"brick block cutting services"

The ProjectA well established contractor asked us to provide a range of products on a supply only basis. Using the experience and knowledge of the Streetsure team, we offered a variety of products that suited the specific elements of the brief. We supplied CAD designs and .dwg files to build into the clients BIM model. We provided quotes on a mix of bespoke and standard range cycle parking, corner protectors, mesh panelling, mailboxes, lockers, benches and planters.The SolutionThe Streetsure team secured the contract and project managed the supply of these products to budget and within an agreed timeframe.We supplied Double Decker Cycle racks, space planned strategically to fit as many spaces into the area as possible along with corner protectors to reduce any damage when loading/unloading bicycles. Our ‘08 series’ recessed option was the mailbox of choice for this project. We sent off for an anomatch colour - a bespoke colour which we purchased and applied at the manufacturing facility to create a unique one-off product, perfectly matched to the architects specifications. Streetsures secure lockers were supplied for a key fob access mail room. Bespoke STRATA timber benches with steel legs and aluminium planters, powder coated in RAL 8028 were supplied for a resident only access rooftop location, creating a unique viewing experience over the London skyline. 

When the owners of an existing high street unit was granted lottery funding to change into apartments JCW helped create a quiet environment for the new tenants

A strong vision from Northacre and one that has certainly been achieved when you look at the end result of The Broadway, a collection of luxury apartments in the heart of Westminster. Situated on the former site of the Metropolitan Police headquarters and just a short walk from Victoria Station, The Broadway is one of Central London’s largest prime residential sites at 1.72 acres. It comprises six impressive towers with a striking architectural presence thanks to their bold oversized windows inspired by neighbouring art deco buildings.

NORclad supplied almost 1000m2 of the PEFC certified Thermowood for this project back in 2021, a new purpose-built £8m GP surgery in Crediton.Offering residents a much wider range of services than they were able to receive in the town and enables it to cope with a growing population.The official ribbon-cutting opening ceremony at Redlands Primary Care, located on Joseph Locke Way took place in October ’21.A number of areas of the project required the timber to meet EuroClass B, NORclad are able to offer this as a service to the timber, under factory controlled conditions. This allows the timber to be used as soon as it arrives on site.

The ChallengeCarmichael Court is a new development of 14 one and two-bedroomed flats primarily intended for the elderly, and wholly for social rent.The scheme occupies the site of a Victorian villa in the town of Stevenston, Ayrshire. Traces of its former use remain – most notably in the form of a stone wall which extends around the northern and western boundaries of the site.The former War Memorial Institute, a handsome Victorian sandstone building which lies adjacent, has provided design cues for the Carmichael Court scheme.The scale of the surrounding context and the relatively confined nature of the site itself, required that the completed development be a restrained and sympathetic insertion into the existing townscape. The choice of facing brick would be integral to achieving this goal.The SolutionBelgravia Gault Blend by Ecostock was used throughout the scheme.It is a rich grey-buff stock brick that references the blonde sandstone buildings around the site, as well as the existing stone boundary walls.Projecting Flemish bond panels and recessed soldier courses create modelling and depth within the elevations of each block and enhance the overall character of the scheme.The BenefitsWhilst the Carmichael Court development is modest in its scope and conception, it is a carefully considered solution that closely aligns with immediate townscape. Working within the restrictions of a confined site has required greater emphasis to be placed on creating a more low-key and human scaled proposal, focusing on using the space available to create a meaningful and attractive environment.Ecostock is the most sustainable stock brick available in the UK. It is a high quality facing brick with recycled content. The range carries BES 6001 Responsible Sourcing certification.

Built on the site of the former East London Bus Garage, The Forge creates 192 residential apartments clustered around communal courtyards. Working alongside installer Ravenworth, a two-million pound systems package of 1,000 aluminium windows, 170 aluminium patio doors and 20 aluminium commercial doors were provided to this project.The light buff buildings range from three to five storeys with a contrasting white brick 14-storey focal building. This forms the gateway to the development together with a row of interestingly designed townhouses. Each block displays frequent openings with contrasting areas of glazing and cladding, softened with balconies.

This development of 104 apartments was built on behalf of the Metropolitan Housing Trust by Guildmore on an infill site at Barrington Road, Brixton, which forms part of the Loughborough Estate.The project was designed to meet Level 4 of the Code for Sustainable Homes and has been tested to meet BS8414 part 2 Fire Performance of External Cladding Systems.FastClad Brick Slip Rainscreen Cladding System was used on the tower elements at the end of the main block, the balconies, as well as the third and fourth floors of the main building.FastClad was chosen for it’s weight, ease of installation, fire properties, as well being indistinguishable from the areas of traditionally laid masonry

In the heart of Manchester, a new 5-storey campus has been completed to provide additional facilities for higher and further education students in the Creative and Performing Arts sectors at The Manchester College. We were delighted to work alongside SimpsonHaugh, Bond Bryan Architects, Willmott Dixon and Longworth Building Services on this significant project, supplying several thousand square meters of Corium brick cladding to complete the contemporary facade.

