City Wharf

Residential Development at Anderston Quay, Glasgow

The Project

City Wharf is a mixed residential development at Anderston Quay in Glasgow, bringing together purpose-built student accommodation (PBSA) and build to rent (BTR) apartments. Etive were appointed to Dandara’s team whose brief was to generate urban densification on this gateway site beside the Kingston Bridge. The consented scheme includes a 27 storey BTR tower and a separate 8 storey PBSA building. Together, the development will deliver 503 rental apartments and 491 student bedspaces.

The Challenge

The site’s proximity to the Kingston Bridge was a key constraint. Transport Scotland required an assessment of ground borne vibration from construction works, along with clear evidence of “no detriment” to the bridge foundations. Detailed geotechnical assessment and specialist analysis were needed to validate the design and satisfy Transport Scotland’s requirements.

As a brownfield site in Glasgow’s former industrial heartland, extensive investigation was required to understand the ground conditions. Several rounds of site investigation were completed to satisfy both the City’s Contaminated Land Officer and SEPA. SEPA’s focus was on groundwater and the potential effects on the adjacent River Clyde, as well as the deeper aquifers present in the area.

Our Solutions

We developed a reinforced concrete structural solution using flat slab arrangements to help achieve the lowest possible floor to floor heights. The 27 storey tower is organised around an elegant central core with 300 mm thick walls, with columns located only around the perimeter. The façade and window layout allowed relatively close column spacing, helping keep column sizes efficient despite the building height.

Ahead of construction, site clearance required the diversion of several large diameter Scottish Water sewers. The development concept reworks a series of historic city blocks into a new arrangement, and the Victorian sewer network has been renewed as part of the process. The rebuilt infrastructure is now positioned to serve Glasgow residents for the next century.