October 2011
>> Newsletter October 2011

March 2011
Please visit our new blog and twitter pages.

January 2011
We will be visiting BAU, MUNICH this week 20th of January, so if you are planning to be in the area, please get in touch with us. We are looking forward to hearing from you.

>> Newsletter January 2011

November 2010
The Solutia "World of colour award" 2010,
Interior Design Division Honorable Mention
Project: Kvadrat office, London

The new London headquarters of Kvadrat, a Danish textile company is a stunning staircase, set in a two-story industrial space. It is like a bolt of lightening running the entire length of the space and is framed by coloured glass panels, which cast coloured shadows over the concrete walls as the light changes throughout the day. A stunning spectrum of coloured laminated glass interlayers, ranging from rich violet hues to light and airy blues, brings light and beauty to a desolate office space. The jurors commented on the clarity of the project, calling it "a strong statement made with few notes and careful editing."

Architect: David Adjaye
Engineering: Malishev Wilson Engineers
Glass Laminator: Barretts Group

May 2010
World Architecture Festival
MW article on World Architecture Festival highlights was published in Project Russia: International Journal on Architecture, March 2010 issue.

Architectural Record
An article in the Architectural Record, May 2010 issue is featuring 150 Cheapside Bridge.

Review of Tickets project
MW's technical review of the Tickets Office in New York was published in Project Russia: International Journal on Architecture, March 2010.

Science Year 2011
Teesdale project will be featured in Science Year 2011, published in August by World Book Inc, Chicago based publisher. Science Year is a reference book, which features the most important researches, changes, and discoveries in the rapidly evolving world of science.

Modern Glass Conservatory Extension
New images have been received on the luxury property extension in Highgate, London.
>> Click here to view the project

April 2010
Royal Festival Hall

During the refurbishment of the Royal Festival Hall, Malishev Wilson were responsible for the design of the structural glass of two glass lift shafts, working with CMF, specialist aluminum manufacturer, and Fusion glass, One within the main lobby of the building and one externally at the rear of the theatre providing disabled access.

They are both scenic lift shafts comprised of specially designed bespoke aluminium extruded sections and structurally bonded glass. There is also a patterned glass enclosure to the lift motor room on the roof.

Recently, As a centrepiece of the Chorus festival, Southbank Centre has invited artist Martin Creed, Winner of the Turner Prize in 2001, to create a version of his Work No. 409 specially for the glass lift, in which visitors' journeys will be accompanied by the recorded voices of Voicelab singers, rising as the lift rises and descending as it falls. For this live launch, to help reveal and explore the work, some of those singers attempt to re-create it live under Martin Creed's guidance.

December 2009
New lightweight crown on historic tower given the OK

This striking looking building (Artist's impression on the right) is an old Martello Tower at Bray, on the East coast of
Ireland, one of many coastal forts erected around the world during the Napoleonic Wars.

It used to be owned by a popular Irish entertainer, who installed a 8.5m diameter glass canopy on top. The current owner decided to replace the glass roof with something more elegant and MWE were called in by London-based architect Jones & Lambell to assist.

With our expertise in the use of structural glass, we were able to design a lightweight steel supporting structure.

Plans have now been approved and the work on a detailed design solution is in hand. We propose to use arched steel frame with compression and tension rings to minimise the amount of steelwork and maximise transparency. Lateral stability and bracing is provided by the structural use of glass.

August 2009
World Architecture Festival Award 2009

Malishev Wilson Engineers are delighted to announce that one of our projects - the structural design of an 18 m glass walkway in the foyer of a prestigious new office building in the City of London - has been shortlisted for an award at the World Architecture Festival in Barcelona, taking place on November 4 - 6. Both partners will be attending the conference.

April 2009
Malishev Wilson made structural engineers for
€9m student accommodation building in Paris

Malishev Wilson Ingénierie (MWI) in France have been appointed structural design engineers for a € 9 million
project to provide a six-storey accommodation building
for university researchers and students, in the ZAC (Zone d’Aménagement Concerté) redevelopment scheme at Rungis in the XIIIth arondissement of Paris.

