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UK office of IDEA StatiCa s.r.o.
Email: info@ideastatica.uk
Phone: +44 (0) 20 3579 9397

About IDEA StatiCa

We develop software for structural engineers and detailers. Our development team researches, tests, and applies new methods of analyzing the behaviour of structures and their members. Based on this, we created IDEA StatiCa – software that enables engineers to work faster, evaluate requirements of the national code thoroughly, and use the optimal amount of material. For us, creating software is a way to contribute to making every new construction around the world safer and cheaper.

Idea StatiCa Resellers

Morley College, London

Morley College connection layout

IDEA StatiCa: Supporting Expansion at Morley College, Central London (SE1), with Temporary Teaching Spaces

StructureMode implemented IDEA StatiCa while working on a project for Morley College, an Art College within central London on Westminster Bridge Road. The Morley College planned for expansion and to enable the building works necessary to expand they need additional temporary teaching spaces.  

“The temporary teaching spaces at Morley College need to be built within a tightly constrained internal courtyard. Due to the limited space available, and proximity to existing building restricting foundations solutions, and innovative ground screw foundation system is being utilised at Morley College. In addition, the temporary classrooms are prefabricated units with proprietary connection and workshop tolerances. These units are to be mounted on a steel frame designed by StructureMode which in turn is supported by the ground screws. Therefore, the steelwork must be built on site with workshop tolerances and accommodate the special connections to both the ground screws and the classroom units.”

“Five connections were detailed, if these were checked traditionally by hand and using calculation sheets, this would have taken two days. Using IDEA StatiCa at Morley College, we were able to reduce this to one day, and now that our understanding has increased, we are confident that this could be further reduced.”

It took a short amount time to become familiar with IDEA StatiCa, however this was a quick learning curve. Once the thought process is understood, the software provides impressive levels of stress analysis for the time required to design the model. The connection templates allow a quick start to a project with results available within an hour or two.
Geoff Morrow
Geoff Morrow
Founding Director

About the author:

Geoff Morrow is a Chartered Structural Engineer with 25 years’ experience and founded StructureMode in 2007.  He is passionate about making architectural design better through a collaborative, creative and innovative approach to structural engineering, and has an excellent track record of designing intelligent and efficient new-build and refurbishment projects, as well as arts and educational buildings.

Geoff is also a sculptor, whose practice explores space, energy and form.  His work has been shortlisted for the 2014 V&A ‘Inspired by…’ competition, exhibited at the 2017 London Group ‘Shoreham Sculpture Trail’, and several ‘Made at Morley’ exhibitions. Geoff is a trustee of the Forest of Dean Sculpture Trail.

Geoff has published two peer reviewed research papers in the IASS Journal, which he presented in 2018 at the International Association of Shell and Spatial Structures (IASS) conference at MIT, Boston.

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