Maryon Estate is a key part of a wider urban and estate regeneration initiative, delivering 165 new high-quality homes on a site formerly occupied by outdated affordable housing blocks. The development includes a mix of medium-rise apartment buildings and a significant number of townhouses, carefully designed to integrate with the surrounding residential context. Vertex has been appointed to provide full Structural and Civil Engineering Design services for this transformational project.
The diverse building types required multiple structural solutions. Medium-rise blocks will be constructed using reinforced concrete frames with flat slabs, shear walls, and columns on piled foundations, while traditional masonry loadbearing construction will be used for the townhouses. Adapting the structural approach to suit the varying forms and building functions across the site was essential to ensure buildability, performance, and cost efficiency.
One of the major physical challenges of the site is the steep gradient, falling significantly from south to northwest. This topography necessitates the design and construction of large retaining walls to support terraced landscaping and level changes across the development. In addition, two large public sewers cross the site, creating exclusion zones that dictate where buildings and their foundations can be positioned. Vertex’s structural and civil teams worked collaboratively to accommodate these constraints while maintaining the overall site vision and density.
Vertex is delivering an integrated structural and civil engineering design, tailored to the demands of this complex site. Extensive 3D modelling has been used to coordinate building levels, road layouts, and landscape features, ensuring seamless transitions across the site’s varying topography. Retaining structures have been designed to blend into the steep site gradient while maintaining accessibility and compliance with planning and building regulations.
Civil engineering design includes coordinated road infrastructure, drainage systems, and Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS), all of which must navigate the tight spaces between foundation elements, exclusion zones, and utility corridors. Vertex’s approach ensures that all engineering elements are carefully aligned with architectural intent, construction sequencing, and long-term operational requirements.
