliver the construction works.

“

The art of managing a complex project like this is having the right team. We found the best in the marketplace in terms of partners for this kind of project — Arup, Penoyre & Prasad and Balfour Beatty. ” Steve McGuire Director of Essentia, Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust

Improving energy efficiency, reducing energy consumption and reducing carbon are key drivers for the Trust and Arup specialists worked closely with the design team to model the effects of the new façade to ensure the project had the smallest possible carbon footprint. 

This was far from a simple refurbishment; it involved installing 8,000m2 of cladding panels and a further 5,000m2 of glazing units on all levels of the tower, cleaning over 30,000m2 of concrete and carrying out extensive specialist concrete repairs, with much of the work being carried out at high-altitude. 

This refurbishment programme was successfully delivered while the building continued to function as one of the UK’s busiest hospitals.

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The project has been delivered within budget and has been an exemplar for the Trust on how we can manage projects like this without causing major operational disruption. ” Chris Moriarty-Baker Programme Manager, Essentia, Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust

In addition to the works to the building fabric, the project included an art sculpture developed by German artist Carsten Nicolai and designed in collaboration with Penoyre & Prasad architects, Arup’s structures and lighting specialists.

By day it functions as a sculptural piece of artwork and by night it comes into its own as a highly visible light sculpture on the London skyline.

“

Guy's Tower is a great example of what can be achieved with the refurbishment of an ageing asset that would once have been considered not worthy of this level of investment. The project team have not only delivered an exemplar major refurbishment of an occupied tall building, but through working in partnership with the Trust, Arup has contributed to continuing their impressive record of reducing energy consumption and improving carbon performance at Guy's and St Thomas'. ” Mike Joshua Mike Joshua Project Director

“

I feel enormous pride at the end of this project. We set out to do something well and we’ve succeeded. We’ve secured the future of the Tower, leaving behind a building that will benefit our patients, clinical colleagues and London for the next generation. ” Steve McGuire Director of Essentia, Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust

Watch the short film where, architects, contractors, project managers and engineers - as well as staff who work in the Tower - talk about the exterior repair and refurbishment of Guy's Tower that took place between spring 2012 and 2014.