YRM Architects’ concept design for new teaching accommodation at Brunel University certainly met the client’s brief for a gateway building onto the campus … but it also set a particular challenge for the installers of the Kawneer curtain walling.

The original plans were for a four-storey, almost semi-circular concrete frame of standard float floors with a convex glazed façade on the north side and a straight run of solid insulated blockwork with ribbon windows from Kawneer on the south side.

Early on, the design was changed to reduce costs by introducing shallower post-tension slabs with a design deflection of 15mm which was greater than any stick system design of curtain wall could accommodate.

Therefore to accommodate this deflection, the curtain wall system was hung from the roof level slab, allowing the lower floors to move independently in relation to the mullions by means of slip connections.

The system specified by YRM was Kawneer’s picture frame, face bead system – a factory glazed, bi-modular carrier frame design secured to a stick wall of mullions and transoms. A vulcanised gasket is pre-fitted around the frame which seals the all-important 14mm shadow gap between adjacent frames.

The challenge for the installers was that although they were experienced in all of Kawneer’s curtain walling, windows and door systems, they had not previously installed the PF curtain wall system or a curtain wall system requiring this method of installation.

The project manager said: “We were very happy with the end result because the building looks absolutely superb. The new way of working was a little difficult initially but once the head fixing was in place, the remaining mullions and transom grid followed in a speedily fashion.”

Work on the £10million project by main contractor Laing O’Rourke took almost two years but the end result is a building for the teaching of health and social care that is a stunning landmark at the eastern gateway to the campus in west London.

The 4,500²m of floor space is spread over four floors and a central atrium that are naturally ventilated to reduce energy consumption. This is achieved through a ribbon of Kawneer’s AA®600 high-performance windows at the rear, Kawneer rooflights in the atrium, and 5% mechanically-operated openable windows within the Kawneer PF curtain walling on the front elevation.

The benefits of using the PF face-bead curtain walling system in this respect are that the opening vents and fixed lights have the same external appearance so the façade appears as totally fixed glazing.

YRM said: “We specified Kawneer’s systems after full research of the available façade systems and theirs satisfied the requirement of the design. The glazed elements provide a clean and rational framework for the façade. The Kawneer materials provided a contrast between the solid and the open surfaces of the façade sought by our design as concept architects.”

Brunel University has been investing over the past few years in a multi million pound masterplan for improved teaching, research and sporting facilities at its Uxbridge campus that was built in the 1960s. There is an ambitious programme of construction underway and the Mary Seacole health and social care building is part of the ongoing developments.

Email: tracy@tlcpr.co.uk