In partnership with leading global investment firm KKR, Regal London recently completed a strategic new site at 340a Clapham Road, SW9, situated between Stockwell and Clapham North. Previously a brownfield site (tool hire depot), the site has been completely transformed into a vibrant mixed use, residential-led development, totalling 94,740 sq ft and will deliver 62 one, two and three-bedroom apartments spread over nine floors. The ground and lower ground floors also comprise approximately 18,250 ft2 of flexible commercial space. Planning permission was granted in June 2017 following a collaborative working relationship with the London Borough of Lambeth and the project reached its completion in 2021.With a high quality and contemporary design, both of which are hallmarks of Regal London schemes, the development perfectly complements the surrounding streetscape of new build and period properties, featuring a subtle interplay of façade materials including brick, aluminium and glass installed by Buildtherm Services. Ideally located for commuters, an established network of transport links is within easy reach of the development, with Stockwell Underground Station just 0.2miles away, as well as Clapham North Underground Station and Clapham High Street Overground Station both within a short walk. A thriving social and leisure scene is also nearby, led by the bars, pubs, restaurants and cafes, as well as a selection of amenities, in situ along the lively Clapham High Street and its surrounds.The undeniable kerb-appeal of this luxury residential development is testament to the design capabilities of the modern methods of construction used throughout the build and the quality of workmanship involved. The architect’s ambitious concept design called for a modern and sleek interpretation of the surrounding vernacular to satisfy planning requirements. The vision is clearly represented by the multiple challenging interfaces; including large expanses of glazing, cantilevered balconies and rooftop garden spaces which represented an important consideration within the design of the main structure and supporting steel frame systems. In order to comply with the latest building regulations for residential buildings over 18m in height, topping out at 9 storeys, Regal London also needed to ensure that all façade materials met with the requirement for non-combustibility, with a minimum EN13501-1 rating of A2, including the balconies.Over 3000m2 of A1 rated NaturAL-X brick cladding has been installed across several new elevations, with the architect having selected 3 different brick finishes to satisfy planning requirements, specifying subtle and muted tones including a textured dark, smooth off-white, and glazed white. As well as varying the colours and textures of the brick cladding, hundreds of bespoke cut and bonded return bricks were manufactured to suit the angular interfaces at balcony levels. The project design also called for elements of flexibly orientated brick coursing, with soldier courses, stack bonded and soffit return sections featuring at ground level and interspersed within the columns and beams stretching across the front elevation. The adaptability of this BBA certified innovative brick cladding system allows for modern interpretations of brickwork design to be easily integrated using standard components, without any requirement for additional structural support and with the added reassurance of all relevant system testing.Set back from the main brick façade, the top two floors featuring luxurious penthouse apartments are clad in VariAL-CF2 Concealed-fix 3mm aluminium cassettes, with a powder coated finish produced to Qualicoat standards. This CWCT tested, A2 rated rainscreen system is designed to accommodate large format vertically orientated modules, as well as complex details such as soffits, verges and goalpost details; making it eminently suitable for the balcony fascia areas too. Concealed fixings located in the panel joints are colour coated to match the panels, delivering an uninterrupted aesthetic. With long-term maintenance in mind, VariAL-CF2 allows for individual panels to be demounted, removed and replaced if required, without causing any detriment to the surrounding areas.

The Ecclesiastical cast iron floor grille isn't used exclusively in churches, cathedrals or abbeys. We've supplied these beautiful Scottish made gratings to a number of religious buildings across the country that's for sure but their main use is in "ordinary" period properties and listed buildings. Buildings with large heating pipes sunk into the floor with suspended walkways. Places like Stansted and Rotherfield Hall or National Trust, Mount Stewart Property in County Down and Halls in Melton Mowbray and Stoke on Trent. To make a real feature or for a sympathetic restoration why not take a look ...

The Stove and Fire Vent is the ideal interior vent to compliment a log burner or stove. The cast iron body is available in a polished pewter effect, which has been hand finished by us in our workshop or can be purchased bare metal for contractors or property owners to finish on site. The pewter finish stove vent will enhance any interiors. When the 100mm spigot is connected to an air source it provides 3000mm2 of free area for combustion air for a room fitted with a log burner or stove up to 10KW. Double up for larger appliances.

