"brick block cutting services"

Topping out at 64m tall, Furnival Square hosts a brand new £35 million, 445 bedroom, purpose built student accommodation building on a prime site in the heart of Sheffield City Centre, adjacent to the Sheffield Hallam University campus.Built by McAleer & Rushe and aptly named the ‘The Gate’, the 22 storey building offers modern, quality student accommodation to support Sheffield’s thriving higher education sector. The building is designed to a BREEAM Very Good rating, developed and detailed by TODD Architects using the latest in Revit and BIM technologies.The specification called for the use of special bricks that gave depth and texture to the external skin. The 22 storey student accommodation tower also had to comply with all current Building Height Regulations for residential use and the construction team was faced with the considerable additional challenge of completing the build during global pandemic restrictions.Ash & Lacy provided over 4,000m2 of the fully-tested noncombustible, mechanically-fixed NaturAL-X brick cladding system, suitable for residential buildings above 18m tall. The system is also CWCT A1-rated and BBA certified (20/5773). Brick choice was SD102 from the Simplicity range.This lightweight system offers fast and simple installation and enabled a large amount of labor to be completed offsite, improving time efficiencies on site and facilitating just in time delivery.Over 50,000 cut and bonded corner bricks were manufactured at our in house facility, creating the deep castellating reveals that sweep across the building elevations. Soffit bricks were designed and manufactured to return underneath window heads, providing a realistic genuine brick aesthetic at key interfaces, achieving the original design intent.

application area: commercial heatinguse type: industrial condensing boilersproject scope: preserve rectangular flue shape and maintain lined diameteradded value: quick and efficient installation with minimal downtime and disruption to the building structureBackgroundTwo new high efficiency condensing boilers fitted into the basement of a nine-story office block (Dublin Civic Offices, Ireland) using two separate brick lined chimneys that rose through the nine floors and exited on the rooftop.The brick chimneys posed a problem as the chambers measered 300mm x 450mm no standard 350mm flue liner would fit. Due to the pliability of Furnflex, the liner was able to take up an oval shape in the chamber giving it the full 350mm required. This building is an extremely busy high-profile office block therefore minimum disruption to day to day business was required.Statement of workFollowing an onsite survey, Furanflex was deemed the ideal solution to line both chimneys. The installations were carried out over two weekends, one for each chimney, with no disruption to the office operations. The project completed on time and within budget.

The new build St George’s Quay student accommodation is part of the Luneside East Regeneration Project in Lancaster, which will create a new quarter of the city with a mix of housing, commercial space, high quality open spaces and walking and cycling routes.In a prominent waterfront setting on the edge of the River Lune and built on the site of the former St George’s Mill, the St George’s Quay development comprises four student accommodation blocks, ranging from three to six storeys, delivering 431 bedrooms in clusters and studio apartments.PROJECT INFOThe buildings are modelled around the existing industrial architecture of the site. The client used a mix of materials, including brickwork that reflects the local vernacular and Corten steel cladding to emphasise the site’s industrial history.In addition to the 431 bedrooms, the development also provides a gym, games room, communal dining, study area, and on-site parking.The development aims to be a landmark in urban regeneration and high quality design and be an exemplar of sustainable developments.The brick selected for the scheme is Belgravia Gault Blend, a buff, thrown brick from Forterra’s Ecostock range. It has a rustic finish that resembles a handmade brick. Ecostock bricks are manufactured using the latest technology in sustainability and production efficiency, producing bricks with low embodied energy as well as advanced colour consistency, dimensional accuracy and quality.

Following half a decade of construction, this has been described as “the most significant transformation to happen to Edinburgh since the Castle”.St James Quarter is as big and complex as sites get. The huge development is a multi-use precinct mixing retail and leisure with luxury living. Everything about it is cutting-edge, including the way it was designed and built. We were thrilled to be win this project.Soundis supplied Block A & Block B with our unique Soundis Cradle & Batten Acoustic Flooring System.The Cradle & Batten System helps to improve both airborne and impact performance and is compliant with Robust Details FFT2. Our Cradles and Risers are manufactured from 100% recycled materials.We have used our in house manufactured Soundis Dry Screed Panels in various thicknesses, depending on the floor build up on each one of the Blocks.

On a secluded 150-acre estate in Northumberland sits Charlton Hall, a speakeasy wedding and private party venue with beautiful views looking out over the coast. Shaun Baston from Total Flooring said: “Karndean is an ideal product for any floor space especially as there is no limit to the design possibilities, so I would recommend it to anyone. Even if the fitter doesn’t have time to hand cut intricate designs, Karndean offer an in-house laser cutting service for bespoke designs.”

