Behind The Scenes – Q&A with Giovanni Gori, Regional Director UK, Maffeis Engineering Spa.

Giovanni reveals what was involved in the engineering aspects at 150 Holborn, including the stunning façade and scenic lifts structure.

Hello, Giovanni. Please can you explain what your role at Maffeis Engineering involves?

My main role is looking after clients and projects in the UK market from inception to handover, including business development and project delivery. And I’m also Global Director of Sustainability.

Could you talk us through your contribution to the design and delivery of 150 Holborn?

Maffeis Engineering was involved as facade and structural engineering consultants, in particular we were responsible for the design and engineering of the inclined atrium, the back courtyard façade, the podium and roof of the 8th floor, as well as the steel structure from the 6th floor upwards including the scenic lift structure.

So, my role was to project manage and coordinate all the work our team was responsible for. And I was involved right from the beginning, from the very first design workshops up to the design approval.

Were there any key challenges you faced in delivering any of these aspects at 150 Holborn?

I would say the first challenge, as a designer and an engineer, is when you know you’re designing a building you’ll be working in, spending a lot of time in, and sharing with your Sidara sister companies. You have to make sure all the details are really well thought through because if you’re spending 8 hours a day in here, you’re not going to accept seeing any mistakes.

Probably the most challenging aspect was the inclined atrium because it’s really the crown of the whole design around the stairs. We had to convey the message of company-wide collaboration, it had to provide shading against overheating, protection from solar radiation, but still allow diffused sunlight to reach the office spaces. So, it was a good piece of engineering.

Could you explain how the rights of light impacted the shape of the roof?

Yes. Because we couldn’t block any daylight for our neighbours, that informed the shape of the building. So it was a constraint that turned into an opportunity to design the inclined roof.

And looking at the delivered building, what would you say you’re most proud of now?

The most challenging part is also the one I’m most proud of – the inclined atrium and how it was finally put together and delivered.

Yes, it is absolutely stunning. Both when you’re inside looking up and from a birds eye view, it’s really got the wow factor.

I’m also proud of the Pavilion on the 8th floor because when you bring a client to 150 Holborn, that’s really the floor you want to show them. And to say we’ve done all the structure, facades, and the roof, as part of the design team. The level of transparency with the glazing and how it protects us from the sunlight is something we’re proud of as well.

It’s such an asset. You know, we sometimes refer to it as the Sky Garden. And when it’s raining, you can go inside, but you still have these amazing views and all the lights and all the transparency. And you look around and you think, wow, there is nothing else like that anywhere near here.

Yes, and the Pavilion also has this engineered, cantilevered roof which was quite a challenge in terms of keeping the roof structure as thin as possible. Rather like an iPhone, which is very slim. So that’s another piece of work we’re proud of.

What would you say are the key lessons learned throughout the design and build process for clients and future projects?

It was a bit of a special project because the client was our own parent company and the design team was made up from our sister companies, and it’s unlikely we’d have that same environment or synergy again.

But what we’ve definitely learned is how to deliver a highly sustainable commercial project, which is leading in terms of smart technology and sustainability targets.

And because those sustainability targets were reflected in the design requirements, they’ve had an effect on the performances of the building envelope. We’ve pushed a lot in terms of overheating and controlling the window to wall ratio while maximising the thermal insulation to reach those target requirements.

Now we all have a very clear understanding of what it takes to deliver such a highly sustainable commercial building, and one that serves as an exemplar and reference for the UK market.

Andrew Moore at Currie & Brown said most commercial real estate has traditionally been done by developers wanting to maximise the floor plate. Whereas 150 Holborn took a different approach, knowing that people would be in the building for 8 hours of the day.

Yes, that’s absolutely true. We’ve done quite a few refurbishment projects where we’ve had to fill in the atrium and close up any holes. So instead of providing natural sunlight to all the floors, you’re actually closing up and using artificial light, just to maximise the internal floor area.

And you feel the difference with this type of approach at 150 Holborn, the results speak for themselves. Because the quality of the internal spaces were designed with the occupants in mind. The staff were put first.

We had to redo the design many times and there were quite a few different concepts. I think that was part of the challenge of having your parent company as the client.

That ties in with what you were saying earlier, about being in here with all your sister companies and you absolutely cannot have any mistakes because they’ll be seen.

Yes, and that’s especially true for me as a designer and an engineer. We’re very picky, we’re perfectionists. And I would be the first person to spot a mistake and not forgive myself, especially with all the other companies looking at your work. But it was all so worthwhile when you look at the final results.