Building London's Soho Place

IN central London, a number of sites which had to be cleared in order to construct stations for the extensive new Elizabeth Line (delivered by Crossrail) are currently being redeveloped.

Soho Place is one such development. Located on top of the new Tottenham Court Road station, the scheme comprises a ten-storey retail and commercial building and a new 600-seat theatre - the first to be constructed in London's West End for 50 years.

Above: A render of the Soho Place development (image courtesy of Laing O'Rourke).

The project presented a number of engineering, design, construction and logistical challenges.

With the site positioned above an active public transit station and a number of underground tunnels, construction of the building's foundations demanded a high degree of accuracy. 

Above: The centrally located site presented a number of challenges for the team (image courtesy of Laing O'Rourke)

The site is bounded by busy roads providing additional challenges for the construction team who had to ensure access for construction materials and vehicles - often in the early hours of the morning - while minimising disruption for pedestrians and cars around the site.

Above: The theatre will be structurally isolated from the rest of the structure (image courtesy of Laing O'Rourke).

The new theatre will be isolated from the rest of the structure to avoid sound transfer from the road and the busy underground infrastructure.

Above: Building a detailed, digital model of the site, nearby infrastructure and the buildings allowed the team to sequence the construction and detect any potential clashes (image courtesy of Laing O'Rourke).

To assist with their planning, the team simulated the construction works in a digital environment beforehand, helping them to understand and communicate the project's complexities.

Comprising a total of 285,000 square feet, the £283 million development is scheduled to complete in 2022.