The overarching challenge was to establish an enhanced level of security at the premises, combined with effective, easy to manage access control, but with absolutely no compromise on the overall aesthetics of the site. This product is supplied as standard with natural timber slats, which (as per all Jacksons timber) have been kiln dried and Jakcure pressure treated to offer long lasting and highly effective protection against rot and wood boring pests. However, the client required the timber slat inserts to be provided in the house colour grey, which we sourced from Denmark to remain consistent.

The Arc was a large and complex project with over 1,000,000 Brick Slip cuts and 235,000 Cut and Bonded Bricks. The Architects AHMM had chosen a bespoke blended product from our wider product range to create a random bond effect for the brickwork, this consisted of 126 different lengths of brick slips which all needed to be manufactured by ourselves.The Arc is a new mixed-use building in east London delivering new retail opportunities, office floorspace, 100 new homes, landscaped roof terraces and a new area of public realm onto City Road.The building is inspired by early 19th century New York towers with three stages of tiered massing in response to the surrounding context heights and Conservation Areas. There is a consistent treatment of the facade materiality across the building with vertically expressed brick piers and a horizontal concrete banding wrapping the building. This treatment relates to the adjacent Victorian warehouse aesthetics and is accented by the use of glazed brickwork in the first two levels.At ground level the main entrance is angled away from City Road and is set behind a two-storey colonnade, providing secure access for both the office and residential tenants. The office lobby design contrasts with the calm external appearance through the use of organic GRG elements developed by interior architects Massive Design. An area of affordable office space is proposed at ground level running through the building and linking Shepherdess Walk to Wellesley Terrace. Restaurants and cafes activate the street frontage around the site and the internal lobby space. Externally, retained elements of the former St Luke’s Parish Workhouse are integrated with a new public space and sculptural bench around the existing London plane tree.Levels one to six comprise the office component of the scheme providing 145,000 square feet of office floorspace. Above the office, at Level 07, the building steps back to form a slender element which contains the residential accommodation. The set-back also generates a large landscaped roof terrace with accompanying residents lounge. All the residential areas are designed by the interior architects Bowler James Bridley.

Twinnell House is an 18 storey residential block of flats in Bristol. SPSenvirowall system which consisted of 4,500m2 of 140mm grey EPS with an acrylic brick slip finish in red nuance and Staffordshire blue and a coloured render was supplied. Once installed, the u-value calculation went from 2.06 W/m²K to 0.23 W/m²K providing residents with a much warmer home and lower energy costs.

Liverpool’s Baltic Triangle quarter, south of the city centre, formerly a major industrial and warehousing site servicing the city’s successful dock economy, is now a well-known and popular venue for work, leisure and accommodation. Since 2007 the area has undergone considerable regeneration, creating a vibrant hub for digital and creative businesses, together with a flourishing night-time economy of night clubs, bars and restaurants. Alongside these developments the Baltic Triangle has doubled its residential population since 2010. A new £24m, 200 apartment building, designed by Tim Groom Architects is currently finishing construction on Blundell Street.‘Maintaining the Vibe’The striking red brick facades of many of the original buildings remain, imparting an energetic atmosphere, and the new apartment block was designed with the same objective. As one commentator put it 'We wanted to maintain the vibe'. For the aluminium feature panels on the façade the designers were looking for a finish with a warm appearance that would reflect and update the industrial heritage. These panels would sit alongside the buff brick colour of the new building. In Powdertech’s Evolution™ and Landscape™ ranges there are many shades with the appearance of rust, red brick and terracotta. The client selected Evolution, ‘Sandstorm’, a rust finish, to coat over 500 sq metres of 2mm folded and castellated aluminium panels.Benefits:The Evolution range has up to a 25-year guarantee for gloss, colour and adhesion.Colour, tone and texture are our passion, and we have the expertise to develop bespoke finishes.Evolution and rust finishes do not stain adjacent brickwork and pavementsPowdertech's rigorous non-chrome pre-treatment system offers the best preparation for architectural aluminium.Powdertech’s flexible plant can coat a wide variety of shapes and sizes of architectural metal work and fabrications.

