public
location
High Profile
HOARDING
DECORATIONS BY
Local Graffiti Artists
OBSERVATION
TOWER
162m high
MUlTIPLE
Industry Awards
two continous
12hr Concrete Pours
As Principal Contractor, we co-ordinated this multi-faceted, high profile project to construct the 162m observation tower, with observation pod, situated at the shore end of Brighton’s West Pier.
Along with the tower itself, the scheme also improved significant areas of the seafront and promenade including hard landscaping, soft landscaping, public seating, new beach access steps and a lift from the road to the lower beach level.
We constructed a visitor centre, café, entrance kiosk that matched the Victorian architectural style in keeping the existing heritage setting and made the entire public realm area inclusive for all, with wheelchair accessibility.
Mackley was directly responsible for the major civils elements of the project, including the massive foundation excavated within Brighton beach, supported by a boundary of CFA piles down into the chalk bedrock.
Critical Precision Engineering
The excavation for the tower foundation required CFA piled perimeter reinforcement and six 16m deep wells to keep it dry and stable in the shingle beach. We placed over 200t of steel reinforcement and the precision engineered tower base, before planning and executing two 12 hour concrete pours. The logistics for this operation were complex and required co-ordination with local police and multiple batching plants to maintain a continuous supply of concrete lorries.
Collaboration and Client Support
Our ‘One Tower One Team’ ethos helped this project become an excellent example of collaborative working. An international team of 3 other major contractors and numerous supply chain partners needed to work together to achieve a successful outcome, so specific Integration Managers were tasked with coordinating the most complex elements. We also supported the client with value engineering, risk reduction and regular liaison with Brighton & Hove City Council.
Protecting Southern Water Assets
One critical task was to divert the major sewer under the promenade to make space for the tower foundation, all while making sure the sewer remained operational and preventing any damage to the several water mains elsewhere. To do this, we worked very closely with Southern Water to develop the diversion method and wider protection measures.
Public / Stakeholder Interaction
We needed to keep the beach open throughout and considering that it’s one of the most popular beaches in the UK, public safety was paramount. We also needed to make sure that local stakeholders were not impacted by our work, so we produced a specific stakeholder plan which managed the requirements of retailers, hotels and restaurants close to the works. Our hoarding was decorated by local graffiti artists and we supported many public events.
