Double win for the Forge at Digital Construction Awards

The Forge in London was hailed as representing “a strong step forward for the sector” at this year’s Digital Construction Awards, where it picked up two awards.

The flagship office development for client Landsec was named Digital Construction Project of the Year and won the Digital Innovation in Offsite Construction category, the judges also hailing the scheme an example of how an “innovation-led approach to data capturing can increase productivity and provide best value for clients.”

We are delivering the project as the Manufacturing and Assembly Managers (MAM) in a joint venture with Mace. 

The judges were impressed by the “comprehensive assessment of digital tools and their application as a holistic system for design, build and future operations”.

Digital tech underpinned the Platform approach to Design for Manufacture and Assembly (P-DfMA) on the development. Our team, led by Sir Robert McAlpine's Senior Digital Construction Manager, Josh Harding, collaborated with Landsec to deploy a number of tools, including:

• Disperse 360 photo capture and automated progress-reporting
• Qflow monitoring of waste and deliveries
• iFire, a fire-stopping monitoring tool
• robotic welding machines linked to BIM models to create temporary works kit
• Converge concrete strength monitoring which meant reduced strike times.

Overall, the digital innovations and manufacturing approach meant construction delivery required 20% fewer site operatives than for a traditional project.

When it came to the Digital Innovation in Offsite Construction award, the scheme brought together new and existing technologies, linked through a central spine of data, to ensure offsite benefits were transferred onsite and evidence-based learnings were gathered to take on to future projects. Elements included platform design, algorithmic design, cassette design, digital delivery and automation.

The approach generated an increase in net lettable area, improved safety, and a 50% reduction in site operatives for superstructure and façade.

The open-source data generated at the Forge means the challenges and successes of the digital tool suite can be analysed and shared with the wider construction industry.

Uniquely, a digital review team was established with representatives from Landsec, Bryden Wood and Sir Robert McAlpine to select and train users, and monitor, analyse and hand over each of the tools. This has created a legacy within each organisation for future projects.

This breakthrough project and its digital thread were recognised by Innovate UK, acknowledging the value of digitally-enabled platform construction in their ‘Construction Roadmap 2030’.

The judges noted that this project highlights how taking an innovation-led approach to data capturing can increase productivity and provide best value for clients.