Walworth Town Hall is a sensitive re-modernisation project, showcasing the retrofit benefits of a hybrid timber-steel solution. After being ravaged by fire in 2013, Southwark Council and the developer General Projects sought to reinvent the property for the 21st century, taking care to restore the original 1894 features of the Hall, aiming to return it to its former glory as one of London’s truly iconic civic buildings.
A hybrid solution using a structural steelwork, cross laminated timber and glulam frame was developed to create new vertical extensions and roofs, a new mezzanine floor, and a new lift core; which further modernises the building and provides improved accessibility. Utilising structural timber for the refurbishment works has not only enhanced the sustainability credentials of the project, but also takes advantage of the lightweight benefits of the materials.
However, innovative connection design and detailing work was required to integrate and honour the original features with Tekla Structures proving an extremely useful tool in coordinating a successful project outcome. The new lightweight CLT and glulam roof and structural steel mezzanine floor will return over 50,000 sq ft of derelict space into a renewed commercial building and allow the council chamber to once again become a hub of activity. When open to the public, the community hub will be a free-to-use, purpose-built community space that can host events, seminars and leisure activities - curated by the local community, for the local community.
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Challenges and achievements
Walworth Town Hall is a complex refurbishment project, aiming to restore a fire-damaged building with a hybrid structural approach consisting of cross laminated timber, glulam and structural steelwork. Innovative connection design and detailing work was required to integrate the new elements of the structure while honouring the original features, and B&K Hybrid Solutions used the Tekla reference model feature to overlap point cloud surveys of the existing and new structure.
The visual result at Walworth Town Hall truly showcases the benefits a hybrid timber and steel system can bring to complex refurbishment works. The intricate connection details and collaborative detailing and design stages have resulted in a flawless onsite process, bringing a much-needed lease of life to one of London’s truly iconic civic buildings.
The responsible management of European PEFC forests ensures that the timber used on this project was completely replaced by new growth in just 1 minute, 25 seconds.
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Using Tekla software
- A 3D model was produced in IFC format, which was then sent to the client for BIM coordination and aided collaboration between the project team.
 - Incorporation of IFCs, DWGs and point cloud surveys was critical to the success of the project and Tekla allowed this to be completed seamlessly, resulting in efficient onsite project delivery.
 - Sharing IFC models electronically also improved collaboration among stakeholders, allowing for accurate 3D modelling of the complex connection details and collaborative coordination of the new structure and existing building to be reviewed across all project partners.
