At Hawthorne House in East London, Amrose Associates solved this challenge with a smart, custom-designed bracing and climbing system that let the crane rise safely and efficiently inside a 37-storey tower, all while work continued around it.

The Challenge:

Urban high-rise construction is always a puzzle of logistics, time pressure, and spatial constraints. When your site is boxed in on all sides, every square metre counts. Traditional external climbing cranes come with limitations. They require space outside the building footprint, they delay internal works while the crane is climbed and they can create public disruption and safety concerns.

For Hawthorne House, the brief was clear: Keep the building progressing — inside and out — without stepping beyond the site boundary.

Our Solution:

We designed and engineered an innovative tower crane internal climbing crane system, fully housed within the building’s lift and stair core.

Instead of relying on external bracing or platforms, our system allowed the crane to climb in sync with the core construction, using a bespoke hydraulic lift system and precision-engineered steel support frames.

Key features of the system included a three-beam climbing mechanism integrated into the core shaft, rigid steel thrust frames to transfer loads safely to the core walls and integration with mechanical jacks and rollers for vertical movement.

This was not an off-the-shelf solution. It was developed from first principles, involving close collaboration between structural and mechanical engineers, rigorous analysis, and leading-edge digital tools to calculate loads and coordinate interfaces with core geometry. Every aspect was modelled, reviewed, and tested with precision to ensure performance, safety, and constructability.

The Results:

  • Zero footprint outside the building — no disruption to neighbouring areas
  • Uninterrupted internal construction — floor slabs could progress below the crane
  • Crane climbs in just hours — compared to 2–3 days with traditional methods
  • No added cost, risk or time — thanks to a right-first-time engineering approach

We are proud to have supported a streamlined, high-performing site that stayed on programme without compromise. This project shows what’s possible when innovative thinking is backed by deep expertise and a collaborative mindset. We believe this approach sets a new benchmark for how cranes can be deployed in dense, constrained, high-rise environments. For our clients, it’s a clear demonstration of how precision engineering can directly impact programme success, construction safety, and operational efficiency.

If you’re delivering a high-rise or complex construction project and need engineering expertise to make the best use of space, time and budget, why not get in touch for an initial chat? At Amrose, we don’t just solve engineering problems. We rethink them. Call us on 0113 418 0694 or email enquiries@amroseassociates.com