The building will have 4,600 sq m of habitable floor space, comprising 100 apartments for students within the first three storeys and a further 100 flats in the top three floors. An open air atrium is contained within the structure.

April 2009
MWE celebrates 5 years of international practice

Tempus fugit or ‘Time flies’, to paraphrase the Roman poet Virgil. And how the last five years have gone by quickly for us at Malishev Wilson Engineers – since we first opened our consulting engineering practice in February 2004!

Working from our two offices in London and Paris, we have since then completed a highly interesting variety of structural engineering design briefs. We are currently kept busy on a number of equally challenging commissions, both in the UK and overseas.

April 2009
Coloured glass walls are design feature for showroom staircase

MWE have designed the coloured glass walls for this new staircase in the London showroom and offices of fashionable Danish textile manufacturer Kvadrat. The walls are made using a series of 4.2m-high by 1.2mwide laminated glass panels, fixed at basement slab level and laterally re-strained at the stringer and handrail levels. Architects are Adjaye Associates and specialist glazing contractor is Barrett’s Glass and Glazing of London.

>> New Kvadrat showroom (Wallpaper magazine)

February 2009
The PLYLAM staircase

We are delighted to offer our new product developed by us over the last few years inspired by development work with Architects who are constantly searching for new ideas and design solutions. This product was also the result of a fruitful collaboration with some of the UK’s best known timber and glass manufacturers.

PLYLAM achieves what is says ‘on the tin’, it is glue laminated sheets of plywood which are precision-cut to our drawings to form the stair. A combination of special glues, plywood and application techniques makes it a very strong, solid section of timber which can span as a simple beam between the supports.

What is special about this product, apart from its strength, is that carefully sanded faces of the treads reveal individual veneers of ply which, over the width of the stairs, form a cascade of parallel lines which follow the contour of the stair treads, creating an interesting visual effect.

The PLYLAM staircase could be supplied in it’s natural timber colours or stained to the architect’s/client’s specification, to make it darker if required. The staircase is also supplied with a structural glass balustrade which also forms part of the structure. If required, the balustrade can be designed and fitted to both sides of the staircase.

>> The PLYLAM staircase
PDF 281 KB

October 2008
MWE featured in
THE TIMES

The Times supplement "Bricks and Mortar" featured a Malishev Wilson Engineers’ recent project. The article was published on Friday 17th October.

>> The house built like an aeroplane

>> View the press cutting

October 2008
MWE appointed designers for glass façade in Colchester’s new arts complex

MWE have been appointed structural design consultants for the glass entrance façade of the new visual and cultural arts complex building in Colchester, currently under construction and part of the St Botolph’s regeneration scheme in the Essex town.

The 11m high and 24m wide façade will be bottom supported by a concrete strip foundation and will be inclined 15 deg to the vertical plane. It will be laterally restrained by the main building structure, which is made up from a series of aluminium-clad steel portal frames along its 150m curved length.

A major engineering challenge on this project is the archaeological significance of the site. English Heritage has prohibited any major foundations, which means the main structure must support its own weight.

Architect for the scheme is the renowned New York-based Rafael Vinoly Architects. Glazing contractor is F.A.Firman.

October 2008
MWE will be visiting Glasstec in Düsseldorf
(23rd-25th October)

MWE will be visiting Glasstec in Düsseldorf later this month, the world’s largest exhibition involving the glass manufacturing and supply industry. It is also a prime meeting point for professionals involved with this exciting industry.

The bi-ennial exhibition will be bigger than ever this year, with more than 1,000 exhibitors taking space.

We will be there between 23rd and 25th October. So if you want to meet up with us, we will be glad to make time.

Just call or text Gennady Vasilchenko-Malishev on his mobile when you get there, on 0044 (0) 7930 137813 or Philip Wilson on 0044 (0) 7971 532989.
Hope to see you there !

October 2008
MWE reaches the shortlist for Structural Awards for engineering design excellence

Malishev Wilson Engineers are proud to have been short listed for this year’s Structural Awards for engineering design excellence, hosted by the Institution of Structural Engineers.

