Emirates Old Trafford update 1 - project underway

Emirates Old Trafford will feature structural hybrid frame

PCE Ltd have been appointed by Galliford Try Construction to design and build a structural hybrid frame for a seven storey hotel for Hilton Garden Inns at the Emirates Old Trafford ground in Manchester, home of Lancashire County Cricket Club.

Once completed, the hotel bedrooms will become private hospitality suites during international test matches. The concept illustrations above are courtesy of architects ICA, a 50 strong architecture and interior design studio with offices in Glasgow and London, who work throughout the UK and Europe.

Engineered offsite

The design and detailing of the offsite engineered structure is being carried out by PCE's in house design and detailing team using 3D modelling and associated design software. The hotel will have two structural precast cores which are the first to be designed and detailed by PCE and manufactured from a new adjustable core mould that PCE have invested in as part of the expansion of the companies offering in providing precast structural cores to the wider construction market. PCE have designed the structure using precast concrete, structural steelwork and insitu concrete to ensure that all the benefits of their hybrid structures approach are fully realised.

Precast concrete

The structure also consists of precast concrete columns, beams, hollowcore flooring, internal cross walls, and external architectural finished precast walls. Cantilever balconies from level 2 to 5 are supported from 325mm deep x 1200mm wide slabs containing reinforced thermal breaks. PCE are also responsible for the transfer deck at level 1 which are formed with 250mm thick hollowcore planks and a 100mm insitu structural topping. Delta Beams and other structural steel members are also incorporated into the transfer deck to distribute the significant loadings from the floors above  to the supporting precast columns which come off piled foundations.