Shackerley supplies complex facade for New Garden Square
A complex facade project involving two residential towers at the New Garden Square development in Birmingham has been completed using Shackerley’s SureClad® SureStone® cladding system.
The two residential blocks have exceptionally complex facades, with a total facade area of 6636m2. Shackerley’s SureClad® SureStone® is fire rated A2-s1,d0 to BS EN 13501-1 and was specified in two colourways; cream and grey.
Shackerley manufactured a SureClad®️ SureStone®️ facade system consisting of 7823 panels, and involved a variety of bespoke details, including ventilated panels and bracketed returns, which improved buildability, ease of installation, and consistency. Notches were created on the rear face of panels during the manufacturing process to aid positioning on site.
Shackerley manufactured 5,828 XL 3000x1200mm slab-to-slab spanning facade panels, each of which were just 20mm thick, weighing only 50kg/m2. A total of 1,995 mechanically-fixed mounted reveals were also custom-made to order at our ISO 9001 certified factories to the precise dimensions of the facade design.
Shackerley also custom-manufactured 210 vented panels, using water jet equipment to create the vent apertures in the flat SureStone®️ panels, delivering a precision finish with absolute consistency.
One of the most complex aspects of the facade was the bird boxes installed on level two and the top floor of each building. Eight bird box were manufactured to attract different bird species (5 sparrow and 3 swift) and Shackerley was required to mechanically fix custom-made sections of SureStone®️ material to aluminium bird box frames. The completed bird boxes were then fixed to the relevant facade panel within the quality assured environment of Shackerley’s ISO 9001 certified factories, before being delivered to site as an installation-ready facade detail.
Almost every panel manufactured by Shackerley involved a rake cut and the manufacturing requirements also included special angles for brackets and custom designed and manufactured brackets to meet the design requirements. Shackerley worked closely with the architects to develop the design and provide advice for achieving the design intent in the most cost-effective way, while considering buildability and safety.
Shackerley’s UK manufacturing facilities, advanced bespoke machinery, production capacity and expertise enabled a very complex facade to be delivered with efficiency and precision, with variations to the design and schedule accommodated throughout the programme.
The facade was installed by Datum Group using the SureClad® Hang On fixing system, which features pre-fitted aluminium brackets, secured to the SureStone® panels with stainless steel undercut anchors. Fixed brackets are located at the bottom of each panel and adjustable brackets at the top, enabling the installer to engage all brackets simultaneously with the horizontal rails and adjust the bolts on the top brackets as required to achieve precise final alignment.
