Tag Archive for: Curtain walling

Work progressing well at Westgate Block 4, Oxford

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Building on from the success of Britplas’ work at Westgate Shopping Centre in Oxford, Laing O’Rourke has retained Britplas on site to install the façade and glazing on the new Block 4 of the same development.

The £1.1m contract consists of the manufacture and installation of Schüco FW50+, FW50+ SG and FW60+ SG systems, with Britplas also required to provide multiple doorset varieties including frameless, circle slide and swing operation varieties.

Working closely with main contractor Laing O’Rourke and architect Dixon Jones, Britplas has come up with a system adapted to suit this project’s specific requirements, having started on site in February with the program running through to August 2017.

The £440 million redevelopment of Oxford’s Westgate Shopping Centre will have more than 100 shops, 25 restaurants and cafes, a cinema and 61 flats and covers over 800,000 sq ft. The new centre is due to open in October 2017 after a two year redevelopment programme.

Landmark telescope development brings Britplas on-board

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Britplas have recently secured a £1.2million package for the installation of the façade at the new Square Kilometre Array (SKA) building at Jodrell Bank in Cheshire. Our design department has already started working closely with The University of Manchester and main contractor, Sir Robert McAlpine, to ensure the solution is fit for purpose as part of this world class research facility.

The high-spec Aluprof systems consists of MB70 doors and windows set within 1200m2 of SR 50N curtain walling system, producing a slim line external profile for the £16.5million project. The external façade is completed with 1000m2 of Trimo Qbiss cladding.

The SKA is the world’s largest multi-purpose radio telescope, based in both South Africa and Australia, with over one hundred thousand dishes and antennae being controlled from Jodrell Bank. About the project, Professor Stephen Watts, Head of the School of Physics and Astronomy at The University of Manchester stated “Our astronomers and engineers are playing a significant role in this revolutionary new telescope, and obtaining planning permission for the new building is a key milestone – we very much look forward to seeing the development move forward over the next year.”

Another façade win for Britplas in Oxford

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Britplas are delighted to announce our appointment to a further project for Barnwood Construction – Plot 12 Oxford Science Park, a new 500 person office block located in the heart of the Oxford Science district. Britplas have worked with Barnwood Construction on the successful completion of façade packages to two similar facilities previously – Thamesview and EZ1 at Milton Park in Oxfordshire for developer MEPC. Plot 12 features a striking design by Bogle Architects and aims to alleviate the lack of Grade A office space in the Oxford area, forming a cornerstone of the science park’s wider expansion plans.

The £2.1 million external envelope package awarded to Britplas includes the design, supply and installation of:

  • 3000m2 Schüco FW 50 SG with high performance solar control glass;
  • Shadow boxes;
  • Bespoke Marley Eternit Linea Cement Boards;
  • A unique anodised brise soleil system; and
  • An aerofoil canopy with 500mm blades.
  • Ventilated Louvre plant walls and plant room
  • Internal Atrium glazing

In total the building covers 61,500 sq ft of space over four storeys, which Britplas are set to seal from late June 2017 with an expected completion date of the end of October this year.

Britplas have lift off at The University of Cambridge

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Working closely with Kier Major Projects and Techrete, the first precast and glazed concrete panel was secured into place on Project Capella today, a new 18,000m2 biomedical research building which is under construction for the university.

The Schüco FW60+ curtain walling sections are manufactured and installed offsite to allow for minimal disruption on site and give the fastest possible weather tightening of the building. The end result will comprise a full façade spanning 2,750m2 all manufactured and installed by Britplas. The completion of composite cladding, curtain walling and concrete sections is on target to be delivered on time for June 2017.

Kier are a longstanding Britplas client, having worked together previously on projects such as St Bernards Hospital, numerous mental health projects, Marlborough School, Cedars Manor, Preistmead and Aylward primary schools. The working relationship stretches back over 10 years in the mental health, education and commercial sectors.

Project Capella reflects the University of Cambridge’s commitment to medical research, with the £79m state of the art facility designed to house a number of small pioneering companies currently scattered across the city. Britplas are proud to have been appointed to deliver the façade package on this prestigious and significant project.

Britplas win £2m façade package for new Cambridge University building

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Britplas break new ground with Project Capella

Britplas’ Facades division continues to build on its current order book with the awarding of Project Capella, part of Cambridge University’s Biomedical Campus with a package value in excess of £2m.

The six-storey 18,000sq m centre is being built by Kier Major Projects (KMP) and will be located on the Cambridge Biomedical Campus next to the Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute. The building will provide state-of-the-art research laboratories alongside office and meeting suites in a collaborative environment designed to stimulate the exchange of ideas.

Externally the building features a two-storey glazed box with gold metal detailing and double height entrance foyer, while the spine is to be clad in a flat-faced graphite panel. A variety of materials have been selected to define specific elements of the structure and to create interest on the external façade.

Britplas’ role within the project has two distinct stages, with the first involving the installation of over 800m2 of Schüco FW60+ curtain walling into precast concrete panels, which will then be lifted into place using a specially constructed rig. This will be the first time that this type of lift has been employed for this size of panel in the UK, and Britplas, along with their precast concrete panel supplier has undertaken extensive testing of the rig at pre-construction stage to ensure safe delivery and handling on site.

The second stage of the project will see Britplas delivering, installing and finishing over 1500m2 of curtain walling and over 1250m2 of cladding – completing the full façade building package.

Britplas are on site from September, with an expected completion date of June 2017. The development is due for overall completion in Q2 2018, and aims to achieve a BREEAM Excellent rating.

Britplas continues to strive to deliver innovative and reliable solutions to the construction industry, building on each success to help maintain their high levels of quality and service.

John Blackwell, Britplas Commercial Director “We are extremely proud to be appointed by Kier Major Projects to complete the façade package at Project Capella. We worked closely with the KMP team at St Bernard’s Hospital, Ealing so it is particularly pleasing they chose us again to deliver another landmark scheme.”

 

Schuco FW60 into precast concrete panels

The first lift of its kind in the UK

Britplas starts new facade contract at Milton Park

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MEPC-Milton-Park-facade

Britplas has started work on the first of two new office blocks under construction at Milton Park, Oxfordshire. Selected by main contractor Barnwood Construction as the preferred glazing contractor and façade installer, Britplas presented the client with an innovative solution designed in-house by our specialist team.

The design solution included combining both curtain walling, brise soleil and rainscreen cladding within one system, reducing both the number of trades and time spent on-site. Britplas also chose to have the entire framework fitted with gaskets off-site to reduce the risk of complications during the installation period.

The 2500m2 Schüco curtain walling system is now being installed in line with the 12 week build programme. Glazing on the second building is set to start in early April with both office blocks due to be occupied in the autumn.

Ben Woodward, Operations Manager, Britplas said: “It is fantastic to see the commencement of the façade installation at Milton Park. The team have worked extremely hard to ensure that every detail has been considered. These projects further demonstrate the high level of in house design, manufacture and delivery capabilities by Britplas and we look forward to building on the relationships developed with the client, contractor and supply chain.”

Tag Archive for: Curtain walling