The project delivered a new bespoke 640,000 sq. ft. ambient warehouse for international retailer Urban Outfitters (URBN), this being their first UK facility. The 18.2 m clear height facility contains traditional and automated racking as well as 2 levels of mezzanine to support conveyors and sortation areas.
The warehouse’s automation systems required a strict floor differential settlement tolerance (1 in 1500). To avoid the need for a costly piled foundation solution, we developed an engineered design solution for a thickened stone build-up below the floor slab to control settlements and allow a ground bearing solution to be adopted. We also had to consider the effects of transitioning between the “super” tolerance floor slab areas and the surroundings which were more to a normal institutional standard.
Photography: © Winvic Construction
