Elmsfield

VThe £38.0m Elmsfield regeneration scheme, delivered by Mclaughlin & Harvey in partnership with Wokingham Borough Council and Wilson Bowden Developments, consists of 39 apartments and penthouses, a Premier Inn Hotel over 43,000sqft of 15 retail and commercial units as well as additional parking in the town centre of Wokingham. IG Lintels supplied bespoke special stainless steel plan radius lintels and cantilever corner lintels to ensure the most effective structural design solution for the mixed-use redevelopment.

Challenge:

An innovative and intelligent design was required to achieve the architect’s vision and facilitate installation on site across a complex elevation where 4 plan radius openings and 13 cantilever corner openings were required in single skin masonry with a 25mm corbel detail. The design needed to account for factors such as limited height of masonry over bearings and limited wall length to restrain the lintel and prevent overturning.

Solution:

IG’s technical team designed steel lintels accommodating combined curved and cantilevered corner above window openings. IG’s structural engineer included a combination of increased leg lengths which were splice connected to extension legs to improve buildability on site and stainless steel holding down straps to tie to masonry below each bearing. Specific lintels also had lateral restraints added to the top flange to reduce effects of twist and lateral torsional buckling over longer cantilever spans.

The largest of the lintels was a 4-part lintel with 3 splice connections. This lintel supported masonry over a 1575mm straight opening, a circa 3700mm combined straight and curved cantilever corner, a 675mm straight opening and a 1795mmx2015mm cantilever corner. This required precise coordination for both splice connections and leg lengths to ensure the lintel could be installed and bolted together with no projections.

Heavy-duty L11 cantilever corner lintels were supplied in a variety of six sizes on several stacked corners and removed the requirement for intumescent painted posts. The contemporary cantilever corner creates a feeling of openness from external light entering the room compared to boxed profile windows often seen with high storey buildings.

The regeneration benefits residents with a great range of new facilities, creating 550 local jobs in the shops and restaurants, and securing income for the council which can be used to fund services and projects across the borough. Additional work has also gone into the landscaping by creating a significant new town centre park with substantial new public realm improvements in a play area and seating for families to relax.