As part of a major project review and reset, Mark conducted a risk and opportunity assessment for Battersea Phase 2 (Power Station), Phase 3, and the wider masterplan in collaboration with the Robert Bird Group review team. The purpose of this review was to support the reset of the project delivery timeline and to identify cost and programme efficiencies. The review involved re-evaluating logistics, construction sequencing and overall value engineering strategies. The masterplan was subsequently further developed to address site constraints, resulting in a constraints and value-focused design.

A new rapid construction sequence, race to the top, was developed for phase 2 (Power Station refurbishment) to help bring the project back onto a required programme.

The redevelopment of the Raglan and Priory stands was centred around revenue generation for the club. To the front, a new pitchside 3,200 seat stand would provide enhanced spectator facilities with new food and beverage offers housed beneath the terraces. To the rear, a new hotel building would offer non-matchday revenue, along with the opportunity to convert the rooms into hospitality boxes during matches to further increase revenue.

Alex led the structural and civil teams from concept development through to Stage 3 and a successful planning application. Key successes included the removal of all piles to reduce the construction cost and programme, and the use of precast systems to the terracing frame to allow speed of construction to reopen seats as soon as possible while construction on the hotel could proceed in a delinked programme.

Nestled at the rear of the world-famous British Museum, its new conservation and exhibition centre presented many design and engineering challenges for the project team.

A deep basement was required on the narrow site to house archives and workshops. This required very tight ground movement control to avoid damaging the adjacent grade I listed museum, open galleries and exhibits, and nearby properties.

Exhibition spaces were defined by clear spans and expressed structure to provide flexible space which can be easily reconfigured. Working closely with RSHP Architects, both expressed structure and attention to detail were key to achieving a high-quality environment, which ranged from light, airy working space to open plan exhibition and climate controlled archive and storage.

Mark worked as review and design director throughout the project (while at Ramboll) to help with the project’s technical development from concept through to completion on site.

While working for Robert Bird Group, Mark and Alex led components of the Camp Nou redevelopment project in Barcelona, Spain. The 99,000-seat Spotify Camp Nou stadium is the largest purpose-built football stadium in Europe and an icon of the city of Barcelona.

The redevelopment project involves the partial demolition of the existing stadium, and reconstruction as a 105,000-seat stadium, which will be most innovative sports and entertainment venue in Europe. The wider project scope included the demolition and refurbishment of parts of the existing Tier 1 and Tier 2; the full demolition and reconstruction of the existing Tier 3; and the demolition of the existing basement carpark and construction of 90,000 m2 of new basement and ground floor slabs. The stadium will also have the largest cable net roof of any stadium in the world.

Alex was the project director for the design of the new Tier 3 stand structure. Supporting 30,000 new seats, Tier 3 consists of a composite steel-concrete frame with precast floor plates and seating terraces. The open portalised structural frame is designed to allow uninterrupted fan circulation, while the use of innovative seismic lock-up devices allows the Tier 3 structure to be designed as 12 separated building structures which act as one monolithic frame under earthquake actions.

Mark’s role involved technical review and support across the wider project, including overseeing the technical design of Tier 3 and the cable net roof structure. Through technical pinup sessions and documentation review, Mark was able to bring his decades of experience in the successful delivery of sports projects to bear to allow lessons learnt and best practice design and construction to be implemented across the project.

Mark worked as review and design director throughout the project (while at Ramboll) to help with the project’s technical development from concept through to completion on site.

While at Whitbybird, Mark led the structural design of this high-value West End development on the former Middlesex Hospital site, working with developers Delancey and Aviva. The well-known “Noho” site had seen several unsuccessful, high-profile proposals, largely due to restrictive planning heights (6–10 storeys) and required setbacks across the site.

To maximise above-ground value, extensive basement development was proposed, posing significant cost and programme challenges. Mark proposed a unified strategy that streamlined construction and added value. Traditional piling was completely omitted in favour of deep raft foundations, with basement walls relocated inside the footprint and changed to sheet piles—reducing time, cost, and risk. A clever apron detail reintroduced perimeter support without the need for piling, allowing excavation to begin ahead of final superstructure design.

Setbacks, which typically demanded complex transfers and additional floor height, were resolved through vertical transfers and “walking” columns aligned with residential demise lines—unlocking an estimated 1–2 additional storeys and making the scheme viable.