Leviat’s Ancon MDC Masonry Support and Ancon CombiDeck, along with Ibstock Kevington’s Nexus® Brick-Faced Units have played key roles in constructing a major student accommodation complex in the heart of Lincoln, offering overall efficiency and ease of construction.The complex is spread across ten blocks, ranging from 4 to 10 storeys in height, which have been sub-divided to reduce scale and facilitate a progressive change in character across the development. The first phase included 1,222 bedrooms in apartments, comprising six to 12 en-suite bedrooms. Students will also benefit from associated internal and external amenity space.

The Buckland Hospital, Dover is a community hospital that provides a range of local services. Main contractor Interserve PLC enlisted Industrial Construction (Sussex) Ltd to install the roofing and cladding package. Fixfast products were the first choice for ICS and the Facade Support range was an obvious need for this type of contract; coupled with the DrillFast® Stainless and Lacquered products, the external roofing and cladding was installed in the finest possible manner.The external walls use a range of materials - black brick and through-coloured render serve as a background for two types of cladding panels: white fibre cement panels and timber laminated panels manufactured from kraft paper and finished with natural timber veneers. The dark colour of the brick is used as a medium to enhance the crisp lines of the bright cladding as well as the shape and colours of the wooded bank at the rear of the building.

The Scope of the project was to provide a structural waterproofing solution to a private dwelling with new build extension.The property, situated on a sloping site gave the opportunity for the waterproof design to utilise the properties environment to allow for natural discharge of any potential water ingress.The property was detached and retaining to the front and side elevations where the retaining ground slopes down and away from the property to a garden that continues to slope down to a small stream. The retaining walls on either elevation rise at their highest point to approximately 1500mm above the internal floor level.The internal walls of the property were original brick to the front and new cavity built concrete block. The floor to what was the original house is of solid concrete construction joining on to a newer block and beam floor construction.When designing the most appropriate waterproofing system to any given situation, various design factors require addressing such as (but not limited to), final use of the building, the grade of waterproofing requirement under the British Standard, structural considerations based on the form of construction and in some cases, satisfying the requirements of building warranty providers.

Gowriehill Distribution Service Reservoir is located in Dundee City and managed by Scottish Water. In late 2021, part of the reservoir tank construction was discovered to have a brittle asphalt waterproofing layer over the top of a beam and block roof. Fosroc proposed a solution that was easy to apply and provided a robust watertight finish and a 20 year warranty.

When Barnet, Enfield and Haringey Mental Health NHS trust approached us, they required new doorsets as their existing double-leaf corridor doors with surface mounted, scissor-arm closers were presenting a ligature risk and were regularly over-opened, causing damage. Plus, the leaves were vandalised, requiring regular repainting. We supplied our extra-wide, single-leaf doorsets with concealed hold-open closers, offering superior safety by reducing the ligature risk. We also used a vandal-resistant PVC facing to brighten the space and minimise regular maintenance costs.

Metropolitan Works is London’s first Creative Industries Centre, offering digital manufacturing services, IT suites, training and workspace to local creative businesses and designers. Echoing the form-making processes undertaken at the Centre, the building was conceived as a series of interlocking volumes unified with a perforated aluminium cladding. On the ground floor level, a dramatic frieze by local artist Tom Price has been laser cut into the Ash & Lacy anodized aluminium panels to give the facade a sense of movement and life.

The roofs of The Dungannon & South Tyrone Borough Council offices had fallen into a poor condition and a large amount of standing water was threatening to leak into the offices below. With the office roof areas in such a poor state, the council turned to Polyroof to refurbish nearly 1,000 square metres of roof, split into 13 areas, before they fell into a further state of disrepair. DTL Construction, a local Polyroof Approved Contractor, were tasked with installing the Protec System, removing the issue of standing water and giving the roof a long service life, whilst giving the council peace of mind that leaks would not pose an issue in future.The standing water was cleared before the existing roof materials were stripped back in order to install the new system. This allowed a new warm-roof system to be installed, along with new cut-to-falls insulation. Polyroof’s Protec Cut-to-Falls insulation is an innovative two-layer system which doesn’t only improve thermal performance, it also directs standing water away from the roof.Following this, the BBA-approved Protec system was used to seamlessly waterproof the entirety of the office roofs. The system, once inspected by Polyropof’s Technical Services team, was issued with a 20-year guarantee, so the client could now have reassurance their roof would last for decades to come.

Ryno Signature Decking in ‘Silver Birch’ takes pride of place in this new Brentwood development. The apartment block has a bold red brick exterior, with simple anthracite windows and detailing.The glass balustrades of the balconies allow the maximum level of light to enter the apartments, while making the paved courtyard feel even larger and more spacious.Products UsedTerraSmart® Composite in Silver Birch was used across the private balconies. Silver Birch, from the Signature Range of premium ‘capped’ decking, has an elegant textured wood-grain finish.The terrace spaces had additional height build-up requirements, so fixed-head adjustable pedestals were used to raise the decking to the door thresholds.

