World-Renowned High-Rise Engineers

For more than a century WSP has been helping to shape the skyline of cities throughout the world. We are leaders in the design of tall buildings, pioneering the trend to build higher and slimmer to optimize valuable real estate in our dense urban environments.

We are proud to be working on many exciting high-rise buildings with the world’s top developers and renowned architects.

Our expertise makes it possible for architects to push the boundaries of their aesthetic visions and for our clients to realize their goals. Buildings engineered by our teams look good, perform well throughout their life time, and make a positive contribution to our cities’ economies, society and the environment.

One57, New York

The art of building high isn’t only about design, but about the efficiency of material, speed of construction, maximum achievable space, seamless coordination of engineering and architecture, thereby achieving optimal cost and performance as well as an iconic and elegant building.

Kamran Moazami General Director, Property and Buildings, WSP in the UK

Engineering Global High-Rise Landmarks

Our portfolio includes globally recognized landmarks such as One World Trade Center in New York, The Shard, a new symbol of London, China’s tallest building Shanghai Tower, the world’s tallest twin towers Petronas Towers in Kuala Lumpur, and Marina Bay Sands in Singapore.

Our current projects range from high-quality commercial and mixed-use mega-towers across Asia such as China Zun Tower in Beijing, Suzhou Zhongnan Center and Seoul’s Lotte World Tower, to some of the most desirable, super-slender high-rise residential developments in New York such as 111 West 57th Street, 56 Leonard and 53W53. We are also at the forefront of London’s and Melbourne’s high-rise boom. We are working on numerous projects including 22 Bishopsgate, One Blackfriars, Newfoundland and Principal Place Tower in London and Premier Tower, Swanston Central and 350 Queen Street in Melbourne.

We offer world-class engineering skills, advanced technical back up and in-depth knowledge of the current design standards for any type of building, anywhere in the world. Our specialist expertise in high-rise is enhanced through innovative and common sense solutions.

The Shard, London

Engineering high-rise buildings is half art, half science – an artful application of science empowered by experience.

Ahmad Rahimian Director of Building Structures, WSP USA

Building Higher, Building Slimmer

A new generation of landmark mega-towers and super-slender buildings is rising across the globe. Each project is bespoke and the challenges associated with great height, such as mitigating the effects of wind turbulence on very high structures, are considerable.

Our technical expertise and decades of experience are enabling towers to soar to heights of over 300 m. Through our innovative design approach and use of materials we ensure that the form and function of our mega-towers are perfectly adapted to the different needs of the people who use them.

Our designs for tall, slim towers help developers make the most of limited real estate in urban areas and capitalize on small and constricted sites to create highly desirable residences with magnificent views and high market values.

Petronas towers, Kuala Lumpur

Creating the Highest Value

We add value to our projects by listening carefully to our clients to ensure we meet their commercial requirements and the needs of building occupants in addition to delivering buildings that are safe, sustainable and cost-effective.

We have pioneered engineering techniques that have reduced build times, realized additional floors and maximized space in the most awkward of footplates. From the earliest design stages, we plan for the diverse uses of a building through its whole life cycle, focusing on efficiency and economy and the flexibility to adapt to future needs. We optimize the building structure to maximize the lettable area; and we optimize the building performance by including energy- efficient systems and advanced vertical transportation technologies to reduce operational costs.

As buildings get higher and higher, with mixed-use, it’s like a jigsaw to fit everything within the core.

Vincent Tse Managing Director, Building Systems, WSP in China

Delivering Technical Excellence

Our centres of excellence in the design of tall buildings offer world-class design skills which we integrate with local detailed design delivery and relationship management. Our talented and experienced engineers are equipped with the most sophisticated design tools and constantly explore new ways to design and build using innovative materials and advanced methods of construction. Their expertise allows us to:

Counteract the impact of wind on tall buildings through the innovative use of higher strength concrete and steel and the development of acceleration damping devices;
Ensure the stability of very tall buildings even in the most unstable of ground conditions such as earthquake zones;
Deliver robust buildings that protect against disproportionate collapse in the event of localized damage;
Deliver buildings that withstand the effects of extreme events; and
Develop new construction techniques to streamline building construction and minimize costs.

Sustainability with a View

We’re committed to minimizing the burden of our projects on the environment, while maximizing the benefits they offer economically and to society.

We have a long heritage of specialist green building design, always at the forefront of the development of new, sustainable technologies to reduce the environmental impact of tall buildings. We consider the overall emissions and resource consumption over the whole lifespan of a building, and prioritize strategies such as using recycled or locally sourced materials, low carbon building services design and minimizing waste.

premier tower, Melbourne

Stimulating Urban Economies and Revitalizing City Centres

Our tall building projects are catalysts for urban regeneration, stimulating growth by creating places where people enjoy living, leisure and shopping as well as working. They put people back in the heart of cities.

We pay close attention to how buildings interact with people and public spaces at street level, and contribute to the creation of attractive, comfortable streetscapes through the expertise of our urban development and transportation planners and the use of advanced modelling technology.