CASE STUDY:
SKYPOOL EMBASSY GARDENS
Where: Vauxhall, London
What: Skypool Embassy Gardens
Client: Ballymore
Partner: Ainscough Crane Hire
The challenge: Lift and position the world’s first ‘Skypool’; a 25m long, 55-tonne acrylic pool from crate to location between two skyscrapers, 35 metres above ground.




This complex installation required the project team to lift the pool from its crate and into place so that it would appear to ‘float’ between two skyscrapers.
The 25-metre long, 25-cm thick acrylic pool was originally manufactured in Colorado by Reynold’s Polymer Technology inc. Following transatlantic shipping, it was transported by barge along the Thames. Given the complexities of the lift, the arrival of the Skypool had to be timed perfectly to arrive at the embankment for high tide.
Weighing in at 71 tonnes, the crate required careful handling by a specialist five-person crew.
The Ainscough team prepped for its arrival by utilising an LTM1100-5.1 crane to rig the larger-scale LTM1500-8.1 mobile crane with a 50-metre-long boom. The LTM1500 then completed the lift with the use of a 21-metre luffing jib and a 165t counterweight, ensuring the required safe working load was reached.
The team managed road closures for the day to ensure the pool could be driven to site with minimal traffic disruption.
Once on-site, the LTM1500 lifted the 55-tonne pool to the tenth floor of the building, at a height of 35 metres, with a radius of 18 metres. Despite close proximity to the buildings, the careful handling of the Ainscough crane operators meant that installation was smooth.
Equipment used
• LTM1100-5.1 crane
• LTM1500-8.1 mobile crane with a 50-metre-long boom, 21-metre luffing jib and a 165t counterweight.
Our expertise
• Specialist heavy cranes contract lift manager
• 500te crane operators
• Lift supervisor
• Slinger
• 100te crane operator
The result
Patrick Denby, contract lift manager at Ainscough’s heavy cranes division, said:
“This really is one of the most exciting and innovative construction projects to be carried out this year. Given the many technical challenges of the job, the installation of the Skypool is a real testament to the excellent planning overseen by RigLift, and what can be achieved by effective collaboration. The entire team worked well to ensure the highest standard of safety and delivery for this lift, and we are really happy to have been part of such an unusual job.”
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PHONE
01322 34 11 66
TALK TO US!
riglift@riglift.co.uk