Union Court is located in the Clapham area of South West London. It is made up of bright and varied workspaces to rent.Anton Boekhoudt of KEIM Mineral Paints was contacted by GPAD Architects as they were looking to update and change the façade of the building from a plain stock yellow brick colour. The architect wanted to use a breathable coating as a way of changing the appearance. Changes were also to be made to the window details and signage for the building along with new cladding areas. From their conversation an initial site unseen specification was produced.Following a site visit with the architect and Anton, sample trials commenced. Anton initially produced seven samples using KEIM Soldalit and KEIM Restauro Lasur in a selection of colours. Once GPAD Architects reviewed the samples, two further samples were applied on a larger scale. One sample with the mortar joints painted using KEIM Restauro Lasur and the other without. The preferred option was the brick faces painted only.KEIM Restauro Fixativ was applied to all brick faces and mortar joints. A 1:1 ratio mix of KEIM Restauro Lasur, in colour RB001, and KEIM Restauro Fixativ was then applied to the brick faces only. Two decorating companies worked on this project – Restore & Preserve and Chameleon Brickwork, who both used different techniques. Restore & Preserve used a spray technique after masking up all mortar joints, whereas Chameleon Brickwork hand painted each brick face. Both techniques have worked brilliantly, and you wouldn’t be able to tell the difference.Graeme Winestone of GPAD Architects commented “We are delighted with the service that KEIM offered, including plenty of colour choices and on-site samples that allowed us and the client to make an informed colour choice for the finish of the brickwork.The existing building was given a new lease of life by the use of KEIM Paints, creating a uniform brick colour which complemented the new façade alterations.Frequent site visits provided by KEIM gave us peace of mind with regards to surface preparation and application of the KEIM products producing a very satisfactory end results.”

West Lothian Council schools, Deans Community High School and Armadale Academy, are maintained by Bellrock Group under a contractual PPP3 project agreement. Taking on this maintenance management for the two school buildings places the Bellrock management team as the Responsible Person when it comes to compliance to fire safety maintenance which incorporates fire rated doors.With this in mind, Martin Igoe, Senior FM for Bellrock, engaged with Yeoman Shield Fire Door Services when it came to assessing and protecting the condition of the schools’ fire doors with an impact protection system.As a brand name of Harrison Thompson & Co. Ltd. who are a registered FIRAS Warringtonfire (a UKAS accredited scheme for fire door and passive fire resisting products installation) company, Yeoman Shield Fire Door Team were able to undertake a conformity survey of the doors in both schools.This consisted of an assessment of the condition of the fire doors, noting remedial work required to improve the doors functionality, replacement of doors where required as well as noting advisory door protection products that could improve the look, condition and extend the life cycle of the doors by solving impact damage problems.After an itemised quotation for the work had been raised and accepted, Yeoman Shield directly employed fixing operatives carried out the work simultaneously at both school sites simultaneously in accordance to Bellrock’ s programme.Remedial work to both frame and fire doors, replacement doors as well as Yeoman Shield Fire Rated Protection products which were Door Protection Panels, Door Edge Protectors and PVCu clad Glazing Beads were fitted by the accredited teams following best practice guidance.Martin Igoe commented “Having previously used Yeoman Shield on school projects in Aberdeenshire I was more than happy to again collaborate with Yeoman Shield for the Deans Community High School and Armadale Academy.“Their door protection products are great; not only have Yeoman shield re-certified the old fire doors for conformity, they have also extended the life of the doors by fitting a hard-wearing cladding to each. This makes them more durable for the rigours of school life, they look amazing and are so easy to clean.Further phases of the fire door work have been scheduled for later in the year.

We all know warm roofs and joist zones are huge areas for air leakage and extremely hard to solve this problem. This warm roof structure for luxury apartments retrofit fit onto an already existing block of apartments in Tottenham was typically the icing on the cake for detail and performance. With the hand cut roof providing the client with multiple skylights, dormers and 360-degree turrets, this was going to be no easy task of getting the airtightness and vapour control secure and correct in a traditional method. Step forward Passive Purple! Rather than just covering the issues, once the hand cut roof was finished, the 220mm roof rafters were filled with a layer of spray insulation supplied by Lapolla UK. The dormers, skylights and turrets were then given some attention to detail with Passive Purple BRUSH before the final application of Passive Purple (spray applied) This gives this roof a complete airtight vapour control with performance like no other and getting around all of them circular details and angle’s galore this was just another simpler, easier way to get the job done right and guaranteed! Passive Purple liquid application saves the client and user so much time and so much less strenuous labour.

