Client - The Lines Company

Designer - Woods design

Materials - Ultra High Performance Concrete (UHPC)

This groundbreaking design for concrete electric car charging stations designed by Michael Woods of Woods design ltd really pushed the boundaries of the material. Modular construction meant the units could be easily transported and assembled on site at the remote location of National Park. However, this also meant the geometry was relatively complex and called for an innovative approach to building the formwork from which the final casting would be made. Equally, the unit had to be able to withstand vehicle impact, vandalism as well as the extreme freeze / thaw weather conditions of the central plateau at the same time safely house the complex electrical components. After an initial detailed design phase a 5 part ‘glove and shell’ mould was created for the top casing made from a combination of PUR rubber and fibreglass. The final charging station components were cast using a ‘ultra high performance concrete’ (UHPC) mix design. The UHPC mix was extremely dense and strong (>120mPa) with low permeability, high impact and abrasion resistance. The final pieces were also coated with the latest in photocatalytic self cleaning coating meaning maintenance is kept to a minimum. Extremely important for such a remote location.