We have been selected from 17 entrants in the Small Projects (budget under £1 million) Category, for our design of a glass link structure at Teesdale - a large Grade II listed private house in Windlesham, Surrey, designed by the architect Erno Goldfinger.

The awards ceremony takes place at the Royal Horticultural Halls in London, on 14th November.
Wish us Good Luck !

A striking new structural glass façade, designed by Malishev Wilson Engineers (MWE) and featuring the artwork of artist Suzanna Heron, has been successfully installed at a new House of Fraser retail development in Bristol city centre.

The 14m-high façade, on one corner of the four-storey building situated in the merchants’ quarter of the city, allows views out from a coffee lounge area of the new store.

The glass façade comprises a total of 18 glass panels each weighing 480 kg. They were placed in three rows of four panels, each measuring 4.9m high and 2.4m wide on a south facing window; and in three rows of two panels measuring 4.9m high and 1.7m wide on an east facing surface.

As design engineers, MWE played a crucial role of supervision during the site installation phase of the project.

“We were present for all panel installation work to make sure the glass was installed strictly in accordance with the design specification”.

A night-time road closure was required for part of the installation work to allow access.

>> view the project page

October 2007
Walking on glass is the City style!

A stylish high level glass walkway is being built to link floor areas adjoining the two-storey atrium of a new office bock at 150 Cheapside in the City of London.

Malishev Wilson Engineers (MWE) have produced the detailed design for the walkway, under a concept conceived by Michael Aukett Architects. Specialist glass manufacture and supplier is F.A. Firman of Harold Wood, London. The 1.5m wide, 18m long walkway comprises glass floor panels supported on a grillage of glass beams, which in turn will be suspended from the concrete structure of the atrium by means of solid stainless steel rods. Total weight of the glass is approximately 12 tonnes and the walkway’s total loading is 32 tonnes, including the live load.

Due to the complex nature ofthe structure, MWE have used a state-of-the-art finite element analysis programme to evaluate stresses, deformation as well as natural frequency and response of the whole model.

The project is now reaching the final stage of analysis and site installation work is about to start. Completion of the walkway on site is expected by the end of the year.

October 2007
MWE featured in the
FINANCIAL TIMES

A magazine supplement in the Financial Times newspaper on ‘How to Spend It’, on adventurous designs in glass for residential properties, featured some of Malishev Wilson Engineers’ recent projects.

The article was published on Saturday 20th October, refered to three glass housing structures in France, to be built by F.A.Firman (Harold Wood) with French architect Odile Decq.

>> How to Spend it - 20 Oct 2007
PDF 677 KB

With land prices soaring due to the prolonged property boom, homeowners wanting to live in a larger property have discovered a simple but cost effective way of extending their homes - by digging out a basement.

Although building costs can be high, due to the need for ground support for existing walls, the net result is a property with more living space and a greatly enhanced value.

Malishev Wilson recently completed design work for a basement and ground floor glass extension at a 1930s home in Hertfordshire, in the Harpenden Conservation Area. Word went around and now MWE is involved in renovation and basement extension at a similar Thirties period house nearby.

A new build basement with a floor area of 150 sq m is being provided, with space for four extra rooms - a family cinema, games room, utilities area and storage. Digging out the 3m deep basement has involved extensive underpinnin of the house with reinforced concrete. The project went through a complicated two-stage planning application process because the house is in a conservation area. The local council needed reassurance about the safety aspects of ground engineering work on theproject and the prevention of subsidence – both while work is carried out and afterwards.

Architect: Crawford Partnership

Woking’s stunning looking new art gallery and museum, the Lightbox, has opened to the public. Built at a cost of £7 million, it features a cladding of silver and gold anodised aluminium and cedarwood tiles and a single storey, frameless structural glass façade at ground floor level. Malishev Wilson have been responsible for the structural design and detailing of the façade, working with glass manufacturer and supplier Fusion Glass.

Architects are Marks Barfield Architects, creators of the London Eye big wheel.