Britannia Metalwork worked with building contractors Gilbert-Ash and Architects Hawkins/Brown in designing, fabricating, and fitting bespoke decorative floor grilles to replace the damaged originals in the Orangery at the City of London Freeman’s School.It was a project that we were thrilled to be commissioned for and work that we are extremely proud of - the grilles were manufactured, delivered and fitted within the project timeframe, despite pressures of the ongoing global pandemic of 2021.The 168-year-old City of London Freemen's School is set in 57 acres of Ashtead Park in the heart of Surrey. The masterplan scheme included the renovation works to the Grade II listed Main House (including an energy centre), and some new buildings including junior school, dining hall and assembly hall as well as landscaping and car park works. The total cost of the project was £15 and won a place as a Finalist in the 2022 Conservation & Regeneration Constructing Excellence SECBE Awards.Britannia was commissioned to design and make a total of 33 bespoke cast iron grilles, with bare metal finish, to be placed within the marbled floor of the historic and beautiful Orangery. The focus of the work was to complement the heritage of the iconic building while ensuring good ventilation to allow the building to become a flexible and useful large space for school events.Frequently referred to as Cathedral, Ecclesiastical or Victorian decorative floor grilles and as seen here, often placed over channels holding heating pipes, they provide a practical and decorative heating vent. Originally designed for churches they are increasingly popular in private houses, greenhouses, and commercial building developments. Our grilles can be ordered in cast iron or cast aluminium and finished in a wide variety of options. We also work in association with Gunning Heating, making decorative cast iron grilles that fit seamlessly into their underfloor trench heater units.  See our website for a full list of our grille designs or contact us to discuss your bespoke requirements.

Originally opened in 1863 and voted 'Best UK National Treasure' at National Geographic Traveller Magazine Reader Awards, the Grade 1 listed, iconic British landmark, The Temperate House at Kew, reopened in 2018 after a major five-year, £41 million restoration. Comprising five pavilions and showcasing over 10,000 new plants from all over the globe, this glass cathedral is the world’s largest Victorian glasshouse, protecting the often rare and tender plants throughout the UK’s cold winters. Commissioned in 2017 by renowned architects Donald Insall Associates - heritage and historic building specialists - and working with ISG, the global construction and engineering company, Britannia designed and manufactured 146 bespoke cast iron floor grilles - a total of 73 linear meters - to house part of the vast new sunken trench heating system. The original inadequate and inefficient heating, ventilation, and irrigation systems were no longer in adequate condition or sufficient for the purpose, and a new biomass underfloor heating system was added to produce ambient temperatures for the plants without impacting the integrity of the building. The finished bare metal design CGA03, meticulously created by our highly experienced pattern makers, echoes the original traditional Victorian grilles found elsewhere within the glasshouse complex and has since become Britannia’s signature grille. We are exceptionally proud to have been chosen and trusted to complete this award-winning project and are equally proud of our teams to produce it – from design, to manufacture, to installation.Frequently referred to as Cathedral, Ecclesiastical, or Victorian decorative floor grilles and as seen here, often placed over channels holding heating pipes, they provide a practical and decorative heating vent. Originally designed for churches they are increasingly popular in private houses, greenhouses, and commercial building developments. Our grilles can be ordered in cast iron or cast aluminium and finished in a wide variety of options.We also work in association with Gunning Heating, making decorative cast iron grilles that fit seamlessly into their underfloor trench heater units.  See our website for a full list of our grille designs and finishes or contact us to discuss your bespoke requirements.

Another example of the BBA Approved asbestos roof coating system, Asbestsoeal from Liquasil Ltd. The asbestos cement roof was first cleaned using a closed box pressure washer. All waste was filtered and disposed of by a licensed asbestos disposal contractor. Metal fixings were treated with Liquasil SWT Corrosion Primer and then sealed, along with small cracks and holes, with Non-Sag Sealer before the roof was coated with Asbestoseal 20. The project included GRP rooflight replacement and new ridge detail and flashings.

Sirius is an office block converted to apartments in Coventry city centre. The existing building on Ironmonger Row is being transformed into an architectural gem. The project will see two storeys added while the existing brick fins on the mid-century building will be clad in a bronze-coloured metal. There will be 28 one-bedroom apartments and eight two-bedroom duplex apartments on the top two floors, overlooking the adjacent square.Cellecta’s DECKfon Batten 70 was specified by EDG Property. The battens consist of a layer of recycled, low resonance, open cell, flexible polyurethane foam bonded to an FSC/PEFC certified timber batten. These battens have been rigorously tested and are ideal for various sub floors, making DECKfon Batten 70 the best solution for this project.EDG Build was awarded this 1,800m² contract to construct this redevelopment.