This £40 million retrofit transformation of Brindley Place, a well-known site in the Westside of Birmingham city centre, raises the bar for sustainability and wellness in an urban regeneration and commercial refurbishment project. The ‘back to frame’ concept combines 10 Brindley Place with the adjoining 8 Brindley Place to create over 200,000 square feet of offices with serviced apartments and one of the largest floorplates in the city. Amenities include an on-site café, fitness facilities, a fitness studio and bouldering wall, storage for 100 cycles, electric vehicle charging points, and two communal roof terraces with impressive views. Associated Architects have created a bold new identity for the site. The façade was completely redesigned using 245,000 locally sourced bricks from a sustainable quarry. Each one was installed by hand to cover an area of 40,000 square feet. The system was constructed off an exterior steel frame consisting of a breather membrane, thermal insulation, fire cavity barriers, and helping hand brackets and rails. Grooves were cut into the bricks before they were slotted into these rails and mortar was then applied to all brick joints.The Leicester Grey Stock, Atlas Dark Grey, and Blue Glazed bricks selected complement each other and create a modern and distinctive aesthetic that responds positively to the renovated building’s Broad Street context. Floor to ceiling windows on the large floorplates complete the design, which blends impeccably with the nearby Metro line and adjacent development. The identity is also carried through to the interior styling. This interior, that boasts a striking double-height reception area, was developed in partnership with Willmott Dixon.In addition to its impressive appearance, the renovated Brindley Place also utilises smart building technologies to provide real-time energy monitoring. The building also has excellent thermal performance, achieved a high WiredScore and an excellent BREEAM rating. Occupier wellness is also at the heart of the new design. Indeed, Brindley Place was the first building in Birmingham to receive a Fitwel accreditation. In summary, this highly acclaimed urban redevelopment has both shifted perceptions of Broad Street as an address and set new standards for the reinvention of office space in the city. It has transformed the site and provides one of the most attractive and well-equipped office buildings in the country. 

La Roche Staircase & Cabochon Flooring.This magnificent staircase has been made in our masonry factory. Stoneworld use a digital templating system to record the necessary data from the site. This is then programmed into our water jet cutter, which precision cuts each piece of the staircase for a perfect fit. The staircase is made from La Roche Limestone in a brushed and honed finish. Note the bullnosed edges of the step treads, the matching risers, and the statement bottom step and riser.  Here the elongated step tread has curved ends and curved end blocks on the riser.The beautiful hallway floor has been made from La Roche limestone floor tiles in 900 x 600 format. However, in another part of the house a bespoke floor design has been created. La Roche has been used again, but with an accent tile incorporated into the design, made from Spanish Black Marble. The pattern has been achieved by water jet cutting every tile to the correct shape and size. i.e. each La Roche tile is 700 x 700 with corners cut off, and the Spanish marble tiles have been cut to 100 x 100.

The ChallengeThe design of two new This large urban regeneration project in Pennywell, Edinburgh, included 719 new dwellings. It comprised four different brownfield areas with existing communities between them, meaning that linkage with the existing communities is essential.Homes are arranged around a central open space within an area characterised by low density housing.The predominant material in the overall development is brick – chosen for its durable, long-lasting qualities and ability to introduce consistency and identity. Zinc cladding, white brick and render, with key entrances defined by coloured blocks, also feature.The SolutionThe design used a simple palette of materials and approach to detailing, to bring a consistent and clear identity. The focus is on attractive, simple proportions, both in the form of the buildings and in the development of the elevations.Two types of brick were proposed: one a red/brown multitone and the other a light brown/red multitone; to be used in conjunction with grey and dark grey rooftiles. The brick selected was Village Harvest Multi for it was consistent with the design and referenced developments nearby.The BenefitsThe architecture used throughout the development provides quality and variety.The buildings complement each other and create a distinct character and identity. The feature materials add to the rhythms and patterns in the elevations to create variety in the streetscape and mark key corners and frontages.The extensive development is a result of an investment of £42 million by the City of Edinburgh Council and includes £7.9 million grant funding from the Scottish Government.

We have over 250 different cast iron grilles available on our website in either bare metal or painted black. But don't let that put you off specifying cast iron because our website features products that are ready to be dispatched. Actually we can supply them in any colour you or your client requires. If it has a RAL number then we can do it. There's a charge and a week or so extra to bare in mind but if you're looking to make a statement or just to blend then get in touch...

Monarch Aircraft Engineering (MAEL) is part of the Monarch Group, the UK’s leading independent travel group, with core activities concerning scheduled airline operations, tour operations and aircraft engineering. MAEL maintains its own fleet of aircraft, as well as those of other airlines and the UK military. Due to business growth, in 2013 MAEL opened a new maintenance hangar in Birmingham. Hangars have traditionally had fixed docking solutions, where the aircraft must be positioned in place under overhead safety rails or lifelines. However, MAEL’s new hangar was built to offer far fewer restrictions as to working location.

