"curtain"

Llanelli based Atcost Windows (Wales) Ltd won the contract to manufacture and install the glazing for the redevelopment of Oriel in Port Talbot. This striking development has provided 41 new affordable energy efficient homes situated above retail shops in the heart of the town centre. Kestrel Aluminium Systems worked closely with Atcost to ensure the successful delivery of their part of the re-development project. The contract saw the installation of the Kestrel’s 60mm window system, low rise curtain wall system and thermal commercial doors.

Designed by AHR, built by Vinci Construction and installed by our approved specialist subcontractor APiC UK Ltd, Kawneer supplied its fully integrated tried and tested AA®100 and AA®110 Curtain Wall Systems, AA®190 TB Doors and AA®720 Windows to aid the redevelopment of the project. Kawneer’s energy-efficient, and aesthetically pleasing products ensured that the performance of Northgate matches its striking appearance. A use of terracotta on the project subtly references at Chester’s Roman past.

Kawneer’s aluminium AA®100 zone-drained curtain wall and thermally superior AA®720 entrance doors feature on all elevations of Unit 216 at the UK’s leading science park, while AA®190 TB severe-duty doors have been used on the main entrance. The unit was taken back to a concrete shell and rebuilt with a brick and glazed façade by main contractor Hutton Construction and is now the new home for Amgen, one of the world’s largest independent biotechnology companies.

Premier Security & Fire fabricated and installed three Secured by Design steel security gates and fencing for instructing clients MDP Communications Services at their project in King’s Cross, North London.Premier’s gates have been tested by the BRE (Building Research Establishment) achieving LPS1175 SR2 security status and sit alongside our dual-certified LPS products in a portfolio of more than 250 designs, including communal entrance doors, screens and curtain walling.Check out our website for more information. www.premier-ssl.com

Location: Hemel Hempstead, HertsProject Type: Local Authority OfficesDevelopment Cost: £11.2mProduct: Aluminium Eaves SystemSecret Fix Soffit PanelsMonocoque Support System & Curtain-Wall Surround​Finish: Syntha Pulvin RAL 2001 MattFire rating: A2 s1, d0 Non-combustible (Reaction to Fire EN BS 13501-1:2018)Client: Dacorum Borough CouncilArchitect: Aukett SwankeMain Contractor: R.G.Carter LtdSub Contractor: Drayton Windows Ltd

The former Mardyke Estate in Rainham, east London, has undergone a substantial transformation to make way for a new residential development, Orchard Village. Circle Housing has invested £80million to redevelop the old housing estate, creating 555 new homes to meet local affordable housing needs. Designed by PRP Architects and developed in its entirety by Willmott Dixon, the project specified AluK aluminium curtain walling, window and door systems throughout all four phases, three of which have been completed.

Senior Architectural Systems has had a starring role in the creation of the new Arc Cinema in Daventry.The new cinema’s welcoming frontage has been created using a combination of Senior’s thermally-efficient slimline SF52 aluminium curtain wall system, alongside the company’s robust SPW501 aluminium commercial doors and stylish low U-value PURe® SLIDE doors. Designed to offer the perfect balance between daylighting and thermal comfort, Senior’s fenestration package was fabricated and installed by supply chain partners Acorn Aluminium for main contractor Willmott Dixon.The cinema has been designed by Marchini Curran Associates and the extensive use of glazing floods the main entrance, restaurant and bar areas with natural light during the day, and creates a show-stopping effect at dusk. The dark grey powder coated frames of the doors and curtain wall systems also perfectly complement the exterior façade design of grey and white cladding with feature multicoloured panels. The new Arc cinema in Daventry has been created as part of the wider £12.5m regeneration of the town centre.Senior has played significant roles in other cinema projects over the last few years, delivering the aluminium fenestration packages for the new Savoy cinema complex in Doncaster as well as completing work for the national chain Everyman.