The ChallengeThe former Gourock Ropeworks building on the banks of the River Clyde had been refurbished back in 2006. As part of a multi-million-pound regeneration from the Scottish government, Forterra supplied 170,000 bricks to the site adjacent to the Ropeworks for 41 new social homes.The design of the four-storey blocks of residential apartments was to tie in with the original design of the former Gourock Ropeworks.The SolutionForterra’s Farmstead Antique brick type was put forward for the build owing to its highly textured face and warm appearance, which sat well with the tone and texture of brickwork in the surrounding properties.The BenefitsSteve Nicolson, Area Sales Manager for Forterra, said, “The Farmstead Antique was a good match to the local vernacular, and is also pretty hard-wearing, which made it very suitable for this location on the banks of one of the longest rivers in Scotland, as it will need to withstand the elements.”Adelle Jess, Project Architect for JM Architecture, said, “Due to the site being located within the historic curtilage of a listed building, the development needed to provide a strong frontage to Bay Street with fenestration, proportion and material finishes relative to the context in which it sits.”“Forterra Farmstead Antique was selected as the main finish to the buildings so as to tie in with the existing surroundings and contribute to the overall design concept of a modern interpretation of the site’s industrial past.”

Scope of work: 776m2 Brick Faced GRC Grade 18P intricate brick work achieved with Brick Faced GRC

The now disused St Margaret’s Head Tunnel was a structure originally formed as part of the Dunfermline to North Queensferry railway line, providing a link to the ferry service until the opening of the Forth Bridge in 1890 and remaining in limited use for freight until 1954. The vaulted roof and brick lined tunnel is located 15 metres below the A900 trunk road and the B981, adjacent to the northern approach to the Forth Road Bridge. Cordek were asked to supply a structural fill solution, encapsulated within a protective membrane to fill the entire cavity of the tunnel.

Metal pipe boxing from the Pendock Profiles range is being used at a London tower block to conceal and protect fire sprinkler pipework, cabling and other services as part of a fire safety upgrade and refurbishment programme.Bespoke manufactured to the exact dimensions and project requirements, the metal boxing is non-combustible, which makes it suitable for use in public areas, such as lift lobbies, landings and corridors, where no sprinkler heads are present.Finished in white PPC, the metal pipe boxing not only improves the overall aesthetics, but also provides durable protection for pipework and services, while the integrated hinged inspection panels allow easy access for routine checks and maintenance.

Built by Wates Group for developer MARK and designed by London-based architect SPPARC, Borough Yards’ features a number of transformed and re-purposed railway arches, viaducts and warehouses along with five new buildings, that weave their way from Borough Market to Clink Street. This new shopping and dining district also includes a cinema, art gallery and two new office buildings.IG Masonry Support worked with brickwork contractor Lesterose, designing and supplying a number of complex prefabricated brickwork elements including Welded Masonry Support (WMS), Brick Slip Masonry Support and its renowned B.O.S.S.+ (Brick on Soffit System).ChallengeIn this landmark conservation area, the brickwork for the new buildings needed to compliment the existing brickwork on the repurposed viaducts and warehouses but also present their own unique character.To meet these challenging design requirements, IG Masonry Support manufactured and supplied a range of prefabricated components that met both the wider considerations around planning in this conservation area and at the same time all fire and building regulations.As part of the complex design for building 4, the architect and design team required a bespoke ‘floating’ brick feature presenting a jagged design. The utilisation of IG Masonry Support’s brick slips helped achieve the distinctive angled soffit design, offering a flawless and historic aesthetic in a modern, easy-to-install solution.The distinctive spearheads featuring on building 2 were a separate hurdle but thanks to IG Masonry Support’s close collaboration with the contractors and the architect, it enabled an accurate and sufficient design. Installed over 4 level points of the building, these innovative spearheads, never seen before, were manufactured with glass reinforced concrete, and hand-laid brickwork in-between.Customisable to the architect’s design wishes, the Brick Slip Systems and Masonry Support are prefabricated units manufactured offsite and delivered complete with bricks mechanically-fixed and bonded to them.Due to the type of being brick being used on buildings 2, 3 and 4 being a weaker composition, this necessitated pre-pointing the brick slips in dry, controlled conditions in order to create a high quality, finished surface.SolutionThe bespoke elements for building 4 pushed the boundaries of IG Masonry Support and its products but through technical collaboration the jagged design features were achieved with angled soffits, ensuring a solution that met the architect’s specific requirements.IG Masonry Support exceeded expectations with its Welded Masonry Support system and versatile B.O.S.S.+ (Brick on Soffit System), creating a seamless match with the surrounding brickwork.Able to accommodate loads of up to and exceeding 14kN/m, IG’s Welded Masonry Support (WMS) is a rigid masonry support system comprising a stainless-steel angle support shelf with fixed brackets. It is fabricated to engineers’ specifications on a project basis and offers two planes of adjustability onsite. Offering ease-of-installation, the system can be supplied in a variety of configurations depending on the project’s requirements. At Borough Yards, the WMS was designed, manufactured and supplied by the IG Masonry Support team and installed across building 2 and 4 in order to support the application of the B.O.S.S. system.The B.O.S.S.+ is a lightweight prefabricated system that is faster to install than traditional hanging brick systems. Installed to a pre-fitted Masonry Support System, B.O.S.S.+ allows increased adjustability along three axes. Produced offsite, B.O.S.S. offers 90% time saving onsite and negates the need for mechanical lifting. B.O.S.S.+ also removes the need for brick-cutting onsite, resulting in a quality system that is checked before it arrives onsite. This BBA-certified unit is an ‘A’ Fire Rated, BBA certified and mechanically-fixed unit, suitable for use on residential buildings over 18m above ground level and complies with the Building Regulations 2010* Approved Document B: Fire Safety.Not only is the system versatile, it offers ease-of-installation and enables time-savings onsite. The bespoke solution offers a 70% weight-saving against an equivalent concrete product, negating the need for mechanical handling and onsite labour. These were significant benefits on this mixed-used development in particular.An integral part of the street scene and conservation area, these stunning new buildings sit side-by-side with the historic viaducts and warehouses. The presence of IG Masonry Support’s systems and the company’s technical prowess has ensured this landmark Southwark development is thoughtfully planned, well-built and a sought-after attraction in South London.