For more than 60 years, Formica® laminate has created the atmosphere and heritage in a unique landmark on England’s north-east coast.

The proposed developments followed traditional timber kit design, consisting of an outer brick skin 50mm cavity, with an internal 140mm stud frame, and using mineral wool insulation minimum 20mm service void, finished with a plasterboard lining. The brief was to achieve air permeability less than 6m3/h/m².

Duke Court is a development of 37 affordable homes for rent, built on the site of Fred Styles House, formerly a sheltered housing block, providing 42 bedsits, that had been empty since 2013. The development is part of Royal Borough of Greenwich’s commitment to delivering new high-quality homes and sustainable communities.The new development of 29 houses, 7 flats and 1 maisonette creates a pretty neighbourhood of terraced houses running along Charlton Church Lane, and a series of mews streets which run perpendicular connecting into the urban fabric behind the site. Glazed screens lead into a generous open plan kitchen dining room. Stairs lead up to bedrooms and to a light and airy open plan living room with fully glazed screens leading out onto a secluded sun trap roof terrace.The buildings along Charlton Church Lane alternate in height between two, and three storeys. The houses are built from a beautiful soft and rustic brick that helps ensure that the new homes feel embedded and ‘worn in’ to the surrounding area. The brick selected was Forterra’s Ecostock Belgravia Gault Blend. Its varied tone is important for ensuring the new homes do not feel too monolithic adding visual interest, factors that were integral to reassuring planners that the brick would be sensitive to its surrounding context.Low cost, robust but high quality brick detailing is integral to the project. Traditionally built brick arches front a number of the homes and help create a semi-private space where people can put out pots and plants, wellies and umbrellas etc. Snapped headers create tightly curved external walls where the site requires thinner accommodation. Other brick details include projecting brick surrounds to pop-up windows, arched window heads, soldier and header courses, articulated parapets and beautiful angled window reveals on prominent corners.

Majunga Tower is a reinvention of an office block. The facades are articulated thanks to 3 bands, over 39 storeys reaching 195 meters high. This singular building has a double-skin envelop. It is made out of glass and aluminum, to allow natural light into the offices while keeping the views and a visual connection to its context. Our motorized BSO with C50 blades are integrated into this facade for complete adaptability of light and shades throughout the day. This efficient system cut lighting and air-conditioning energy consumption.

Our range of synthetic grasses and materials come in a large variety of colours and textures ideal for commercial flooring indoor and out. With our unique cutting service, we are able to customize any piece of grass with brand logos or patterns to provide eye-catching flooring that stands out from the crowd.

RESOPAL'S HPL Essential Wall 3562-RM was selected by RDA's team of design experts for table areas because of its realistic stone-effect look, reflecting the urban-industrial theme perfectly and dovetailing with other unique interior features including exposed brick and aged leather seating. The RM laminate texture, with its graining and pores, actually feels like the genuine material, whilst combining the benefits of durability and hygiene. BUILT Custom Burgers is the 'fast casual' version of the award nominated 'The Counter' in Glasgow, serving popular 'Build Your Own' burgers in a cutting edge urban-industrial interior.

Lazenby were asked to manufacture 80 completely bespoke pre cast concrete sinks for a new build office block in Kings Cross.The sinks were used in the male and female washrooms throughout all floors of the building. The sizes ranged from a 1900mm double vanity through to a 4 metre long, quintuple sink unit.All the units were cast with tap holes and a cut out for an undermounted bin chute. The joints were carefully placed to run through the cut outs to help make them as discreet as possible.The clients were looking to create a statement piece and so Lazenby created a bespoke blue colour that matched their vision. Multiple samples were created in a variety of shades before the final colour was selected.The durability and flexibility of concrete make it the perfect solution for busy washroom environments.

