Coordinating 30 different Crossrail contracts
We were appointed by the winning Crossrail contractor to act as their multi-disciplinary design team lead, responsible for managing the design and delivery of this highly complex, multi-faceted project, combined with full assurance duties. We were the only architecture firm within the whole Crossrail project to undertake this complex role.
The shafts are located in the central London section of Crossrail, at Mile End, Eleanor Street, Stepney Green, Limmo Peninsula and Fisher Street and are used for service access, public evacuation, tunnel ventilation, and housing of essential operational facilities.
The project is very complex - involving over 30 different Crossrail contracts with conflicting objectives and delivery programmes - and requires comprehensive multi-disciplinary coordination.
Embracing the full power of BIM techniques, for both design and collaboration proved invaluable, allowing us to streamline the review and approval process. BIM facilitated value engineering allowing alternative proposals to be integrated in parallel, from both the supply chain and the construction teams.
A culture of collaboration + positive communication
Through our leadership, we established a one team approach, creating a culture of collaboration and positive communication across the multidisciplinary design team, contractor team, and Crossrail teams. We provided a consistent point of contact to all parties with a clear line of responsibility identified.
Successful delivery was achieved through comprehensively interrogating the Employer’s Design and brief, and fully engaging with Crossrail’s Chief Engineering Group, Systemwide contracts and differing specialist disciplines.
To safeguard the complex interface coordination across the multiple discipline teams, we adopted regular cross-discipline BIM workshops to provide a transparent, rolling, assurance process visible to all client parties.
Significantly, the project was the first to complete the handover process to return assets to CRL possession.
The results of Crossrail’s Quality Performance Index summary for 2016/17 have been published and C360 contract team are top again! Excellent feedback on the hard work everyone in the team puts in to deliver to our clients expectations. It may be hard work sometimes, but that is paying off. By the client’s own measures you are the best performing contract.