The Shard

At 1,016 feet and tipped to be the tallest building in Europe, the Shard will provide 900,000 square feet comprising office space, hotel, residential apartments, restaurants and viewing galleries with unparalleled views of south east England. Located in a busy part of London, the constrained site is in close proximity to London Bridge Station, a hospital, and a fully operational bus station. The significant logistical challenges have required innovative solutions at every stage. Mace's role evolved from project to construction management, before a fixed price solution was negotiated with the requirement of completion ahead of the London 2012 Games.

Demolition and subsequent works were carefully planned and a number of innovative methods were adopted to find the fastest way of delivering the project. Top-down construction allows the sub- and superstructure to be worked on simultaneously, saving time on the programme and jump-starting the core, a process never previously attempted on a building of this scale. A first in Europe is the jump lift strategy that allows construction of shafts and installation works to continue above an operational lift. This eliminates the need for hoists and is a fundamental part of Mace's strategy for distributing operatives and materials efficiently and safely around the building. Public interest in the development is unprecedented, so close liaison with the local authority and numerous major stakeholders has been a priority for the project team. A decade on from the delivery of the London Eye, this development proves Mace is just as committed to innovative delivery on complex, high profile projects today as it always has been.