At a Glance
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1,000
Waves Per Hour
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£25M
Surfing Lagoon
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100%
Renewable Power
- Location
- Bristol, United Kingdom
- Offices
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Client
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The Wave
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Architect
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APG
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Awards
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British Construction Industry Awards, Cultural & Leisure Project of the Year, 2020
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BusinessGreen Awards, Green Building Project of the Year, 2020
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Institution of Civil Engineers South West Civil Engineering Awards, People's Choice, 2020
- Location
- Bristol, United Kingdom
- Offices
- Client
-
- The Wave
- Architect
- APG
- Awards
- British Construction Industry Awards, Cultural & Leisure Project of the Year, 2020
- BusinessGreen Awards, Green Building Project of the Year, 2020
- Institution of Civil Engineers South West Civil Engineering Awards, People's Choice, 2020
Share
The Wave - Engineering Services
From the outset, the owners and operators of The Wave had a clear vision to create a destination that championed sustainability and the natural environment. Leading environmental activist, Chris Hines MBE, and co-founder and director of Surfers Against Sewage, set the sustainability agenda. Understanding what makes a good surfing destination, he worked closely with our engineers and the rest of the design and construction teams to make The Wave a place that delivers positive change.
The site required our structural, geotechnical, and civil infrastructure teams to deliver a number of technically challenging and collaborative solutions. As the site is close to the Severn Estuary and its floodplains, we conducted an extensive design process to refine the management of both ground and surface water. We developed a site-wide drainage strategy, including a geo composite drainage layer to remove hydrostatic pressure when the lake is empty, which led to significant savings both in terms of carbon and costs.
To lower the water table beneath the lake, we designed a gravity drainage system that feeds into the local drainage network, with a new ditch included. Replicating this system at the rear of the retaining walls means that when the lake is periodically emptied for maintenance, it continually dewaters, addressing the potential flotation of the concrete-lined lake when empty.
An inland surfing destination, The Wave is Europe’s first full-size surfing lake. The lagoon is powered by 100 percent renewable electricity and delivers the opportunity to surf all year round, independent of weather conditions and tides. It can generate up to 1,000 waves per hour—around a wave every 10 seconds—at heights between 0.5 and 2 metres (1.6 and 6.6 feet).
At a Glance
-
1,000
Waves Per Hour
-
£25M
Surfing Lagoon
-
100%
Renewable Power
- Location
- Bristol, United Kingdom
- Offices
-
-
Client
-
-
The Wave
-
-
Architect
-
APG
-
Awards
-
British Construction Industry Awards, Cultural & Leisure Project of the Year, 2020
-
-
BusinessGreen Awards, Green Building Project of the Year, 2020
-
-
Institution of Civil Engineers South West Civil Engineering Awards, People's Choice, 2020
- Location
- Bristol, United Kingdom
- Offices
- Client
-
- The Wave
- Architect
- APG
- Awards
- British Construction Industry Awards, Cultural & Leisure Project of the Year, 2020
- BusinessGreen Awards, Green Building Project of the Year, 2020
- Institution of Civil Engineers South West Civil Engineering Awards, People's Choice, 2020
Share
Adam Anthony, Divisional Director, Buildings
For me, project management is about more than plans and budgets—it’s about bringing people together, shaping spaces, and building trust.
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