127 Kensington High Street, London

Built on the site of the former 'Pontings' department store, which closed in 1970, the new development will significantly improve the surrounding public realm to ensure the continuation of the thriving retail trade on this part of the high street.

The new mixed-use development will provide high-quality office accommodation with improved accessibility and flexible floorplates.

The building will also feature generous external terraces and is targeting a BREEAM Excellent environmental performance rating.

Mohan Building Services were awarded the sub-contract package to carry out the demolition and strip out works at 127 Kensington High St, a five-storey building situated on the corner of the High St and Wrights Lane.

On the ground floor to the building, there were retail units that remained open throughout, so noise and working sequence were both major issues that needed to be thoroughly considered

The project was further complicated by the close proximity of High St Kensington London Underground station and tracks serving the District and Circle Lines.

Highly intricate methods had to be used to remove large sections of RC floor slabs, the entire cladding system to all elevations, several internal staircases and five lifts.

Track and wire sawing, plus Brokk demolition techniques were utilised.

Mohan Building Services also managed the design and installation of the temporary works systems throughout the building (for this we utilised an external temporary works engineering partner of the business)

The cladding system was carefully cut and lifted out in whole sections by crane.

Mohan Building Services also commissioned the design and installation of structural steel which temporarily retained areas of the structure, this included a complex arrangement of A-frames to the basement walls and a stability frame to the full height of the building.

Also included in the works were significant amounts of non-structural demolition of blockwork walls, floor screeds as well as an extensive soft strip of the building, including asbestos removal by a licensed specialist subcontractor.

The entire project was carried out without any disruption to Tube services, any pedestrians or the retail units below.

Value: £3.4m