Aquarium Finisterrae Acrylic Sheet Analysis, A Coruña, Spain
A specialist structural analysis commission arising from the same Aquarium Finisterrae project, focused on the large-format acrylic viewing panels that give visitors direct visual access to the aquarium’s marine displays under full hydrostatic loading. Acrylic panels in aquarium applications are subject to sustained pressure, creep deformation, and thermally induced stress – loading conditions that fall outside the scope of standard structural codes and require bespoke analytical methods grounded in materials research. DBSW carried out detailed assessment of the acrylic sheet behaviour under these conditions, drawing on research-level knowledge of transparent structural materials to verify the long-term safety and performance of the viewing system.
DBSW ©, 2012.
Little Creatures Brewery, London, UK
The London home of the Australian craft brewery brand, delivered through the structural adaptation and conversion of Victorian railway arches in King’s Cross – one of the city’s most distinctive industrial adaptive reuse typologies.
The project required a detailed structural appraisal and verification of the existing new-build frame to accommodate the heavy, dynamic loads of specialized brewing equipment. Structural insertions included the design of a new internal steel mezzanine level and structural framing to support the open-plan public hospitality and taproom spaces layout. Structural engineering was delivered as part of the Curtins team, combining commercial building appraisal with detailed design for the new internal steelwork elements.
Curtins Ltd ©, 2019.
Itihad Square, Abu Dhabi, UAE
A large-scale mixed-use commercial development in Abu Dhabi, designed for a demanding desert climate with significant below-ground construction and complex above-grade structural geometry across an internationally prominent urban site. The project required careful attention to material durability and structural performance in the extreme thermal conditions of the Gulf region, alongside foundation engineering suited to the local ground conditions. Structural engineering was contributed as part of the Meinhardt team, covering superstructure frame design and coordination within a large multidisciplinary international project team.
Meinhardt (UK) Ltd ©, 2020.
Adventure Parc Snowdonia, Dolgarrog, UK
Adventure Parc Snowdonia opened in August 2015 as the world’s first commercial artificial surfing lake, built on the site of a century-old aluminium works in the Conwy Valley following an extensive programme of brownfield remediation and site clearance. The structural scope covered the steel-framed buildings surrounding the 300-metre freshwater lagoon – including restaurant, utility and equipment structures for the initial phase – and subsequently the 140-tonne steel-framed Adrenaline Indoors facility designed to serve high visitor footfall in a challenging mountain environment with restricted site access. Structural engineering was delivered as part of the Rigby & Partners team, contributing to what remains one of the most distinctive and internationally recognised leisure infrastructure projects built in the United Kingdom.
Rigby & Partners LLP ©, 2015.
Aquarium Finisterrae Concrete Tanks, A Coruña, Spain
The Aquarium Finisterrae is a major public aquarium on the Atlantic coast of Galicia, and this commission involved the structural design and analysis of the large-scale reinforced concrete water-retaining structures forming the primary marine display tanks. Water-retaining structures of this type demand a higher standard of crack control than conventional RC design – requiring careful reinforcement arrangement, concrete mix specification, and joint detailing to prevent leakage under the sustained hydrostatic pressures involved. DBSW led the structural design of the concrete tank elements, bringing specialist knowledge of liquid-retaining structure engineering to a complex and publicly prominent facility on the Galician coast.
DBSW ©, 2012.
One Cambridge Square, Cambridge, UK
A landmark commercial office building delivered as the first phase of the Cambridge North mixed-use development directly opposite the city’s new railway station, forming a centrepiece of Brookgate’s 30-acre masterplan for the regeneration of north Cambridge. The multi-storey steel and concrete composite frame required close coordination with complex below-ground works – including an enlarged basement for car and cycle parking introduced post-tender – all designed to minimise disruption to the operational railway station on the immediately adjacent boundary. Structural engineering was contributed as part of the Curtins team across the detailed design and pre-construction stages of this high-profile urban project.
Curtins Ltd ©, 2018.