Marchwood Energy Facility

Marchwood Energy Facility

Geometrica as Manufacturers

A Jewel off Southampton WaterArticles The great silver dome reflected in the nearby water looks surreal. For a long time, however, it seemed that it would never even become real, but remain only an imaginative architect's rendering for a waste-to-energy facility.


But there it is. The dome, designed by renowned French architect, Jeanrobert Mazaud, now conceals and beautifies an incinerator facility, with only the twin chimneys stretching upward through the elegantly curved roof. Since it was completed in 2007, "The Silver Dome" has become a stunning shoreside icon in the United Kingdom community of Southampton, Hampshire, which also plays host to the two great ocean liners, the Queen Elizabeth 2 and the Queen Mary.


From the artist's imagination


Early last decade, faced with at-capacity landfills and 30-year-old incinerators that no longer met emissions requirements, local planners sought an innovative, forward-thinking solution for nonrecyclable waste. They insisted that the new facility be beautiful as well as functional, and issued Mazaud the challenge. He met it head-on with a distinctive design -- a beautiful dome of sweeping curves -- and an equal challenge for the builders. Aside from its whimsical silhouette, this bold dome also would clear-span 110 meters. Here's where the project came close to foundering. Nobody could find an economical way to construct it. "It required very unusual technical solutions, especially for an industrial program," said Mazaud, CEO of S'PACE.S.A.


Large dome? Geometrica!


Contractor CINM of France solicited bids for the dome. But the prices for traditional construction were prohibitive. The owners, Hampshire Waste (now Veolia Environmental Services), described their problem to a potential subcontractor, Jerry Forrest. While in Israel for another project, Forrest asked his business contacts who could build such a dome. The answer came quickly: Geometrica, a Texas company, had built a similar-sized dome in Israel a few years earlier.


The original design, if built with conventional hot-rolled steel, called for more than 1,000 tons of superstructure. The Geometrica dome, using galvanized structural tubing joined with high-strength aluminum hubs, would weigh less than 300 tons. It also offered all the distinctive architectural features Mazaud required: a “sweep skirt” at the bottom of the dome, delta columns between a translucent wall under the sweep, stack penetrations, and skylights and ventilation near the apex.


Geometrica's proposal was the first that offered to achieve every one of the architect's desired features -- while minding the budget. So Geometrica was awarded the contract. Geometrica's personnel worked closely with the structural engineer to ensure that the dome's framework complied with exacting British engineering and construction standards. Once its off-site manufacturing was complete, Geometrica shipped the prefabricated dome to the Southampton construction site. Assembly took place concurrently with the incinerator building it covered, giving welcome flexibility to a construction schedule that already had been extended to accommodate the search for an economical solution.

Project Credits
Manufacturers
Product Spec Sheet

ElementBrand
ManufacturersGeometrica
Product Spec Sheet
Manufacturers
Project Spotlight
Product Spotlight
News
Nokha Village Community Centre by Sanjay Puri Architects is an architectural oasis in the desert
18 Mar 2024 News
Nokha Village Community Centre by Sanjay Puri Architects is an architectural oasis in the desert

Mumbai-based Sanjay Puri Architects has completed the Nokha Village Community Centre, an architectur... More

Square and Tourist Office: Emerging finalist in Mies van der Rohe Awards 2024
15 Mar 2024 News
Square and Tourist Office: Emerging finalist in Mies van der Rohe Awards 2024

In this Archello series, we look at each of the seven nominated projects (five architecture finalist... More

25 best mosaic wall tile manufacturers
15 Mar 2024 Specification
25 best mosaic wall tile manufacturers

Mosaic wall tiles are produced in an enormous range of colors, shapes and finishes, and from a varie... More

Introducing Partner Motion Facades
15 Mar 2024 Partner News
Introducing Partner Motion Facades

Motion Facades specializes in supplying advanced facade systems for luxury real estate projects. Its... More

Bergendy Cooke, Grégoire Du Pasquier, Ruth Baleiko and Mathew Albores join Archello Awards 2024 jury panel
15 Mar 2024 Archello Awards
Bergendy Cooke, Grégoire Du Pasquier, Ruth Baleiko and Mathew Albores join Archello Awards 2024 jury panel

Architects Bergendy Cooke, Grégoire Du Pasquier, Ruth Baleiko and Mathew Albores have been an... More

JSWD completes new office complex in Bonn unified by triangular facade elements
14 Mar 2024 News
JSWD completes new office complex in Bonn unified by triangular facade elements

International architectural firm JSWD has completed the Neuer Kanzlerplatz office complex in the cit... More

Archello Awards 2024 expands with 'Firm Awards'
14 Mar 2024 Archello Awards
Archello Awards 2024 expands with 'Firm Awards'

Today Archello introduces a new set of Firm Awards categories to widen the scope of the Archello Awa... More

Studio Egret West develops plans for new Passivhaus homes
13 Mar 2024 News
Studio Egret West develops plans for new Passivhaus homes

London-based multidisciplinary architecture and design practice Studio Egret West has developed plan... More