Concrete structures 3

In the last of our mini-series on high rise concrete frame structures, we are looking at Gate Studios apartment block, built on the site of the old Gate Studios, which used to be part of Elstree studios. The last film was made here in 1954. It was then sold on to Arthur Harkness, a cinema screen manufacturer who sold it off to a developer in. 

133 homes were developed on the Gate Studios Site. The structure comprises a multi storey in situ reinforced flat slab framed superstructure on a reinforced concrete transfer slab over a basement / undercroft car park.

The loading on the transfer slab is primarily point loads from the thin superstructure columns which are within party walls and are closely spaced. Flat slabs have been adopted for ease of construction, to satisfy sound insulation requirements and minimise floor to floor dimensions.

This project was completed by HAC (part of SOLID).