VISION One of the most significant challenges architects can face is regenerating an area full of personality, but in desperate need of renovation. The challenge can be even more demanding if the project involves changing the purpose of the site. But that’s precisely what the architects in charge of the
Polar NE installs Kawneer product portfolio at Cornwall’s first children’s mental health unit Sowenna CAMHS is Cornwall’s first Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services unit. The £5 million purpose-built project demanded products that could provide a high level of thermal performance, whilst also enhancing the building’s levels of natural light
The effectiveness of education provided to students is directly proportional to the quality of the learning environment where the teaching is delivered. Optimal acoustics, thermal performance, air quality, natural lighting, security and aesthetics work harmoniously together to positively impact how students and teachers stay comfortable and focused, and perform academically.
Kawneer UK has successfully carried out a dynamic opening force test (anti-slam) on their AA®720 open-out door fitted with the Dorma TS93G G-N closer. Essentially, the test applies a load to simulate a severe gust of wind forcing the door open. It assesses the ability of the G-N closer to prevent
Refurbished unit at Cambridge Science Park gets a top mark thanks to Kawneer glazing. Architectural glazing systems by leading UK manufacturer Kawneer have helped to refurbish an office building at Cambridge Science Park into the city’s only platinum-rated building on the WiredScore commercial property ranking system. Kawneer’s aluminium AA®100 zone-drained
Sheppard Robson’s third visit to Brunel is marked with Kawneer glazing systems. Aluminium glazing systems by leading UK manufacturer Kawneer were “fundamental” in achieving the environmental performance and architectural vision for Sheppard Robson’s second revisiting of a key building at Brunel University London. Kawneer’s AA®100 curtain wall, AA®540 vents, and
Architectural glazing by Kawneer features on a landmark residential tower in Liverpool. A diverse range of architectural glazing systems by leading UK manufacturer Kawneer were specified for a landmark BTR (Build-to-Rent) residential development overlooking Liverpool’s iconic waterfront. Kawneer’s market leading AA®100 curtain wall, AA®720 windows and doors, AA®541 window vents
Curtain walling, windows and doors by Kawneer were used on the third and final phase at The Slate Yard. Architectural glazing systems by leading UK manufacturer Kawneer featured on the third and final apartment building at The Slate Yard, which forms part of the wider £1 billion, 50-acre Salford Central
Windows and doors by Kawneer feature on apartments at Greenwich Square. Architectural glazing systems by leading UK manufacturer Kawneer were specified for a primarily residential building at the heart of the redevelopment of London’s Greenwich Square for their aesthetic, acoustic, thermal, fire-resistant and sustainability credentials. Kawneer’s AA®543 open-in windows and
High performance curtain wall and door products by Kawneer feature on the Taff Vale redevelopment in Pontypridd. Aluminium glazing systems from leading UK manufacturer Kawneer were specified by key supply chain partner DarntonB3 Architecture for the redevelopment at the heart of the regeneration of a South Wales town. Multiple curtain wall and entrance door products from Kawneer were specified on
BDC 319 : Aug 2024
VISION One of the most significant challenges architects can face is regenerating an area full of personality, but in desperate need of renovation. The challenge can be even more demanding if the project involves changing the purpose of the site. But that’s precisely what the architects in charge of the Primrose Hill project in London, had to face. With a project value of approximately £16m this project required a highly sensitive design solution to address a complicated urban context involving 28 neighbouring residential and commercial properties. The transformation visioned by PKS Architects, and developed by main contractor Knight Harwood, involved converting some of the buildings into high-quality apartments and high-specification offices using Kawneer’s solutions. The task was immense and involved six neighbouring commercial properties. The goal was achieved using multiple high-performance Kawneer products. TRANSFORMATION Through site-specific technical visits and studies, Kawneer