Case Study: Design Museum preserves its iconic roof with Oasys GSA and AdSec

Design Museum preserves 2,000-ton roof with Oasys Software

The Design Museum in London, a showcase for architectural and design excellence, faced the unique challenge of preserving and relocating its iconic 1960s hyperbolic paraboloid concrete roof during a major transformation of its new home. The delicate, 2000-tonne roof required temporary suspension 20 meters in the air while the surrounding structure was demolished and rebuilt, with a critical need to limit movement to just ±5mm to prevent damage. Oasys Software, through its Oasys GSA and Oasys AdSec products, provided the necessary tools to Arup's structural engineers for this complex analysis.

The solution from Oasys involved using GSA for fast and effective finite element analysis of the complex roof structure under various temporary and permanent conditions, including non-linear assessments. AdSec was used to quickly check loads on the many unusual concrete sections. This software enabled the engineering team to manage risks, confirm potential overload points, and plan mitigation, contributing to the successful preservation of the roof. The project was completed on time and the resulting building has won prestigious awards, including the Institution of Structural Engineers 2017 Award for Structural Transformation.

Design Museum