Architectural glazing systems by Kawneer were specified as a “key aspect” of the new regional head office of British Sugar’s parent company, the FTSE 25 Associated British Foods (ABF), for their pedigree and quality.CPMG Architects selected products from all of Kawneer’s portfolio for the building on a 4.5-acre site at Cygnet Business Park, Hampton, Peterborough, which would enable the relocation of almost 400 people from ABF businesses locally (AB Sugar, British Sugar, AB Mauri, ABF Ingredients and ABF) with the addition of purpose-built conference and training facilities and a showcase central reception area. Kawneer’s aluminium AA®100 SSG (Structurally Silicone Glazed) curtain walling features on the ground floor reception, meeting/conference spaces and south-facing restaurant/café while AA®100 mullion-drained curtain walling has been used on the first and second floor open-plan offices of the three-storey building.In addition, the 5,755m2 (GIA) building features ultra-thermally efficient AA®720 doors, large (3m high by 9m wide) AA®3572 sliding doors and over-sized (2.4m by 0.7m) AA®720 parallel opening windows, all installed by approved specialist sub-contractor Norman & Underwood.

The Quadrangle building in the historic heart of Cheltenham, once a 1970s landmark, has been completely transformed into a contemporary mixed-use commercial development featuring exclusively AluK window, door and curtain walling systems.Designed by AWW Architects from their Bristol studio and completed by Beard Construction, it now features an inner courtyard, ground floor retail space, four storeys of open plan workspace and the town’s first rooftop restaurant.The fenestration package was absolutely key to retaining the design language of the original building within a more contemporary aesthetic, whilst also meeting the requirement for improved thermal efficiency, more natural light and better natural ventilation.Having been impressed with the design and quality of AluK products on previous projects, AWW specified a comprehensive mix of AluK systems at the Quadrangle – the SG52 capless curtain walling system to give a frameless appearance to the retail façade, the more conventional SL52 capped curtain walling system for the courtyard area and rooftop restaurant, the GT55 system for the entrance doors, and the tried and trusted 58BW window system for the 400+ windows fitted into the existing openings around the façade.The entire fenestration programme was carried out by AluK fabricator Aluminium Sashes, which used its extensive experience in the repair and replace sector to overcome the challenges inherent in surveying, fabricating and fitting windows into openings which, in many cases, were irregular in shape and form and not aligned with the concrete slab finish.Aluminium Sashes worked closely with AluK at planning and detailed design stage to achieve the contemporary look for the façade that the client and architect wanted. For example, where the original windows had a transom and modesty spandrel panel below, the slimmer sightline replacements replicated the line of the transom but with fritted glass below to provide a similar level of privacy with more natural light. They also designed a solution for fixing the anthracite grey windows to the metallic bronze louvre sections specified to break up the uniformity of the façade, give users the option of manual ventilation and to provide fresh air and exhaust points for the AHUs. The reinforcing bar in the windows has effectively become the carrier bar for the louvres and gives the impression that there are two colours in one window panel.

Architect: Redbox Design GroupMain Contractor: Tolent Construction Installer: Metcalfe Roofing & Building Services LtdStone: Cebecca LimestoneThe Sunderland Hilton Garden Inn, on the banks of the River Wear, is a 141 room hotel featuring MX curtain walling as well as Aztec 20mm Cebecca limestone Ventilated Rainscreen. Designed By Redbox the architects wanted a light and spacious building without the need for a heavy support system. The glass and limestone mix imparts this vision perfectly. Completed in 2016 The Aztec system was installed by Metcalf Roofing & Building.

The new sixth form college located at the site of the city’s former Masonic Hall has been sympathetically restored and extended to provide a number of new facilities, whilst maintaining the building’s architectural grandeur. The construction materials for the new build elements were carefully specified to both complement and enhance the existing Italianate Villa style. Doors, windows and curtain walling from Senior’s innovative Hybrid range, which features aluminium on the exterior to provide a durable and low maintenance solution and engineered timber on the interior for a natural look and feel, provided the perfect solution.

Fern House Extra Care, built on the site of the former Bingley Hospital in West Yorkshire was designed to complement the existing streetscape and provide a wonderful living environment. The 49 extra care apartments, plus 30 residential bedrooms to support people living with dementia feature Senior’s timber and aluminium composite Hybrid range, to give the scheme a domestic and homely feel. The development also benefits from Senior’s thermally efficient SF52 aluminium curtain wall and SPW 600 windows to help reduce heating costs and maintain a pleasant ambient temperature for residents.