specified and costed various façade packages and options. The lack of natural light was one of the many problems that needed to be rectified. It was solved using Kawneer’s AA®100 sloped rooflights. Additionally, GT70S windows were specified to replicate the building’s original steel windows to compliment the building aesthetics. For the entrance and balcony doors, the chosen product solution was Kawneer’s AA®720 doors with Glass Balustrading, thanks to the products superior aesthetics and thermal performance. For the curtain wall specification, the natural choice was AA®100 SSG, since it has smooth and seamless glass-to-glass joints without external capping. REALISATION The resulting specification helps to enhance the aesthetics of the building façade and increase the energy performance of the building whilst meeting the cost requirements of the build with Kawneer’s market-leading product range. Shortlisted in the 2017 BREEAM Awards, this development sustainably refurbishes and reimagines a group of six buildings to create 3,500m2 of high specification office space and four new luxury flats. The impressive results haven’t gone unnoticed. The Primrose Hill project won the 2020 GGP’s Best Commercial Installation, by Kawneer’s customer and specialist facade subcontractor, JPJ Installations Ltd. Find out more about Kawneer’s products at www.kawneer.co.uk
Polar NE installs Kawneer product portfolio at Cornwall’s first children’s mental health unit Sowenna CAMHS is Cornwall’s first Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services unit. The £5 million purpose-built project demanded products that could provide a high level of thermal performance, whilst also enhancing the building’s levels of natural light and help achieve a BREEAM Excellent building status. Along with ensuring excellent levels of daylight and access to external spaces and ventilation, the project’s challenges were increased by requiring multiple product solutions that could be harmonised and achieve the same levels of performance and aesthetics. The project requirements enabled Kawneer to utilise multiple products from their portfolio, which perfectly suited the specifications and helped the project achieve the required levels of thermal performance and successfully achieve its BREEAM Excellent status. The project included three types of Kawneer aluminium windows specifically designed and engineered for the mental health sector – Wansbeck Secure windows, Wear Secure windows and Humber Secure windows all feature on the project in multiple areas. The Humber Secure windows were developed in partnership with Humber NHS Foundation Trust as a low to medium secure window with an external sliding sash operated by a reduced ligature rotating handle. The Wansbeck Secure windows are designed for low-secure facilities and feature an internal sliding sash and the Wear Secure windows are an adaptation of the Wansbeck but with a secure mesh to guard the restricted open area. Alongside the bespoke window designs, Kawneer’s AA®100 zone-drained curtain wall system helped to create a dynamic and active façade that promotes high-levels of natural light to illuminate the main entrance, whilst AA®541 top-hung casement windows have been used in the café area and offices spaces, and AA®3720 folding/sliding doors feature in the courtyard areas. The new Sowenna CAMHS project was designed by international design practice Ryder Architecture and constructed by main contractor Tilbury Douglas on the site of the former Bodmin Community Hospital. The facility provides inpatient mental health and psychiatric intensive care for children and young people aged between 13 and 18 years. Victor Muniz, architectural director at Ryder, said the team responded to the design brief from Cornwall Partnership NHS Foundation Trust with a smart and functional design. He commented: “We have used Polar windows in several projects already and their products meet all current standards in terms of anti-ligature specification, robustness, good design and competitive costing.” He added: “We were looking for lots of natural light inside the building so the glazed elements played a very important role on this project. We were also aiming for BREEAM Excellent which was finally achieved. “The secure windows and curtain walling have a similar aesthetic to the standard components and help to ensure the safety and security of the external envelope for service users, staff and visitors. Our understanding is the trust is quite happy with the building.”
