Before going overseas, he worked on some key Auckland CBD projects such as Britomart carpark, the redevelopment of Aotea Square, the expansion and restoration of Auckland Art Gallery, among others.

“Most of my time was spent on the new Britomart carpark,” says Nichols. “It was very exciting to be a part of, as it was a creative and practical use of structural systems that are not common in New Zealand.”

Now he is working on the tallest tower in the European Union - the 310m high, multi-purpose commercial skyscrapper The Shard, owned by English property developer Irvine Sellar.

It will house a 5+ star hotel, apartments and a restaurant with a 15 storey spire at its peak. Nichols is responsible for designing the top ten concrete floors.

“The building is essentially a glass spire, which tapers to a point at the top,” says Nichols. “The large glass facade panes are orientated such that the building looks different with changing weather patterns.”

The biggest engineering challenges to this project were interacting with the adjacent heritage buildings, the train tunnels underground and the logistics of having such a large construction site in the middle of central London.

“Our team, who are predominantly Antipodeans, have been working on The Shard since the start of construction,” says Nichols. “We have provided several innovative engineering solutions, which have saved both time and money, particularly in the design of complicated temporary works.”

The enormous scale of projects such as The Shard compared to what he has worked on in New Zealand is one of the biggest differences he has experienced while working in London, from the size of the building, to the huge staff numbers.

“Even the large and extremely diverse workforces are something that you wouldn’t expect regularly in New Zealand. There are over 1000 people currently working on The Shard site, with over 50 different nationalities represented.”

The reason engineering originally appealed to him was that it combines the practical use of science with rewarding outcomes. As an engineer, Nichols says there is something very satisfying about looking at a completed building and knowing your efforts were instrumental in making it all happen.

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