Caunton Engineering supplied the structural steelwork for two new office blocks within a major new Leeds office development - City Walk, Sweet Street. This scheme by developer Simons Estates is being constructed at a most high profile and rapidly expanding location at the southern gateway to the city centre, within 5 minutes walk of both the railway station and the city centre. The six storey office building provides large open plan floorplates each of 10,795 sq. ft., plus lower ground floor and basement car parking for 80 cars.

The structure in the main is steel-framed braced-beam-and-column, having long span cellular beams to facilitate services, with metal decking composite floors. The decking, together with safety netting and edge protection system, plus erection of precast concrete stairs, were also the responsibility of Caunton thus aiding co-ordination and programming

A large amount of tubular framing was incorporated both for the glazed main entrance feature and for the crowning glory- a signature" spike" 37 metres tall, a substantial monolith - 500mm in diameter- which highlights and enhances the front elevation. A sophisticated erection method involving a tower crane and two 120ft-capacity "cherry pickers" for erection access (which required craning into the basement) was adopted due to the very tight site constraints.

The illustration shows both No1 and No2 City Walk with No1 to the right foreground. Caunton supplied the steelwork for both, and for the same client Simons Estates - who employed the same professional team - John Allen Consulting as engineer and group company Simons Design as architect.