The new 4-screen Everyman Cinema in the town centre of Altrincham was created by refurbishing a vacant former retail unit. Designed by Fusion DNA, the striking building envelope features Senior’s high-performance, fully capped SF52 aluminium curtain walling. With exceptional thermal efficiency and attractive slim sightlines, the SF52 system created a welcoming entrance to the venue and a bright and attractive interior for the first-floor bar and restaurant. The new cinema also features Senior’s robust SPW501 commercial aluminium doors, which are ideally suited to high traffic retail and leisure schemes.

Designed by Leonard Design Architects the Waterside Apartment scheme is a luxury residential development on the banks of the River Trent, and a pivotal part of the wider regeneration of the area. It comprises 121 luxury apartments and duplex penthouses, with offices and leisure facilities on the ground floor. To make the most of the breath-taking views, an extensive high performance fenestration package was specified from Senior Architectural Systems. This included thermally enhanced SF52 Curtain Walling and SPW600 Windows plus Senior’s patented PURe® SLIDE aluminium doors renowned for their innovative thermal break and outstanding energy efficiency.

Our modular Stainless-Steel Balustrades offer a luxurious aesthetic as a result of the natural metallic sheen and precision-engineered detailing. Another benefit of incorporating our Stainless-Steel Balustrades is that they are completely resistant to fire and retain their strength at high temperatures. Our Brise Soleil Solar Shading grilles provide a modern, durable and maintenance-free alternative to curtains and blinds and are also A1 Fire Rated. Robin Hughes, Castle Retirement Living’s CEO, says about Neaco’s contribution “good quality products and great people to deal with. We’ll work together again”.

QIC Trims, a leading manufacturer of trims for the interior fit-out sector, has designed window fitting solutions for one of the tallest residential projects in London - Foster + Partners' 50-storey Principal Tower in Shoreditch. The company helped the architectural team design and extrude in excess of 5,000 linear metres of bespoke Blind Box housing for roller blinds and curtains in the development's one and two-bedroom apartments. The product had to be turned around efficiently and quickly so as not to impact a tight site programme. Further projects are now in the pipeline with the development team.

The project for the offices is positioned at one corner of the existing production building. For acoustic reasons, the volume is detached and surrounded by gardens and planted facades.For the façade and to mark the identity of the brand, 3dny Studio got inspired by the relation with the fashion industry of the company using leather jackets fringes as reference.Behind this curtain facade, the volume is fully glassed. Our B-Box roller shades are used to protect the large openings over the triple height of the hall. In association with a Polyscreen ® 351 in White color, it maintains comfort and views and become part of the graphic façade.

As part of a £14 million redevelopment of Bolton’s Market Place Shopping Centre, the extensive historic vaults that lay beneath were uncovered and developed into bar and restaurant units. Bolton Gate were engaged to design, manufacture and install nine collapsible steel gates which spanned the openings some of which were arched and in keeping with the surrounding metalwork, a clear powder coating was applied over the galvanised substrate to match. In addition to the vault gates, Bolton Gate also supplied a series of roller shutters, smoke and fire curtains in the upper development of the project.

This development includes large areas of external elevations & soffits cladded in Accoya. Accoya was also used for the Brise Soleil canopy detailing on the drive-through lane & the double height curtain walling pictured on the front elevations. For this natural aesthetic the pre-finished Accoya profiles were given one (natural plus-ctec) base coat & three top (sansin translucent) coats. As one of the most durable products on the market, Accoya is the ideal material for projects such as this. Accoya is 75% less likely to shrink & swell in variable weather, allowing it to retain its structural integrity.

The newly opened £24m Torfaen Learning Zone in Cwmbran is a showcase for AluK’s SL52 capped, mullion drained curtain walling system, complete with punched open-in windows in the thermally efficient AluK 77IWE casement system. Part of the Welsh Government’s 21st Century Schools and Education programme, it is the new home of learning for all those aged 16 and over in Cwmbran and caters for 1300 students. It has been built on a brownfield site in the centre of the town and will form part of a wider development, also set to include offices, a hotel and retail and hospitality outlets.

