Virtually the entire range of architectural aluminium systems from Kawneer is being installed on the landmark mixed-use Islington Wharf in Manchester to meet three essential requirements – good thermal and acoustic performance and the movement inherent in the 21-storey tower.

The range of products was performance-specified by Kawneer-approved installer SG Aluminium for Phase One main contractor Laing O’Rourke to deliver the £27.5 million design by Broadway Malyan architects for 200 apartments, two leisure units totalling 572m² and five smaller commercial units totalling 140m².

The Kawneer systems being used on this new waterside community are worth approximately £2 million in themselves and include the ACS 40FSG framing system, AA®100 dry-jointed curtain walling, AA®601 casement windows, 190 welded door , 603 tilt slide door and 505 swing doors.

The sandstone and copper tower is on a three-acre site next to the New Islington Millennium Community where the developer Isis Waterside Regeneration already has outline planning consent for a further 300+ apartments, a 1,245m² food store, additional shops and leisure units, and an option for a 100-bed hotel.

Isis is a joint venture company between British Waterways, AMEC Investments and Morley Fund Management’s Igloo regeneration fund and Phase One at Islington Wharf is due for completion next year.

SG Aluminium are installing large panes of glass, some up to almost eight square metres and weighing 580kgs, which were subject to solar control requirements, stringent U-values and demanding acoustic performance. The large curtain wall shards projecting into the sky are hung off the structure by brackets specially-designed to accommodate excessive building movement.

Some particularly disciplined sequencing has been necessary to enable the installation of the glazing and cladding to be carried out by the same mast climbers. Tower cranes are also being used.

Email: tracy@tlcpr.co.uk