St George Wharf, Vauxhall, London

Client: St George South London
Architect: Broadway Malyan
Type of works: design, supply, installation and commissioning of a fan-assisted smoke venting system.

Rising up to 22 storeys, St George Wharf is characterised by its glass fronted prows and sweeping gull-wing roof lines, creating one of the most instantly recognisable landmarks on London’s glittering skyline.

The award-winning mixed-use development, located on the South Bank adjacent to Vauxhall Bridge, comprises over 900 residential units alongside 135,000 sq ft of commercial space. Offering an eclectic mix of cafes, restaurants, bars, offices and shops, together with panoramic views across the Thames, St George Wharf represents cosmopolitan living at its finest.

Fire Design Solutions was appointed to complete the design, installation and commissioning of its fan-assisted smoke venting system (FAS). Fire engineering and Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) modelling was used to justify and gain approval for 30m dead-end extended travel distances, whilst demonstrating the enhanced level of life safety provided by the FAS. St George Wharf was one of the first UK developments to achieve approval for extended travel distances of this length. This allowed the removal of two stair cores, delivering significant cost savings and increased saleable area for the client. On a development of this scale, these benefits were substantial.

The layout of the penthouses made locating the fans awkward, and required a unique engineered approach. Working closely with the client, Fire Design Solutions flexibility of system design and installation achieved a solution that placed the fans within the shaft and raised up a level, allowing venting on all floors.