Designed by Chaplin Farrant The Nest is a new community sports facility funded by the charity partner of Norwich City football club, to help improve the health and well-being of local residents.The development includes an impressive refurbished clubhouse with changing rooms, physio room, event and conference spaces plus a café and IT suite. Senior’s SF52 aluminium curtain wall and SPW600 aluminium windows have been used throughout the new building to give a light and airy feel. For inclusive access and security, a combination of SPW501 aluminium commercial doors and SD automatic sliding doors were installed.

The aim of £12M refurbishment and remodelling of the 1960s Octagon theatre in Bolton was to make the building fully accessible, improve acoustics and provide new facilities for community use, upgraded performance areas and new front of house and back stage amenities. The design from JM Architects includes a 5-storey rear extension and an impressive modern new façade created using Senior’s thermally efficient SF52 curtain walling. This has been seamlessly integrated with SPW501 aluminium commercial doors for the new high traffic entrance and foyer, together with SPW600e aluminium windows for added daylight and ventilation.

Sutcliffe Park Sports Centre built in a Nature Reserve rich in wildlife, was designed to work with its surroundings and enhance the environment. This was achieved with a low-profile building to reduce the visual impact featuring a sleek and stylish façade sympathetic to its parkland location. Senior’s aluminium slim profile SF52 curtain wall, thermally-efficient SPW600e windows and SPW501 robust commercial doors give the centre a light and modern interior, whilst Senior’s bifolding Ali FOLD patio doors provide a comfortable viewing area plus easy access to the centre’s newly refurbished athletics track.

The University of Birmingham School was the first academy free secondary school to be assigned to a particular university. This is a new model of education, bringing together the best of university research and teaching best practice in secondary education. Technal aluminium windows were specified for this project in a 210mm high module to achieve the required available air flow and light transmission. Aluminium Commercial Doors were specified to achieve robustness and increased thermal insulation. Aluminium Curtain Walling was also used to deliver more natural light into the project without sacrificing weather performance, thermal insulation and ease of fabrication. 

Designed by Faulkner Browns architects, the new £21.6 million, 3-storey all through 1000 pupil school was created using a steel framed structure to speed up the build. Senior’s SF52 aluminium curtain walling was chosen as a lightweight option for the exterior façade and was used throughout the building and extensively to form the full-height atrium which allows plenty of natural light to enter the school’s inner zones.Together with ultra thermally efficient PURe® casement windows, the enhanced thermal efficiency of SF52 ensures a comfortable learning environment and helps keep heating and lighting costs to a minimum.

Designed by Page and Park, this £21 Million project involved refurbishing the existing atrium space and constructing a stunning new 3000 sq.m. three-story building.  Inspiration was taken from the stunning location on loch Airthrey. Blending seamlessly into the landscape, the exterior features granite rainscreen, grey stone cladding and Senior’s SF52 curtain walling, chosen for its elegant slim sightlines and enhanced thermal performance.  Sustainability was further enhanced by installation of Senior’s patented ultra thermally efficient PURe® windows with an innovative thermal break, and robust SPW501 Doors, certified to PAS24 and Secured by Design standards. 

The University of Nottingham’s Advanced Manufacturing Building used TECHNAL GEODE MX 52 Visible Grid Curtain Walling, SOLEAL FY 65 Windows and PY 55 Doors. Selected by architects Bond Bryan, the TECHNAL aluminium systems offered a cost-effective, thermally efficient solution that was backed by outstanding technical support both prior and during construction. The state-of-the-art training and research facility, located at the entrance to the Jubilee Campus, has enhanced the University of Nottingham’s Faculty of Engineering. The building features teaching facilities, laboratories and workshops, and houses the Rolls-Royce University Technology Centre in Manufacturing Technology.

A range of CS louvre solutions were selected for the Met Office HQ in Exeter to ensure efficient airflow and protection from wind-driven rain ingress. The RSH-5700 louvre delivering Class A rain defence up to 3.0m/s was installed in the sloping façade of the main building. This model is available with an optional glazing frame detail for easy integration into curtain walling. For the IT building, where airflow delivery was a key specification factor, the A-3105C ventilation louvre offering continuous blade appearance and hidden mullions was selected. This product offers Class 1 airflow performance and low pressure drop.

