As London’s main international airport at Heathrow nears full capacity, momentum is growing in the U.K. for a major new hub in the Thames Estuary.

Even without the spire that will make London’s Shard the tallest building in Western Europe, its recently topped-out core, reaching 72 floors above ground, already dominates the city. With the structural steelwork frame ending at level 40, concrete columns and post-tension floors will complete the rest of the 310-meter-tall building’s frame next to the River Thames. Photo courtesy of Mace Ltd. Set to rise 310 meters, the Shard has topped out its core, at 244 meters. Now looming 244 m over the London Bridge railroad hub, the Shard’s stump has become a temporarily unattractive city landmark. But from ground level,

Numerous structures are on course for completion in time for the London 2012 Summer Olympics, including a few that are uniquely shaped. Perhaps the strangest is a steelwork monument that will rise 114.5 meters, serving as an icon for the Olympic Park. Images courtesy Arup The ArcelorMittal Orbit will be ready to greet crowds at London’s 2012 Summer Olympics. The red steelwork being built just outside the main stadium’s entrance, so far around 40 m tall, is the diagrid stem of the fantastic 15,000-tonne sculpture known as the Orbit. The structure is the creation of U.K.-based artist Anish Kapoor and

Up to 600 U.K.-based staffers of engineering consultant Arup Group Ltd., London, face possible layoff as construction shows signs of slowing down. The design firm, with a nearly 10,000 -person global workforce, began 90 days of “consultation” with employees over the planned job cuts. Current market weakness and public sector spending cuts in the U.K. are prompting Arup’s retrenchment, says a spokeswoman. “Projects in the public sector [are being] cut or put on hold,” she adds. Arup cut 330 jobs last year. The planned job losses come as this month’s survey of construction-sector purchasing managers reveals a continuing drop in

Photo courtesy W.S. Atkins Keith Clarke Photo courtesy PBSJ Corp Robert Paulsen U.K.—based designer W.S. Atkins plc will significantly boost its U.S. market stake with the Aug. 2 announcement of plans to acquire Orlando, Fla.-based transportation engineer and construction manager PBSJ Corp. in a $280-million cash transaction. The proposed deal also provides the U.S. firm with a needed capital infusion for growth and an ownership transition following several tough years financially and recent efforts to seek a buyer. The deal would link Atkins, the industry’s 11th largest global design firm with $2.2 billion in 2009 revenue, with an employee-owned engineer