The effectiveness of education provided to students is directly proportional to the quality of the learning environment where the teaching is delivered. Optimal acoustics, thermal performance, air quality, natural lighting, security and aesthetics work harmoniously together to positively impact how students and teachers stay comfortable and focused, and perform academically. Kawneer continuously invests in façade systems that create excellent learning environments, allowing specifiers to choose from a wide variety of market leading products designed and built to the highest possible standards. From a suite of products specifically designed for the Education sector, highlights include the AA®190 TB, a severe duty welded commercial entrance door that offers robust performance, the AA®720 SL window, offering great thermal characteristics and slim sightlines, and our market leading AA®100 curtain wall system, which provides a best-in-class performance. Facing the challenges together With a vast amount of experience in this sector, helping to create buildings that deliver aesthetic, cost and performance requirements, Kawneer understands the challenges faced by architects, fabricators and maintenance teams. That’s why it specialises in aluminium façade solutions that provide excellent performance, best value, unmatched durability, reduced maintenance and a low carbon footprint. Kawneer manufactures high performance aluminium curtain wall systems at its purpose-built manufacturing facility in Runcorn, Cheshire. These products allow specifiers to meet both the technical performance and cost brief of any project, creating excellent learning environments that provide great aesthetics and optimise natural light and ventilation. Leading by example As all aluminium façade products are manufactured in the UK, Kawneer can also guarantee supply and competitive lead times, while ensuring that its systems remain competitive. Fully tested in accordance with the BSI standards, Kawneer products are responsibly sourced with BES 6001 accreditation, supported by Life Cycle Assessments and Environmental Product Declarations for all main systems and low carbon aluminium billet solutions. Teachers strive to ensure the experience and knowledge they pass on to a new generation lasts a lifetime. Kawneer wants the buildings it has helped to create to withstand the test of time and ensure they provide comfortable learning environments for all future generations. Discover more at: Kawneer-education.com
Kawneer UK has successfully carried out a dynamic opening force test (anti-slam) on their AA®720 open-out door fitted with the Dorma TS93G G-N closer. Essentially, the test applies a load to simulate a severe gust of wind forcing the door open. It assesses the ability of the G-N closer to prevent the door from opening violently and slamming against adjacent walls. The leaf size tested was 1080(W) x 2718(H), equating to 2.9sqm door area. The Dorma TS93G (EN 2-5) closer has an ‘active backcheck’ and G-N slide channel featuring a cushioned limit stay. The closer is fitted to a drop plate and secured to the door leaf with rivnuts and machine screws. Successfully tested, at Wintech, to a simulated wind load of 1.4 Pa, the AA®720 door opened to a 90 degrees restriction set by the limit stay. Anti-slam capability is becoming a more common requirement, typically for medium/high rise balcony applications. Kawneer UK produces high performance aluminium curtain wall and unitised systems, commercial entrance doors, framing systems, windows and sliding solutions, at its purpose-built manufacturing facility in Runcorn, Cheshire. Find out more about AA®720 Series Door Systems: View Here
Refurbished unit at Cambridge Science Park gets a top mark thanks to Kawneer glazing. Architectural glazing systems by leading UK manufacturer Kawneer have helped to refurbish an office building at Cambridge Science Park into the city’s only platinum-rated building on the WiredScore commercial property ranking system. Kawneer’s aluminium AA®100 zone-drained curtain wall and thermally superior AA®720 entrance doors feature on all elevations of Unit 216 at the UK’s leading science park, while AA®190 TB severe-duty doors have been used on the main entrance. The unit was taken back to a concrete shell and rebuilt with a brick and glazed façade by main contractor Hutton Construction and is now the new home for Amgen, one of the world’s largest independent biotechnology companies. Amgen, which focuses on R&D in Cambridge, relocated from the neighbouring Units 214 and 240, which will be remodelled and refurbished to the same standard as 216 by LGIM Real Assets, a division of Legal & General Investment Management. Unit 216 was externally remodelled with the addition of a new second floor at a cost of £7.2 million to provide 35,746ft2 of new, Grade A offices delivered to a BREEAM “Very Good” standard. The design by architects Broadway Malyan included projecting feature fins around the perimeter of the curtain wall on the front elevation. These were glazed into the Kawneer curtain wall by approved specialist subcontractor Elliston Steady & Hawes (Aluminium). Elliston Steady & Hawes (Aluminium), who offered an alternative quotation using the Kawneer system, had teams of up to four operatives on site to complete the work.
