Adding a gleam to SoDA, Manchester

Clear lacquer provides a sleek finish

The new Manchester Met University School of Digital Art (SoDA) houses the latest in technological facilities for students studying film, animation, AI, UX design, photography, gaming, sound design and more. This is a £35m investment into the future of digital story telling designed by architects Feilden Clegg Bradley (FCB) Studios and Kier as the constructors. SoDA is a groundbreaking interdisciplinary school supporting the growing demand for skilled workers in the region’s creative digital sector.

Emphasising the creativity fostered within the school the entrance features a four-storey video light wall on the northern façade, creating a platform where the work of the students can be displayed.

Powdertech was asked to provide the finish for the pleated aluminium façade, spanning 4000m2 across four aspects of the building above a new pedestrian street between SoDA and the adjacent Benzie Building, part of the Manchester School of Art. The sawtooth facade panels were finished in a Qualicoat Class 2 clear lacquer, applied using a chrome-free pre-treatment, and creating a sleek gleaming appearance. 

Transparent Metal Protection 

Lacquers are available in many shades and provide the same level of protection as opaque architectural powder coatings.

Benefits

Powdertech has close relationships with the leading powder manufacturers who specialise in custom shades.

All powders are of architectural quality and provide excellent weather resistance and colour stability.

Powdertech's rigorous pre-treatment system will help to keep the façade free from corrosion for up to 40-years.

Powdertech’s flexible plant can coat a wide variety of shapes and sizes of architectural metal work and fabrications.

Powdertech has over 35 years’ experience in professional architectural powder coating.