The Shield is a £18.4m development located on the east side of Newcastle city centre - a regeneration area previously occupied by light industrial buildings, a brick-build office and a warehouse. Comprising of three blocks of student accomodation extending seven storeys at Stoddard Street to the east, this scheme steps down to four storeys at Clarence Street to the west.This building features a refined palette of materials including brick, aluminium and bronze coloured cladding in a range of natural colours to animate the facade. Visible aluminium frame windows punctuate the mass of three blocks and provide a significant aesthetic impact. Installed in a vertical configuration to contrast with the cladding's horizontal lines, side-hung, open-out windows were mostly used with some top-hung, open-out vents - all fitted with exclusive TECHNAL hardware including locking handles and releasable restrictors. Visible Grid Curtain walling is also utilised in this project for its durability and design flexibility. Featured to enhance daylighting in communal spaces, it was installed at ground level alongside aluminium doors, and at height alongside the windows - adding interest by visually zig-zagging on alternate floors.Within walking distance of Northumbria University's City Campus East, and the main Newcastle University Campus, The Shield offers a mix of self-contained studio flats and en-suite bedrooms with shared kitchens and houses up to 400 students.

The ChallengeUntil recently, the Abbey Wood station in the London Borough of Bexley was a small Network Rail station serving the North Kent Line.A project to redevelop it would see it become symbolic not only for its regeneration effect on this part of London, but also as marking the geographical start of Crossrail, the most ambitious and advanced railway network in Europe.The SolutionThe new station, designed by Fereday Pollard Architects, would serve four new lines, including the new Elizabeth Line and South Eastern Rail Services. Ancillary design works include the implementation of an extensive urban realm strategy with Urban Movement, foot bridges and other structures along the 2km project.The design and vision for the station was successfully maintained through all the GRIP stages of this multidisciplinary project.Forterra’s Cradley Linear Bricks in a bespoke colour and size – 30,000 units over 22 different special types – were incorporated into the design. The warm tone of theses 50 x 300mm radial units complement the extensive use of exposed wood for the building’s interior and exterior.Neil McLafferty, Sales Manager for Forterra, said, “The bricks were based on the classic ‘smooth blue’ brick design for their distinctive colouring and size, but were also radial in shape.“This unique finish to the bricks, giving them each a slight camber, resulted in a slight curvature to the completed building, so that it resembled an amphitheatre. The blue bricks are also extremely compact and dense, ensuring they are robust and durable compared to standard bricks.”The BenefitsThe station design has created a new and vibrant architectural focus for Abbey Wood, and a greatly enhanced experience for those using the station.John Attwood, Architect at Fereday Pollard, said, “We opted for linear bricks as they emphasise the horizontal, for what is quite a high building in a residential area, making it more attractive. Using bespoke bricks brings the benefit of a more hard-wearing, robust material for this public building.“The slightly curved, cambered bricks were used specifically to interface with the timber used throughout the construction, while the blue brindle brick colouring also created a pleasing contrast with the timber.”

CALA Homes Sold on Tobermore Complementary Facing Brick & Paving SolutionCALA Homes developed Kinleith Mill, a beautiful and distinctive new housing development in Currie to the west of Edinburgh, and in keeping with the housebuilders high quality standards, the team wanted to ensure that the most appropriate building and hard landscaping materials were sourced for the site. CALA Homes has been developing aspirational and award-winning homes across the UK for over 30 years, earning the company an excellent reputation. Tobermore’s Scottish Sales team introduced the housebuilder to the superior facing brick and paving products produced at Tobermore which surpassed expectation. Tobermore’s timeless Lansdowne facing brick was selected for incorporation on the properties at Kinleith Mill and vibrant Pedesta block paving was specified as a complementary hard landscaping solution.Alan Cole, Commercial Manager at CALA Homes, explained Yeoman McAllister Architects design concept for the project: “The design was inspired by the sites history and the idyllic location next to the Water of Leith in Currie.“The development offers a unique collection of four and five bedroom detached homes, three and four bedroom semi-detached houses, three bedroom waterside terraced properties and a select group of apartments, all new to the CALA portfolio.”The exteriors of the Kinleith Mill homes were designed with a combination finish of facing brick and dash. Alan explained that their choice of facing brick was made very easy when they were presented with Tobermore’s Lansdowne product. Lansdowne undergoes a tumbling manufacturing process that produces a charming weathered look and is ideal for applications that require a warm, elegant finish.Alan commented:“The aged aesthetic created a rustic look and we thought it was the perfect choice for the style and character desired at Kinleith Mill. While the inside of the properties were designed with modern interiors and amenities, we wanted to bring a touch of tradition to the exterior.Alan Cole, Commercial Manager at CALA Homes“In addition, we examined existing projects that Tobermore’s Lansdowne facing brick was used on and it was clear to see that the product performed well over time and showed no fading or discolouration.” Tobermore’s Lansdowne offers excellent colour retention capabilities due to the fact that the best iron oxide pigments available are sourced to produce the vibrant colours available within the range to ensure that colour is retained throughout the lifetime of a product.As well as the buildings, Lansdowne was incorporated on the bridge which connects the homes to the tranquil countryside surrounding the development. This created continuity across the aesthetics on site.The landscaping was an important element on site as the exterior of a property is crucial when appealing to new home buyers. Alan noted: “Paving was an obvious choice for the hard landscaping requirement as we knew it would enhance the appearance of the site more so than alternatives such as tarmac. Paving also offered benefits in that it is hard-wearing and should any blocks ever need replaced in the future, it is relatively easy and inexpensive to do so.”CALA Homes selected Tobermore’s Pedesta block paving as an attractive and versatile hard landscaping material. Pedesta is manufactured with a stunning, smooth finish and a rectangular profile that allows the creation of distinctive laying patterns. Alan noted:“Pedesta was the ideal paving product as it offered a beautiful yet simplistic finish that complemented the brick façade of the properties.”Alan Cole, Commercial Manager at CALA HomesThe properties at Kinleith Mill were highly sought after, ranging in price from £450,000- £670,000.Alan reflected on the project: “We couldn’t have hoped for a better result. Kinleith Mill is another development which we are incredibly proud of.“The products and the assistance provided by Tobermore was first class and we would have no hesitation working with the manufacturer again on future projects.”

