Airkix indoor skydiving
HBPW’s latest job could have left its engineers with a serious case of vertigo!
We were asked to advise on the latest Airkix™ development, an indoor skydiving building where thrill seekers can float in a vertical wind tunnel.
The craze is taking off across the country and is an ideal showcase for HBPW’s engineering skills.
The company’s engineers carried out the design and detailing of value-engineered substructures for the Airkix™ centre at Trafford Park in Manchester and were asked to do a similar job for the latest venture in Basingstoke.
And while flying might look easy for Airkix™ fans, planning the building wasn’t quite as simple.
HBPW director Paul Withers said: “The buildings require a deep basement to act as a plenum for the rapidly travelling air to rise up through the indoor skydiving tube.
“The Basingstoke project was complicated by the presence of a primary aquifer below the site with the possibility of contamination from construction activities, which resulted in protracted negotiations with the Environment Agency.”
HBPW used its integrated 3D-Revit and Design Software Robot to successfully integrate the special proprietary equipment imported from the U.S. into the building structure.
“It looks incredible fun,” added Paul, “though I’m quite happy watching from the sidelines!”
Client: Airkix
Contractor: Buckingham Group Contracting Ltd
Contract Value: £3.5 million