Discrete drainage at Tate Modern

Discrete drainage at Tate Modern

ACO Technologies were tasked with implementing a water drainage system for the Tate Modern extension in London.

The building’s unique geometrical design meant that the external walls intersect the ground at seven different angles. With a normal building, this angle would be 90˚, which would represent a straightforward solution as the water can run down the wall and into the channel below. However, with the Tate extension, a standard Brickslot drainage channel system could not be used.

A drainage and flood management strategy was designed to minimise both the risk of flooding and the impact to the existing downstream sewer system. Run-off from the building façade is collected via channel drainage and discharged into the below ground drainage network. Considering the unique angled face of the façade, the design of a linear channel surrounding the new building was especially challenging.

In total, seven sections needed to be developed, which translated to 17 bespoke products. Each one needed to be custom-engineered to match the varying angles of the building and provide discrete drainage from both the walls of the building and the surrounding surface, along with custom units for access and maintenance.

Once the bespoke designs were approved, a total of 187m of custom-engineered MultiDrain Brickslot was manufactured by ACO at its facility in Shefford, Bedfordshire, and delivered to site before being installed.

A further 550m of standard MultiDrain Brickslot was also supplied to the site with a view to being used throughout the Tate’s surrounding landscaped pedestrian area. In areas where the Brickslot grating could not be used due to depth limitations, 20m of ACO’s specialist V300 MultiLine was also installed.

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ACO Technologies plc

ACO Technologies plc

ACO's award-winning innovation and dedicated expertise has gained a reputation for protecting environments. With global research facilities spanning four continents and over 3,500 employees, ACO combine a rich heritage with the latest technologies to...
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