Sheppard Robson’s third visit to Brunel is marked with Kawneer glazing systems. Aluminium glazing systems by leading UK manufacturer Kawneer were “fundamental” in achieving the environmental performance and architectural vision for Sheppard Robson’s second revisiting of a key building at Brunel University London. Kawneer’s AA®100 curtain wall, AA®540 vents, and series 190 and AA®720 doors were specified by the regular Kawneer users for the latest redevelopment of the Wilfred Brown Building at the university in Greater London. The mullion-drained capped and SSG (Structurally Silicone Glazed) curtain wall forms a new sawtooth façade to the first and second floors and is complemented by the AA®540 window vents which are top-hung and also Structurally Silicone Glazed, series 190 heavy-duty doors to the main entrance, and the thermally-superior AA®720 doors. Sheppard Robson had been working with Brunel since first master planning the campus in the early 1960s, designing the Wilfred Brown Building in 1968, and then adding a rooftop extension to the structure in the 1990s. This latest revisiting creates a new identity for the recently formed College of Engineering, Design and Physical Sciences and comprises the £13.8 million external and internal transformation of the 4,710m2 building to create a new gateway at the western boundary of the university. The primary driver in the development of the new Kawneer façade was the response to local environmental conditions – the west elevation employing the ‘sawtooth’ arrangement using clear glazed panels to the north west-facing elements, offering views out, and interstitial mesh to the west and south west-facing elements, to control solar gain. The building was originally designed to accommodate university administration facilities and as such was previously heavily cellularised, with a double row of central columns. It abuts, but previously did not engage with, the adjacent Michael Sterling building to the east and unsuccessfully linked to the adjacent double-height council chamber via a single-storey circulation link, previously cut off from the ground floor by a small courtyard space. Sheppard Robson Associate Neil Price said: “We specified Kawneer’s curtain wall as a simple and elegant response to renewing the Wilfred Brown Building. It forms most of the building envelope and the sawtooth façade arrangement to the west elevation in particular was key to achieving the architectural vision for the project. They were fundamental in achieving both the environmental performance and architectural vision for the project.” He added: “The glazed elements and their sawtooth arrangement to the west elevation are key to the architectural language of the Wilfred Brown Building, enabling the existing 1960s structure to be adapted and reused, whilst creating a distinct and modern identity for the scheme.” As part of the university’s Transformational Project (TxP) programme, and supported by the successful award of capital funding from the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE), Wilfred Brown has now been reinvented to create a new ‘front door’ for the college. Internally, the ground floor has been opened up and a new double-height atrium constructed to the north, infilling an existing, underused courtyard and connecting the buildings to create a STEM learning centre. This is a cutting-edge teaching facility aimed at engaging young learners through workshops with London schools. ‘INSPIRE – The Brunel STEM Learning Centre’ aims to engage learners from key stages one to five in science, technology, engineering, the arts, maths and medicine – areas in which the UK economy is forecast as having a future skills shortage. The programme is delivered through a series of unique STEM workshops that are research inspired, curriculum linked and industry relevant – an innovation hub comprising part of the suite of technology-led learning spaces. Three storeys of modern, open-plan academic workspace are housed on the upper floors to support progressive ways of working for students and 141 members of staff, ranging from academics and lecturers to heads of department. At third floor, a large open-plan PhD research office is provided alongside communal staff facilities. Formerly housing the university’s senior leadership team, department of estates and facilities management services, the Wilfred Brown Building has been reinvented as a modern, vibrant, student-focused teaching and learning facility. Key learning spaces for the Department of Computer Science are delivered across all levels in the building, including a 60-seat IT laboratory, a digital technology workshop and two technology-rich digital economy laboratories, which are connected via a retractable wall. Several research labs are distributed across the upper floors, while a dedicated cyber security laboratory is created at third floor in support of current research projects. Initial appraisal of the existing building, alongside interrogation of the university’s aspirations for the project, quickly established the need to replace the previous envelope with a modern façade system. Crucial to this decision was the need to significantly upgrade the performance of the external fabric, coupled with the aspiration to deliver a ‘world class’ gateway building, marking the establishment of a new college and the strategic objective to enhance provision of STEM outreach facilities. The facade strategy was conceived as an environmentally driven design response to the building’s orientation and its influence on the required performance of the façade. The completed facade achieves a significant improvement in performance through the enhanced thermal properties of the envelope, exceeding current air tightness