Platform on new construction, renovation, restoration and transformation
On Cambridge Road, in east London, two imposing residential towers totaling 274 apartments will be completed in summer 2019. The towers stand on a shared plinth and are located right next to the railroad line and Barking tube station. This not only imposed special (safety) requirements on the work, but also had consequences for the building envelope, which had to be insulated as well as soundproofed. Due to the huge fire in the Grenfell Tower in 2017, very high fire requirements were also imposed, which the element façades from German Schüco meet excellently.
Commissioned by contractor NU Living - part of Swan Housing Association - Vorsselmans was responsible for the design, delivery and assembly of the element facades. "NU Living had developed two residential towers and was looking for a partner company that could take care of the entire building envelope," says Mark Vorsselmans, Managing Director at Vorsselmans. "Here we had to take into account not only the location on the railroad, but also a short lead time and limited space on the construction site. Moreover, the facades had to be prepared for large numbers of prefabricated balconies, which were installed in a later project phase. In combination with the high insulation, noise and fire requirements, we proposed and engineered an element façade with 3,640 ready-to-use elements together with Schüco. After agreement, we set up a special prefabricated production line. In our production area in Loenhout, 10-15 employees produced about 20 elements per day. In the process, all elements were fully glazed. In addition, some elements were fitted with grilles, windows, doors and a metal cassette cladding or corrugated steel sheet, for a varied facade appearance."
Schüco Unitized façade elements were chosen in this project, which allowed - using one customized system solution - various details to be accommodated.
In its projects, Vorsselmans frequently uses Schüco systems. "These systems meet the strictest quality requirements and offer the best guarantees of an excellent end result," said Vorsselmans. "Our partnership with Schüco also guarantees that all products are perfectly matched. Together we are constantly looking for innovations and product optimizations, to further increase the performance of the façade envelope and make installation easier."
Schüco Unitised façade elements were chosen for this project, which allowed - using a single customized system solution - various details to be accommodated. For example, consider the deflection of the floors, the corner twists and the various opening parts, such as tilt-and-turn windows and threshold-free patio doors.
The facade elements were extensively and successfully tested in Bielefeld (D). Not only for wind and water tightness, but also in accordance with the English CWCT Sequence A+B façade tests. All elements were then transported to London by trucks and by ferry. Assembly took place from August 2017 to December 2018 and was carried out completely scaffold-free. By local assembly parties, at a rate of one floor per block per week. Vorsselmans was in charge of project supervision. "Our site manager was continuously present on the project to ensure optimal assembly in accordance with the strict (safety) standards," said Vorsselmans. "So that no elements or materials could unexpectedly end up on the subway (lines)."
London still has a huge housing shortage. As such, the project is being supported with investment from the Barking Housing Zone, an initiative of the Mayor of London to keep housing affordable. The residential towers on Cambridge Road are the first high-rise projects in the Barking district and are an impetus to take the district to the next level, Vorsselmans said. "As an organization, we are happy to contribute to this. We had a very pleasant collaboration with all parties involved. Including with NU Living, which has now awarded us two new contracts: in Blackwall (London) and for its own office in Laindon, Basildon."
Wuustwezelseweg 95
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