October 2007
Blast proof glass units at Heathrow’s new Terminal 5

Four and two person customer units are being provided in the Business Class lounge and shelving and glass screens sited in the First Class check-in lounge. All elements are designed to withstand crowd and explosive blast

Malishev Wilson Engineers have opened a new office in Paris to take advantage of a high construction workload currently being experienced in France. A growing use of structural steel there is also providing experienced UK engineers with good opportunities. Under the new company name of Malishev Wilson Ingeniere SARL, the new office is located at 14 Rue Oberkampf in central Paris.

It now establishes MWE’s presence in three countries – the UK, Russia and France. “Our experience as designers working with structural glass will be another attraction for French clients and their architects,” says Philip Wilson, MWI’s partner in charge of the new Paris office. “Authority approval and insurance for design work can sometimes prove difficult because the structural glass market in France is a few years behind that of the UK. But there is enormous potential here for working with this exciting material.”

MWI contact details:
Malishev Wilson Ingenierie SARL
14 rue Oberkampf
75011 Paris France
Tel: 0033 (0) 149 29 76 26
Fax: 0033 (0) 153 36 73 14
Mobile: 00 33 (0) 681 81 29 65

Malishev Wilson Engineers, together with architects 5th Studio and glass suppliers F.A.Firman, provided innovative solutions to help minimise the amount of fixings for the glass panels enclosing the rooms.

The large DGUs (double-glazed units), weighing up to 660kg each, are suspended from the ceiling. Special fixing details had to be adopted to transfer loads to the existing building. Standard point fixing details were therefore reconsidered and modified to accommodate the bigger loadings. MWE and F.A. Firman of Harold Wood in Essex jointly carried out a series of special load tests to verify the fixing design.

The existing Wolfson building, approximately 60m long, has two large open space volumes on each side of it – north and south. In order to create more space, without losing light, it was decided to enclose each of them with glass. As a result, two meeting rooms were created. Due to the building’s geometry, the glass panels had to be suspended from above. Some of the larger glazing units, measure 2.5m by 3.7m.

The big engineering design challenge on this project were the logistics of getting the glass units to the site for installation. The existing building, built in the 1960s, is surrounded on four sides

by other buildings from earlier periods. Some of these were as close as 2-3 m to the fabric of the Wolfson.

To make things even more complicated, The Wolfson Building is built on a type of podium 3-4 m high, with only one access road quite a distance away. So all materials and equipment had to be first lifted to the podium level, than trolleyed to the installation point. A special URW-A295CR crawler crane was used to lift panels into position.

The loads from the large double glazed units and other equipment had to be distributed over a certain area to minimise the ground pressure and protect existing pavement slabs. The crane used is the first crawler crane available in the UK that can pass through a standard door opening but has a lifting capacity of up to 3 tonnes.

Sept 2006
Malishev Wilson presenting their work in China

Malishev Wilson Engineers have been selected to present a paper entitled ‘The design and construction of all-glass structures’ for the International Association of Shell and Spatial Structures (IASS) symposium ‘New Olympics – New Shell and Spatial Structures’ - to take place in Beijing from October 16-19, 2006.

The paper will outline the experience gained from the design of a dozen all-glass structures – from glass stairs to glass roofs, with supporting beams spanning up to 12.0m, to external glass frames that are self-stable, each structure marking an important milestone in glass engineering and fabrication. The IASS, founded in 1959 by Eduardo Torroja, aims to achieve progress through an interchange of ideas among all those interested in lightweight structural systems such as lattice, tension, membrane and shell structures built from modern materials.

June 2006
MWE designing glass façade for Arts & Crafts museum in Woking

London glass supplier Fusion Glass Designs have appointed Malishev Wilson Engineers to carry out structural design and detailing - with the production of detailed design AUTOCAD drawings - for the external glazing to the south and east elevations of Woking Galleries, Woking Museum and Arts & Crafts Centre.

This will include the following elements :

• 30m long single storey frameless structurally bonded glass panels and a trapezoid shaped ‘keyhole’ window with 50% coverage of dichroic film interlayer in vertical stripes on the south elevation
• vertical slot and first and second floors with frosted glass with clear strips on the east elevation.

Architects are Marks Barfield Architects.