requirements, improving the efficiency of the building services installation, and addressing solar energy transmittance through the installation of high performance glazing in response to site conditions. Alongside the wider sustainability strategy, enhancement of the envelope contributes to an improvement of 31.8% over Building Regulations Part L requirements, while the improvement over a baseline case representing the existing building is estimated to be 49.7%. Central to the viability of the project was the retention and alteration of the existing structural frame. Being marginally larger in plan, the façade extending a metre outwards of the existing footprint to the west, and with the addition of an extra storey at roof level, the structural capacity of the existing frame was maximised, the existing frame containing very little redundancy in its original configuration. Through thoughtful reuse of the existing building
Architectural glazing by Kawneer features on a landmark residential tower in Liverpool. A diverse range of architectural glazing systems by leading UK manufacturer Kawneer were specified for a landmark BTR (Build-to-Rent) residential development overlooking Liverpool’s iconic waterfront. Kawneer’s market leading AA®100 curtain wall, AA®720 windows and doors, AA®541 window vents and AA®190 TB doors all feature on the £60 million Copper House at 21 Strand Street, designed by Leach Rhodes Walker architects and developed over three years by main contractor GRAHAM. The Kawneer systems were installed by teams of up to 20 operatives by approved specialist sub-contractor FK Group. These included AA®100 zone-drained curtain wall on the ground, second and third storeys, AA®720 top-hung casement and fixed light windows at the rear of the building, and AA®720 single and double-leaf doors on the first and sixteenth floors. AA®541 casement vent inserts also featured in the curtain wall on floors one to 16 and AA®190 TB doors to the ground floor screens. The city centre brownfield site, formerly offices and car parking, has been transformed into a 29,000m2 (GIA) landmark development of 383 apartments for rent over 15 floors, with communal facilities including a residents’’ lounge and private gym and 1,000ft2 of commercial units on the ground floor. It is framed around two concrete tower structures, with off-site podded bathrooms and a system façade designed to withstand the inclement weather conditions overlooking the River Mersey estuary. Residents of the one- to three-bedroomed apartments benefit from rooftop facilities – garden space with flexible and fixed seating, booths with fire pits and fire tables, an outdoor covered kitchen, and a multi-use central space for events or exercise, all enclosed by a 2m-high glass balustrade that provides weather protection without detracting from the stunning views of the river and the Albert Dock. Constructed of reinforced concrete frame and lightweight external walls with rainscreen and brick facade, the building has risen adjacent to the Albert Dock Conservation Area. Christian Gilham, Director at Leach Rhodes Walker for the project, said: “We had promised the city a high quality, landmark building befitting its fantastic location, and we needed the same high quality materials to accompany the quality of design proposed.” Joe Carroll, Project Architect and designer of the scheme, said: “I am very proud we have realised this exciting and unique design on the prominent site, and being able to specify the quality of façade materials was key in delivering this.” Ralph Sage, Senior Project Leader for Leach Rhodes Walker who are frequent specifiers of Kawneer systems, said the systems were specified for “familiarity, known quality and extensive range” and were a significant feature of the elevational treatment. “They provided the quality feel and appearance appropriate to the prestige location. They also met the security requirements where required and the thermal and acoustic requirements,” he said. FK Group’s Associate Design Director Robert Clarke said: “We tendered Kawneer due to our very strong relationship with the systems company, both in fabrication and technical. They are our preferred and No 1 system supplier.” GRAHAM was appointed by joint venture partners Patten Properties and Panacea Property Development on behalf of Invesco Real Estate, the global real estate investment manager, as part of its growing UK residential portfolio. Peter Reavey, Construction Director for GRAHAM, believes The Copper House set a new standard for residential accommodation in Liverpool. “GRAHAM is proud to have delivered this high-quality residential scheme that provides a stunning addition to this iconic part of Liverpool city centre. The Copper House is a stand-out development. The quality of both the design and the build sets it apart, offering future residents a modern living environment with a community feel.” Neil Patten, Joint Managing Director of Panacea Properties, said: “We were ambitious in the vision we set out for The Copper House, and to see it realised in such a spectacular way is something the entire team is very proud of. This has been a long, challenging scheme, but the commitment to get every detail right has paid off considerably. Liverpool now has a sought-after residential development that encapsulates the optimism and ambition of the city. “We enjoyed working with Invesco Real Estate and the delivery of the project by Graham has been first class. The consultant team have all worked tirelessly to deliver a building that sets a new standard for the quality of residential living in Liverpool City centre. My thanks go to the entire team for their efforts, especially in the face of the challenges presented by the pandemic.”