Challenge: The structure was had severe structural degradation due to the ingress of moisture and water over its near 100-year life. Corrosion to the steelframe resulted in tensile forces cracking and moving the brick skin, also causing a cracked façade. Strategy: ICCP was used as a method to control corrosion whilst the cracking and movement were repaired. This involved LoCem® and +point® AACM anode mortar to be grouted in the bed joints, alongside embedded corrosion rate sensors for service life tracking (AchillesICP and AiMS). LoCem® is a low carbon cement alternative, that can also act as a cathodic protection anode. Outcome: The structure was restored to be used as high-value residential apartments, saving tonnes of embodied carbon and eliminated the option of demolition. The embedded system successfully controlled and monitored corrosion for the long term, adding an additional 100 years to the structure’s service life.

A redevelopment of the old Foyle’s Bookshop on Charing Cross Road, Ilona Rose House comprises 80,000 sq ft of office space, along with retail, restaurants, an art gallery, nightclub and eight apartments. Spread over 13 stories including four below ground and 14,000 sq ft of south-west facing terraces on the upper floors, MATT Architecture’s design for the highly decorative and cantilevered façade includes rose motifs across each floor of the building.For a commercial building that stands out from the crowd in the heart of Soho, IG Masonry Support was able to meet the architect’s brief through the provision of a range of brick slip products to achieve the desired aesthetic finish and Link Building which links Greek Street to the development. IG Masonry Support designed bespoke brick slip systems for each application, providing practical solutions that enabled brickwork contractor Lesterose Builders Ltd to save on installation time significantly.ChallengeTo achieve the architect’s vision and the needs of brickwork contractor Lesterose, the expertise of the IG Masonry Support and its products came into play to fulfil the requirements of this bespoke project.Central Pier on Ilona Rose HouseThe main façade of the commercial building was designed using several shape requirements. The biggest challenge for this area of the project was the arches which required to come from the central pier to the corners of the building and create an optical illusion of closure into the ground.Another challenge on the main building, Ilona Rose House, was the change in brick type. A solution had to be devised to hide the elevation’s movement joint and facilitate the brick change.12-13 Greek Street, Mews ElevationAlthough similar in design to the main Ilona Rose House building, the 12-13 Greek Street Mews Elevation features balconies in its design. This presented a challenge for IG Masonry Support as the structure featured balcony connectors which had the potential to clash with the Welded Masonry Support and Brick on Soffit Systems required for this building.The VaultArguably one of the most attractive areas of the build is the Vault, which creates a passageway from Greek Street to the Mews Area of the development. The architect’s design required a continuous hanging brick effect utilising IG Masonry Support’s Brick Slip Panels. The challenge for our design was the sheer size of the soffit area and the curved design. We worked closely with Lesterose to manage the size of the panels, trading weight for ease of installation.SolutionThe team at IG Masonry Support collaborated with the whole project design team to ensure our products met the architectural and structural requirements of the project whilst ensuring maximum buildability for the brickwork contractor.Central Pier on Ilona Rose HouseAs a result of the design team discussions, the B.O.S.S. system pushed the boundaries on this project due to the shape requirements. A quarter circle on the corners of the building and a three-level step down feature was required in the brickwork – a challenging yet bold aesthetic IG Masonry Support was able to bring to life with its Welded Masonry Support (WMS) and B.O.S.S units. The two systems also provided the aesthetic finish required including the three different brick types to give further interest to the façade by the use of colour.12-13 Greek Street, Mews ElevationClose collaboration was required with the whole design team to review the structural drawings of the 12-13 Greek Street Mews Elevation and ensure that our products were designed suitably to fit the requirements of the building. This was solely due to the location of the balcony connectors, a critical structural component, and the shadow gap, an engineered break that was implemented in the building design to accommodate the change in brick type. Our Welded Masonry Support systems were designed to step in and drop down at points to avoid any clashes with the surrounding building components. This allowed our B.O.S.S. to be bolted to each WMS system appropriately, blend seamlessly, and ensure ease of installation for the contractor.The VaultTo enable the floating brickwork feature designed by MATT Architecture, IG designed Brick Slip Panels to suit a stretcher course bond pattern, covering a 40.3m2 area. 57 interlocking Panels, made up of nine designs varying in size and curvature, were designed and manufactured. During the manufacturing process, bricks were collected from site and delivered to our Brick Cutting Facility to be adhesively bonded to each Panel. This ensured each would blend seamlessly with the surrounding brickwork when installed.IG Masonry Support also collaborated with Lesterose on the size and weight of the Brick Slip Panels to ensure an efficient installation process. Each Panel was bolted back to a specially designed rail system manufactured by IG Masonry Support. The rail system was bolted back to the building and a keyhole slot was incorporated to allow the Panel to be lifted and slid on to ensure the weight could be taken as quickly as possible. Once in place, final pointing was required, allowing a seamless blend with the surrounding brickwork.The utilisation of IG Masonry Support’s prefabricated components ensured that all installation was undertaken efficiently, resulting in onsite cost savings and increased productivity.For what is a landmark development in Central London, IG’s solutions have covered all bases, helping to achieve the architect’s vision and ensuring this stunning new building stands the test of time.