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.

Project involved decking a 350m2 the rooftop of a commercial block in the heart of the city. The owners wanted to create a roof terrace for staff. The customer chose the iDecking complete solution for it's superior look. Installation was carried out on an inverted roof. The contractor laid down a double layer of our aluminium frame onto Wallbarn MegaPad pedestals which provide a stable footing for the framework. The composite Moor Oak boards were stamped into position. Installers were able to achieve a great finish by accurately cutting the boards to fit neatly to edges and corners.

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

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. 

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.

Handley Street is a small, residential development located within the central conservation area in the Lincolnshire market town of Sleaford.Originally an old, derelict office block, the site now provides six new, much-needed starter homes for the town. Each of the high-specification homes offers two bedrooms, underfloor heating, bi-fold doors to a private garden, and off-road parking, all within a few short steps to the town’s high street.Planning restrictions associated with the conservation area required the use of traditional materials, including timber, sliding sash windows, slate roofs, chimney stacks and brickwork that would match Handley Street’s older buildings, which are built in a vibrant orange brick featuring textural deviation and which was excavated locally.For the new properties, Forterra’s Butterley Breckland Multi Reserve was selected as a good match to the older brick. Varying bonds, that show stretchers as well as headers, have been introduced in the main facing brickwork, complementing the older properties nearby.

The Burton Borough School development is a brand new sports hall for Burton Borough School in Newport, Telford. As this building will be used primarily by schoolchildren, it was especially important that it was built using a durable solution which can stand up not only against weather conditions, but is fully non-combustible.Ash & Lacy worked through Kynaston Contract Services with Pave Aways Building Contractors and TACP Architects to deliver for Telford & Wrekin Council a MechSlip façade employing Ibstock’s Himley Ebony Black brick. Developed in conjunction with Ibstock Kevington, MechSlip is a lightweight, mechanically fixed system that offers significant advantages including reduced installation times and associated costs, as well as being classified A1 (non-combustible) to EN 13501-1 fire testing standards by Exova Warringtonfire.This project shows some of the design versatility of MechSlip as well, with the projecting header pattern on the building’s front elevation being achieved by alternating between half bricks and full bricks to create a memorable impression which manipulates shadow well. MechSlip allows specifiers and architects to create distinctive façades thanks to the flexibility of different sizes of brick slips and choice of multiple colours and textures.As well as offering the reassurance provided by a mechanically-fixed design, MechSlip has been rigorously tested to the Centre for Window & Cladding Technology (CWCT) standards, for wind resistance, water tightness and impact resistance. The result is that it eliminates the weather dependency of traditional building methods without compromising on the choice of brick finish.

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.

Channel 4’s ‘Grand Designs’ featured Helifix masonry repair techniques to retain a 300 year old dilapidated stone barn. Built with rubble-filled Cotswold Stone walls, some 600mm thick, the unstable barn needed to be consolidated and strengthened to protect it during construction of the new subterranean house. The walls were consolidated by using 140 grouted CemTies. The installation of 340m of Helibeam reinforcement then created ring-beams around the structure. Existing window and door openings were temporarily blocked to permit continuity of the HeliBars, which were later cut and embedded into the reveals.

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.

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.