Merano
Supporting UN Sustainable Development Goals
Project description
Project Merano is a high-rise residential development on London’s Albert Embankment, comprising three slender towers up to 28 storeys and over 40 apartments with panoramic Thames views. The scheme includes retail and commercial units at street level and landscaped public spaces, contributing to the regeneration of Vauxhall’s riverside. Designed with Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners and St James Development, the towers feature bold colours, cantilevered balconies and exposed structural elements.
Design constraints
The riverside site required flood resilience and careful ground engineering, alongside integration with an adjacent railway viaduct. The narrow footprint and tower height demanded efficient structural layouts to maintain slender profiles and internal flexibility. Architectural ambitions for exposed bracing and cantilevered balconies introduced complexity in load transfer and lateral stability. Constrained urban conditions also required meticulous planning of logistics and sequencing.
Engineering response
The structural solution combined perimeter bracing with strategically placed cores, limiting bracing to two sides of each tower to preserve views. A hybrid system of concrete compression diagonals and tension-only steel diagonals was developed, with preloading during construction to avoid excessive jacking. Shrinkage allowances and controlled releases ensured gravity loads travelled directly downward, while tension bracing resisted lateral forces. This separation of roles enabled elegant, efficient bracing integrated into the architectural expression.
Impact
Merano demonstrates how engineering can amplify architectural intent. Exposed bracing and cantilevered forms create a distinctive skyline presence while fulfilling critical structural roles. The strategy delivered slender, efficient towers with minimal intrusion into living spaces, balancing buildability and performance. The result is a landmark residential development that enhances Vauxhall’s riverside regeneration and sets a benchmark for high-rise design in constrained urban environments.
Mark Boyle as Project Director and structural lead designer worked on this project while he was with Ramboll.
