Piling underway on One West Point, the tallest tower in West London

Piling is underway on the former Portal West Business Centre site with the installation of CFA piles forming a contiguous piled wall to enable the excavation a large 6m deep basement. A Preliminary Test Pile (PTP) is also being constructed and tested to optimize the pile design for 2 large piled rafts for 2 of the 4 buildings comprising the development. 1050mm diameter bored piles are being constructed to depths of up to 35m by Central Piling for the 42 storey and 33 storey towers.

Manhire Associates considered various pile design options for discussion with the supply chain. As well as controlling foundation settlements for the Towers, a key consideration in the design was the interaction with the foundation design for the 15 storey and 9 storey buildings also forming part of the development which are on raft foundations.

A detailed appraisal of the ground and hydrology was undertaken and costly secant piled wall construction was avoided, as well as the need for propping generally across the excavation. Working closely with CJ O’Shea, Manhire Associates proposals required local propping only to the Consulate of Algeria, with the remaining piled walls designed to cantilever during construction.

Designed by BUJ Architects for City & Docklands, Manhire Associates have been working on engineering proposals for the development since 2017. One West Point will be the tallest building across West London with the highest private sky garden and terrace bar. The City and Docklands Property Group development will contain 578 new homes in 4 buildings as well as office and retail space at the centre of the North Acton/Old Oak Regeneration area.