arup beyond engineering

8/8/2019 Arup Beyond Engineering

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Arup beyond engineering

Real estate is more than buildings. Its even more so in these turbulent days. We in Arup have

learnt a lesson from our most successful clients: doing well what you do is not enough; you must

change the ground before the ground changes you and your industry.

Lets talk about buildings. Helping to design ambitious buildings is what Arup is best known for.But that doesnt tell the whole story. In addition to world -class engineering, we offer diverse

design and consultancy services that address all aspects of built environment. But its the way

we do it what our clients value most.

The way we work our way

Consider the structure of a building for example. For some engineers, a good structural design is

the capacity to satisfy 100% the architects design intentions. For others, the key is to use locally

proven materials and solutions. Others will focus solely on reducing construction cost and

construction time. These are all important points, but the key is to find the right balance. The

structural engineers in Arup try and get to be involved in the process much sooner, and ask

fundamental questions to the parties. What are the developers intentions? What is the expected

durability of the building? Are fu ture changes of use foreseeable? From here, a better balance can

be found for the structural design, using tools as lateral thinking and involving high quality

specialist advice.

Now, the structure is a part of a whole. We cannot provide a good structura l design if we havent

integrated the other aspects of the project: cost and programme expectations, energy

performance, sustainable targets, services design, building envelope, etc. A holistic approach

that is, seeing and understanding beyond your expertise is embedded in our DNA as

consultants.

More than that: we dont work for the building or for our client in isolation; we work for its

future users and society as a whole. The balance we seek as engineering and consultingproviders includes supporting corporate responsibility and sustainability agendas. It may sound

as nowadays jargon, but we have been acting sustainable (environmental, social and economic

sustainable) since at least 1970. Ove Arup, our founder, stated in the key speech the aims of the

firm and the principles through which those aims may be achieved.

From the Key Speech:Humanitarianism also implies a social conscience, a wish to do socially useful work, and to

join hands with others fighting for the sa me values. Our pursuit of quality should in itself beuseful. If we in isolated cases can show how our environment can be improved, this is likely tohave a much greater effect than mere propaganda.

Our longstanding aim, to shape a better world, is the ultimate goal that paves the way we work.

Providing building services and more

Because Arup strives to provide world-class engineering for buildings and beyond, we offer a

diverse range of services. Each service is organized as an internationally focused team, providing

support to our project teams around the world to find the best answers to complex problems.

Mechanical, electrical or structural engineering is at the base of what we do as consultant

engineers in every country and region. But we wouldnt provide a good service if we hadnt

specialist teams on acoustic consulting, audio visual and multimedia, building physics, facilities

management, geotechnics, seismic design and wind engineering to name a few. There is an


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additional layer of more fundamental services as fluid dynamics, advanced geometric design or

resilience, security and risk, where design applications are found starting from pure research.

Software applications are being developed within Arup as a combination of practical work and

theoretical research. They may involve building physics simulation, evacuation modelling in case

of fire, or finite element programs to analyse the non -linear response of structures.

Engineering is much more than calculations and CAD drawings. Advanced computer modelling is

transforming the design process of buildings worldwide. Arup leads the field of building

information modelling. The virtual building, where design, construction, environmentalperformance and operational challenges are visualised, solved and optimised in an integrated

computer simulation, is becoming a reality.

Sounds as too many services? Maybe, but it helps Arup building teams solve our clients needs.

And clients keep telling us that this way of working mainstream and specialist at the same time

gives them answers to their problems, sometimes even when they hadnt made the question.

Markets a wide view pays off

Cities are more than a sum of their buildings, and the world is much more than a sum of cities. As

a company with global reach, we had to engage ourselves not just in property buildings and

social infrastructure, but also in transport and energy, resources and industry. Arup soon

expanded its initial task of providing structural engineering by the 1950s into a total buildingconcept since the 60s, and then into a wider total design approach. Lets review what lies

behind the four markets into which we organize our commitment to design.

Propertyshapes not just the skyline, but the down-to-earth viability of every city. Arup covers

here the range of real estate: from commercial workspace, hotels and leisure facilities,

residential and retail developments, to all kinds of sport venues. Our skills and services cover the

entire lifecycle of property portfolios from planning, construction, fit-out and operation to

refurbishment and post-occupancy. At every stage our teams meet the challenges of a resource-

constrained world with adaptable, low-carbon and low-energy building design.

Social infrastructure supports people and helps create a sense of community. Arups work in thesocial infrastructure market includes arts and culture, education, government and healthcare

projects of varying size and budgets. Our teams consult with governments, private and public

businesses and institutions to design and implement buildings, infrastructure, campuses or

masterplanned communities that benefit people in towns, cities and countries around the world.

Transport, our next market, includes aviation, highways, maritime and rail. Working across these

modes of transport Arups experience goes from airport design, operational readiness, port

projects, transport planning and rail infrastructures. Our design of transport hubs, integrated

transport and multi-mode solutions tackles both climate change and the growth in urbanisation.

Energy, resources and industryare markets well known to Arup since long ago, even if they seem

less building-oriented. The firms experience here crosses sectors as water, energy and waste,resource extraction through mining, up to science and industrial activities. Much of this work

across these essential building blocks of society is hidden from view, yet Arups positive

influence can be felt far and wide.

Arups understanding of the interconnections between these four markets ensures clients

benefit from our integrated approach.

Locations our land is the world

Arup brings together professionals from diverse regions and with complementary skills, on a

uniquely global scale. The depth of expertise and the sheer numbers of specialists allow Arup to


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take on complex, strategic projects that no other firm could have delivered. Global and local are

for us two sides of the same coin.

Having started in London back in 1946, w e now have offices in 33 countries spanning around

five continents. Some of these offices are located in the countries that will shape the future of

world economy: Brazil (Sao Paulo), Russia (Moscow and St Petersburg), India (Mumbai) and

China (ten offices in cities as Beijing, Shenzhen, Hong Kong and others). Our presence is also

strong in hot spots of todays world: Middle East (Qatar, Abu Dhabi and Dubai), North America

(nine offices in the United States and one in Canada), East Asia (with offices in Thailand,Malaysia, Singapore, Vietnam, Philippines and Japan) or Australasia (six offices in Australia and

one in New Zealand).

Our presence in Europe and Africa is also expanding. Arup has 17 offices in the United Kingdom,

four offices in Ireland, as well as offices in Germany, Italy, Poland, Spain, Denmark, Romania,

Netherlands, Turkey and Serbia. African offices are in Nigeria, Botswana, Zimbabwe, South Africa

and Mauritius.

A people business and a better way

Clients trust Arups people to question a vision as well as help to realise it. Arups commitment to

a sustainable approach to all its projects is both enshrined in a formal sustainability policy and

embraced personally by the individuals that together make up the firm. Arups ownershipstructure not linked to stakeholders actively reinforces this approach and holds the firm

accountable to its own people for its independent approach, and to its social and corporate

responsibility.

Arup has a healthy mix of people with very different perspectives and from many cultures,

working together, learning from each other and generously sharing their knowledge and ideas.

International team-working is the stuff of everyday life for our people, who take advantage of the

skills networks within the firm that allow easy collaboration between colleagues who may be on

opposite sides of theworld, but are working on the same or similar projects.Arups independent ownership structure gives conviction a place in its decision-making,alongside the needs of clients and commercial imperatives. The result is clear-sighted, thoughtful

decisions about its priorities as a business and as a member of society. Arup is rising to the

challenge: investing in research, innovating and creating better solutions for its clients and the

wider world.

That is not added value thats the value we provide. We try to make no difference between the

icing and the cake.

arup beyond engineering

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