Curtain walling, windows and doors by Kawneer were used on the third and final phase at The Slate Yard. Architectural glazing systems by leading UK manufacturer Kawneer featured on the third and final apartment building at The Slate Yard, which forms part of the wider £1 billion, 50-acre Salford Central masterplan. Two types of Kawneer’s zone-drained curtain walling – AA®100 with 50mm sightlines and AA®110 with 65mm – as well as AA®541 top-hung casement windows and thermally superior AA®720 balcony doors were specified by AHR architects for Plot A7 at The Slate Yard. The 20-storey building comprises 199 apartments for rent for client The English Cities Fund (ECF) – a partnership between national urban regenerator Muse Developments, Legal & General, Homes England and Salford Council. ECF is currently delivering some of the most complex urban regeneration projects across the UK. The first phase of The Slate Yard was one of the first institutionally funded, custom-built BTR (Build to Rent) schemes to be delivered in Greater Manchester, with all three phases at The Slate Yard forward funded by Legal & General. Architect Feidhlim White of AHR, which frequently deploys Kawneer, said the systems were specified due to their aesthetics, practicalities, and cost-effectiveness as well as the company’s standards of customer service. “The system provided the match to the planning images, enabling us to deliver the project to the aesthetic and practical vision,” he said. “The opening lights aided the ventilation system with the ability for purge ventilation whilst still maintaining acceptable sightlines. The simplicity of weatherproofing by glazing in the EPDM makes it an ideal system.” He added: “We tend to use Kawneer a lot as we have a good relationship with their support team and local reps. They’re also well priced in the market, I believe. The client is very pleased with the overall outcome and how the building sits as a suite of three.” The Kawneer aluminium systems were installed over 15 months of the two-year build for main contractor Morgan Sindall Construction by approved specialist sub-contractor FK Group who also installed the Kawneer systems specified by AHR at Plot A6 (the Graphite building), a neighbouring BTR apartment block comprising 135 apartments over 16 storeys for the same client.
Windows and doors by Kawneer feature on apartments at Greenwich Square. Architectural glazing systems by leading UK manufacturer Kawneer were specified for a primarily residential building at the heart of the redevelopment of London’s Greenwich Square for their aesthetic, acoustic, thermal, fire-resistant and sustainability credentials. Kawneer’s AA®543 open-in windows and AA®540 fixed lights feature in the stairwells of Block 3 – a seven-storey, garden-courtyard block of 325 apartments for Mace Developments that was masterplanned by Make Architects and delivered by KDS Associates. In addition, Kawneer’s AA®543 windows, AA®540 series of fixed lights and AA®545 doors are coupled together on all elevations and complemented by the thermally superior AA®720 doors and fixed lights on the ground floor entrances. Work on the £80 million building by main contractor Mace took almost three years and delivers a 6,895m2 mix of studio and one- to three-bedroomed units, 292m2 of commercial space, and basement parking for 195 cars and 600 bicycles. Part of Phase 3 of the £250 million regeneration of a three-hectare brownfield site, Block 3’s build of concrete frame also utilised off-site methods, with prefabricated bathroom and utility pods. Nikhil Raj, Associate Director with KDS Associates, explained that Make Architects had been responsible for the whole masterplan of the site which included Block 3 that was developed to Stage 3 level. He said: “The original scheme was not commercially viable, therefore Mace development appointed KDS to rationalise and optimise the Make Architects’ original scheme. KDS assisted Make Architects in submitting an NMA by adding another storey and an additional 42 units to the existing scheme. Upon receiving a successful approval on NMA, KDS were appointed by Mace Developments to deliver Block 3. “We needed a slimline and robust look, along with the benefit of better acoustic and thermal performance. Aluminium also played an important part as we wanted to earn some additional BREEAM points.” He added: “I have worked with Kawneer products before, so it was no surprise that they delivered on their promise again.” Greenwich Square was a stalled development on Government brownfield land for more than 10 years before Mace, as principal equity investor, worked through the complex issues with a special purpose joint venture company, to finally unlock the site. The team brought together the numerous stakeholders involved to channel energy around a common purpose – to create a new community for east Greenwich that delivered 50% high-quality affordable housing as a key focus. The vibrant new destination comprises 686 new mixed-tenure homes and a community hub with facilities including a leisure centre, library, health centre, adult education college and shops, all planned around an attractive town square. One of the first schemes in the UK to make use of the “Buy now, pay later” land initiatives, the creative social housing model included a pre-sale to L&Q of 314 of the residential units and a commercial transaction with the council for the funding and future management of the Greenwich Centre. Phase 1 comprised 361 apartments, maisonettes and town houses as well as the public square, GP surgery, leisure centre, public library and retail space, while Phase 2 added 325 studios and one- to three-bedroomed apartments (239 private and 86 affordable). Sustainability was integral to the design of Greenwich Square, from the design of the apartments and townhouses to the facilities provided for residents. All the homes are designed to Code Level 4 Fabric First for sustainable new homes as well as meeting the Building for Life Silver Standard and CEEQUAL “Very good” for landscaping and public realm works. Nikhil said: “The key requirement was amendment to Approved Document B. This was not officially published at the time of registering with Building Control, therefore a lot of design changes were anticipated to future proof the building. The project that is delivered is robust and fully compliant in line with the latest amendments to Approved Document B.” Richard Blakeway, Deputy Mayor for housing, land and property for the Greater London Authority, said: “Greenwich square is a great example of GLA brownfield land being used to build much-needed housing of an excellent quality with fantastic public facilities to boost the local community.” Greenwich Square won the gold award for best mixed-use development at the What House? Awards in 2015.
