Thursday December 6, 2018
A fresh look at traditional methods secured Claridge’s basement project the Cementation Skanska-sponsored 2018 Fleming Award on 6 December.
The winning team presented their work alongside two other projects in front of an audience and a panel of three judges – Patrick Cox of Aecom, Ken Ryder of Cementation Skanska and Martyn Ellis of Socotec – at the Institution of Civil Engineers.
The Fleming Award is organised by the British Geotechnical Association and is given annually to commemorate the life and work of former Cementation Skanska chief engineer Ken Fleming and to recognise excellence in the practical application of geotechnics, teamwork, expertise, and innovation.
Patrick Cox, who chaired the judging panel, said that the Claridge’s Hotel was the standout project on the night. “It really did standout in terms of rigour, technical complexity, and innovation that ran through the project from start to finish.
“It was a bold project that took a fresh look at traditional methods.”
During the presentation, the Claridge’s team made up of Jim Mackey and Michelle Mackey of McGee, Adam Pellow of RKD and Arup’s Dinesh Patel, outlined the complexity of creating a five-storey basement whilst the hotel remained open.
The story behind the task of building a five-storey basement underneath Claridge’s while keeping the five-star central London hotel open was named one of Construction News’ Top 10 features of 2018. Read the feature HERE