This is a sponsored article on behalf of the Institution of Civil Engineers.
Take a stroll through almost any part of London and chances are you'll hear the steady hum of construction work at least once on your journey. From neo-brutalist stations to a revamped Victorian coal drops, there's always something shiny and new to be found in the capital.
While some may take longer than expected to be completed (looking at you, Crossrail), plenty of brilliant infrastructure projects have come to fruition over the last twelve months. And celebrating these feats of civil engineering is what the London People's Choice Award from the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) is all about.
ICE has whittled its shortlist down to ten entries, but it needs your help in crowning the overall winner. Last year, you picked Enjoy Waltham Forest, the £27 million 'mini-Holland' scheme which introduced new cycle lanes and pedestrianised to encourage more locals to walk and cycle. What'll it be this time?
Chiswick Park Footbridge
This 120m long, three-span arched bridge connects Chiswick Business Park with the surrounding west London community, including Chiswick tube station and, as a result, eases overcrowding at the nearby Gunnersbury station. Expedition, who carried out the project, used weathering steel and hardwood flooring to make the it sustainable, giving it an elegant yet understated look and feel.
Vote for Chiswick Park Footbridge here.
Coal Drops Yard
Arup expertly marries old and new in the vibrant new shopping and dining destination of Coal Drops Yard — the crowning glory of King's Cross, apparently. The Grade II listed Victorian era east and west Coal Drops have been repurposed and linked together via a 33m "floating floor" and curved roof, requiring the most delicate of repair work in order to protect the 19th century structures.
Vote for Coal Drops Yard here.
Deephams Sewer
The UK's fourth largest sewage works have been given quite the makeover, courtesy of AECOM, Murphy and Kier (in collaboration with Thames Water). The major upgrade work at Deephams Sewer was undertaken to support the surrounding natural and built environment by improving the quality of treated water and achieved a 99% reduction in odour — no mean feat, considering that the sewer remained fully functional for the entirety of the project.
Vote for Deephams Sewer here.
Hackney Wick Station
Mott Macdonald Ltd has given Hackney Wick station a major overhaul worthy of its Olympic legacy. The striking new neo-brutalist building reflects the area's industrial heritage — all orange-y corten steel and raw, cream-coloured concrete.
Vote for Hackney Wick station redevelopment here.
Meridian Water Station
'Civic meets civil' in the brand new £46m Meridian Water station, funded by London Borough of Enfield and the Greater London Authority, in collaborative partnership with Network Rail. The north London stop is due to open in May of this year, providing locals with step free access, a 24/7 railway crossing and some rather stunning architecture to gawp at.
Vote for Meridian Water station here.
Terminal 3 Flight Connections Centre, Heathrow Airport
In order to meet the projected growth in connecting flight passengers at Heathrow, the Flight Connections Centre at Terminal 3 was totally demolished and rebuilt in a £54.5m project. The resulting 7,000m² of accommodation, including a 2,000m² 10-lane security search area, 46 airline service desks, a 5-bay coaching station should be enough to accommodate a fair bit of foot traffic.
Vote for Heathrow's Terminal 3 Flight Connections Centre here.
Thames Estuary Asset Management 2100 Programme
This top 40 government infrastructure project involves the refurbishment, replacement and upgrade of London’s tidal defences, which protect 1.3 million people and £275 billion worth of property. No pressure, then.
Vote for Thames Estuary Asset Management 2100 Programme here.
University College London Student Centre
UCL's new student centre — the centrepiece of a £1.25 billion redevelopment programme set out by UCL Estates — is all about sustainability, incorporating photovoltaics solar panels to reduce energy and carbon use.
Vote for University College London Student Centre here.
Victoria Station Upgrade
Thanks to new step-free access, London's third busiest Underground station is now accessible to all. There's also a brand new North Ticket Hall, an expanded South Ticket Hall, nine escalators, eight lifts and 300m of passenger tunnels —- all of which came to fruition while maintaining the operational station for 300,000 daily users.
Vote for the Victoria tube station upgrade here.
Woolwich Ferry Berths
BAM Nuttall Limited used innovative 3D modelling to carry out the upgrade work on Woolwich's famous free ferry service. The project was carried out in two phases, to enable testing of the new ferries and pontoon facility, and to avoid disruption to the service.
Vote for the new Woolwich Ferry berths here.
Found your favourite yet? You've got until 28 April 2019 to cast your vote. And there's something in it for you, too: all voters are entered into ICE's prize draw, with three lucky winners receiving a copy of Shaping the World, a gorgeous commemorative book marking the institution's 200 year anniversary. Click here to vote.
The winning project will be announced at the ICE London Civil Engineering Awards Ceremony in association with Jacobs on 16 May, and by Londonist.