400m2 of weberwall brick in Antique Red Multi was applied to 9 new homes in Guildford. 3x faster than brick slips, weberwall brick accelerated the building process for the developer.

Nottingham Trent University's (NTU) new centre for enterprise and innovation has become the latest higher education facility in the UK to feature state-of-the-art cladding panels from Proteus Facades.Nottingham Trent University’s (NTU) new centre for enterprise and innovation has become the latest higher education facility in the UK to feature state-of-the-art cladding panels from Proteus Facades.With higher education providers realising that the design, amenities and external aesthetics of campus buildings are just as important as the courses and educational services on offer to students, specifiers are making more use of alternatives to traditional bricks and mortar.

The initial phase of a large-scale regeneration project featuring community sports facilities, office accommodation and an Enterprise Hub in Irvine, North Ayrshire, has been constructed with the use of 50,000 Carsington Cream bricks produced by Forterra in Measham exclusively for Taylor Maxwell. The construction on Quarry Road, Irvine, houses the office headquarters of a local leisure company and work spaces for Business Gateway, who aim to support local entrepreneurs and business start-ups, encouraging local employment. It provides a gateway into the development that will include local indoor and outdoor sports facilities and multi-use community spaces. The building was designed to mark the development entrance, draw people into the site and set the construction standard for the phases to follow. Andrew Martin, Sales Executive at Taylor Maxwell, said: “We were tasked with finding a suitable facing brick for Irvine Community Hub. With a budget to adhere to and a remit to provide a buff/cream coloured brick with a traditional appearance, the Carsington Cream Facing Brick was ideal. “This brick type is part of a commitment to certain product lines manufactured in the UK and mainland Europe that Taylor Maxwell makes to provide a ‘Select’ range of brick types. This provided Clark Contracts with a commitment on price and availability for a soft mud manufactured brick with the technical qualities needed for the Scottish climate.” Steven Nicolson, Forterra’s Area Sales Manager for Scotland, said: “The Carsington Cream brick is a handmade, low water absorbency brick that was used here to combine with the modern aspect of the building and to complement the surrounding buildings.” Nick Shepherd, Architectural Assistant at Anderson Bell + Christie, said: “Forterra and Taylor Maxwell’s Carsington Cream brick was used to contrast with the residential context and establish the building as a landmark. The tone of the brick was selected to harmonise with the timber cladding, as well as the timber louvres within the window openings which accentuate the texture of the brick.” Forterra nominated the project for the 2018 Brick Awards, in the Public category.