Mace Group

Clarity of vision

Mace's highly skilled aviation team delivered this iconic new air traffic control tower within the confines of a live airport for our client BAA Group in 2006.

The airport, one of the busiest in the world, needed a new control tower in order provide additional vision over the Terminal 5 and anticipated future third runway.

The new Heathrow Air Traffic Control Tower consists of a 3-storey base build, an 18-storey tubular steel mast and the equivalent to a 5-storey building on top of the mast (known as the cab). The cab provides unobstructed 360-degree vision from an eye height of 82.5m above apron level. An internal staircase and lift and an external lift serve the cab.

The cab, mast, temporary works and trailers have an all up weight of 910 tonne and a centre of gravity 16m above ground level. The tower move was achieved four weeks ahead of programme and is a great success for the HATCT team and the T5 construction programme as a whole.

The next challenge was to raise the structure with a strand jacking system and then install additional pre-finished mast sections until the final height of 87m is reached. There is a base building at the foot of the mast and a link bridge to Pier 7 on Terminal 3.

Mace brought a highly motivated team to tackle a variety of technical challenges including, prefabricating the top 32m of cab and mast then transporting the 1000t structure accross the airport. Installing five 12m, 60t mast sections underneath the top 32m using bespoke temport works and a strand jacking system. Installing six 14t 70m long tension cables. Constructing a two storey base building. Installing a link bridge to Terminal 3. All of the above was carried out immediately adjacent to the golf taxiway and two aircraft stands, whilst these were in continuous use.

Photo Gallery

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Links

Client: BAA plc
http://www.baa.com/

Architect: RSH and Partners
http://www.rsh-p.com/render.aspx?siteID=1&navIDs=1,4,25,1302

Article: Alain de Botton on the "eye on a stick"
http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2006/mar/18/theairlineindustry.uknews

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