The award winning building has been designed to blend within the context of the Victorian sea side town but also be a contemporary feature to signal a brighter future for the town and has been designed to achieve a BREEAM rating of Excellent and an EPC rating of A.The four storey building has been designed with Aluprof MB-SR50N and MB-SR60N curtain wall systems around a central atrium space which distributes natural daylight through all working areas of the building from the external facade which also incorporate feature fins and MB-59S windows.Architect: AHRDeveloper: MUSE

From industrial wasteland to a future oriented, energy efficient, smart living environment, residents at Fenman House adopt a development of 76 stunning apartments by award winning property developer, Argent. Designed by a world renowned team of architects including Maccreanor Lavington, and interior designers like Johnson Naylor, thoughtfully chosen materials were selected due to flawless aesthetic appeal and sophisticated functionality. Gira was elected to provide an unparalleled lifestyle through full intelligent control of lighting, climate, curtains/blinds, fire safety, eco efficiency and door entry for the residents of Fenman House.

The facade of Rollercoaster House is made up of render, a curtain wall system and Hardie® Plank cladding. It is the first time that site manager David Tomlinson has worked with the product, who states that the coastal environment conditions were the main factor when deciding which type of cladding to use. ‘With timber, David says, ‘however good a product you are going to get, it wouldn’t have had the same lifespan as Hardie® Plank at the end of the day. PVC discolours, especially the darker colours, but I am expecting and hoping that Hardie® Plank will stand the test of time.’

The multi-million pound UK headquarters of TPP (The Phoenix Partnership) in Leeds was purpose-built by contractors ISG and designed by Bowman Riley Architects. The frontal elevation of traditional Yorkshire stone with pitched tiled roofing contrasts to a rear façade featuring a contemporary appearance with extensive curtain walling. neaco supplied bespoke balconies and external balustrade to both sections, combining traditional-style railed infills with a contemporary twist in the form of tapered flat-bar stanchions with laser-cut holes. This combination has achieved design consistency across the building whilst harmonising with the contrasting aesthetics of the front and rear.

University of Wales in Swansea has invested £8million into the refurbishment, restoration and extension of the Grade II listed former Central Library building to create the new Institute for Sustainable Design. Devised by Powell Dobson Architects, the development incorporates a stunning twin wall façade featuring AluK curtain walling systems, complementing and adding a new dimension to the original design. The modern, double skin façade extension provides an additional 657m2, and incorporates a new reception entrance, workshops, teaching spaces and design studios. The original circular reading room has also been restored and made available as a public venue.

The BREEAM Outstanding visitor and heritage centre at Tata Steel’s factory in Port Talbot, South Wales is a showcase for AluK’s SG52 and SL52 stick curtain walling systems.The thermally broken systems were used at various points around the £12m development, which is located at the main entrance to Tata Steel’s 16km2 site also houses stores and training facilities.AluK’s structurally bonded SG52 system was used for the expansive glass façade that dominates the front of the main building, while our capped SL52 system was used for the smaller sections at the side and rear with doors and opening lights incorporated.

The architects Willmore Isles of Bristol had to work closely with the local planners to demonstrate a design for the Pittville Campus which was sympathetic to the surrounding buildings and would sit comfortably within the streetscape. AluK aluminium window and door systems were integral to that design, providing a timeless, contemporary aesthetic which suited both the refurbished and new build areas of the development. Products included; 58BW top swing casement windows for the 577 student rooms, GTB55 TB commercial entrance doors and fire exits door for the eight separate accommodation blocks, and SL52 curtain walling for the refurbished communal areas.

Project type: RestaurantLocation: Rutland Street, Ilkeston, DerbyshireProduct: Shadex 100 Brise Soleil Horizontal Support method: First Fix Brackets: Through CladdingFirst Fix Brackets: Curtain-walling MullionsFirst Fix Brackets: Blockwork, Before RenderFinish: Syntha Pulvin RAL 5012 Matt Light BlueFire rating: A2 s1, d0 Non-combustible (Reaction to Fire EN BS 13501-1:2018)Architect: Peart Bradley ArchitectsContractor: Coxmoor Projects LtdSub Contractor: R. & J. Projects Ltd