High performance curtain wall and door products by Kawneer feature on the Taff Vale redevelopment in Pontypridd. Aluminium glazing systems from leading UK manufacturer Kawneer were specified by key supply chain partner DarntonB3 Architecture for the redevelopment at the heart of the regeneration of a South Wales town. Multiple curtain wall and entrance door products from Kawneer were specified on the three buildings that comprise the £40 million Taff Vale redevelopment in Pontypridd. Kawneer’s AA®110 capped and SSG (Structurally Silicone Glazed) curtain wall and thermally-superior AA®720 doors feature on several storeys of two office blocks whilst the AA®110 capped curtain wall product has been used on the ground floor of the statement community building. In addition, Kawneer’s AA®190 TB entrance doors were installed on all three buildings over nine months by a team of up to 20 operatives from specialist sub-contractor Dudley’s Aluminium for main contractor Willmott Dixon. Dudley’s won Willmott Dixon’s “Overall Partner Award” for this project at their Supply Chain Awards. Rhondda Cynon Taff County Borough Council commissioned Willmott Dixon to develop the ambitious project to kickstart Pontypridd’s resurgence, providing much-needed space for employment and for the community. All three buildings at Taff Vale share the same reinforced concrete basement and podium design. The two office buildings are similarly designed five-storey, steel-framed blocks. The office-led scheme will boost local employment and increase footfall to Pontypridd town centre, with the ambition of making the town centre more appealing to new businesses. The main community building containing public facilities, a library, council offices, leisure and fitness centre, retail unit and café, is an architectural feature and is consistently more complex, featuring a curved on plan facade. Constructed using steel, in-situ cast reinforced concrete, brick, glass, prefab timber units and individually sized and shaped zinc shingle panels, its roof structure is unique and visually impressive. Its semi-monocoque design curves in two directions via a steel frame which connects to the reinforced concrete core. The frame supports prefabricated timber cassettes that are bolted back to the steel. Thin timber planks are used to form the curves of the façade and individual zinc shingle panels (6,345 in total) are fixed using a clamp to form the outer face. Creating a project with unique design features comes with its own set of challenges, and unsurprisingly the construction of the façade was one of the project’s most difficult elements. Due to its curvature, the façade angles out in places, creating a two-metre overhang from the base of the building. The design means there are areas where the windows are almost tilting back on themselves so the importance of efficient drainage was a particular consideration. The mullion-drained Kawneer glazed curtain wall which completes the exterior of the main community building at ground-floor level was also installed at a 16° angle that falls back on itself. The DarntonB3 project architect said: “Kawneer is known to us. We have used their systems before and would specify them again. “Transparency in the buildings was important, particularly at ground levels, and the Kawneer curtain walling provided clean, slim lines. Sustainability was also a factor in the selection of building products.” A sustainable construction practice was designed into the project as an important part of achieving a BREEAM “Excellent” rating. Elements included photovoltaic panels on the roof of the two office buildings, rainwater harvesting tanks in the plant rooms, and the use of several prefabricated, modular elements, such as the timber cassettes forming the community building façade. The project team also made use of BIM to track and measure its progress towards achieving the BREEAM target.
