Tag: System 23 P33 Louvres

Metal Technology solutions used in exceptional new Belfast student accommodation scheme

Posted on by Anna Rainey

The first Vita Student residence to open in Northern Ireland, the building boasts 269 beautifully decorated self-contained studio apartments with extensive breakout, social study areas throughout the building. The ‘all-in’ living experience includes utility bills, speedy connectivity, a state-of-the-art gym, bookable private dining and study rooms, a cinema, over 60 cycling spaces, and a design-led hub space for studying and co-working. The 15-storey building also offers amazing city skyline views via its roof terrace.

Situated on the corner of Bruce Street and Little Victoria Street, the property is ideally located to cater for students from Queens University Belfast and Ulster University. The project was a fast-tracked construction, completed within an 18-month construction period by McAleer & Rushe. Designed by TODD Architects with a red brick façade, the Vita Student Belfast building complements its existing surroundings and delivers a BREEAM Very Good rating.

Metal Technology’s architectural glazing systems were specified for the project via approved fabricator, Omagh Aluminium systems, delivering the necessary acoustic performance (due to its city centre location) and thermal requirements (a u-value of 1.4w/m2k) across the built glazed façade.

Metal Technology also designed a project specific solution to create continuous louvres on the external face of the façade and the windows utilised a new opening and safety control mechanism to facilitate safe operation of room ventilation for its occupants.

Metal Technology systems used: System 17 Curtain Walling, THERMAL System 5-35 Hi+ Tilt and Turn Windows, THERMAL System 5-20D Hi+ Heavy Duty Doors, THERMAL System 10-35 Hi+ Automatic Sliding Entrance Door and System 23 Glazed-In Louvres.

A new, inspiring learning environment for Craigmillar community

Posted on by Anna Rainey

Castlebrae Community Campus officially opened its doors in Spring 2022. The new 700 capacity secondary school, which has the potential to be increased to 1,200, was constructed next to the East Neighbourhood Centre and Library (a project Metal Technology also delivered for Hub South East Scotland).

Designed by JM Architects and delivered by Morrison Construction, this fantastic new building for The City of Edinburgh Council provides an exciting, inspirational and creative learning hub for the community. It forms one of the final pieces of a 20 yearlong regeneration project to improve housing stock and community facilities in the area. The development was very much a collaborative design, with numerous workshops and meetings to engage the community in the process.

The relationship between the interior and exterior of the building was crucial, developing a holistic approach to improve the learning, attainment and health and wellbeing of the community. Metal Technology Ltd supplied its System 4-35Hi+ top hung windows, System 17 curtain walling, System 5-20D Hi+ doors and System 23 louvres and were manufactured and installed by approved fabricator Avtek Ltd.

The project has been shortlisted for the following awards: Pupil/Student Experience and Inspiring Learning Spaces at the Education Estates Awards taking place on 18th Oct and Inspiring Learning Spaces at the Learning Places Scotland Awards taking place on 15th Nov.

Word has it that the pupils are greatly enjoying and benefiting from their wonderful new learning space and environment – what it’s all about! We’re delighted to have been a part of this build for the Craigmillar community.

(Photography – Cadzow Pelosi)

MT to supply its Passive House products for one of the world’s largest Passivhaus buildings

Posted on by Anna Rainey

The new Dunfermline Learning Campus will incorporate the relocation of a college and two schools: a new Fife College Halbeath Campus, St Columba’s RC High School and Woodmill High School. Due to open in 2024, the 55 acre, circa £220m ‘super-campus’ will accommodate up to 2,700 school pupils and 2,500 college students.

Designed by AHR Architects, the high school development is being delivered by BAM Construction for Fife Council and is one of the largest Passivhaus buildings in the world, at 26,666m². The schools form part of AHR’s and Fife Council’s journey to reduce energy use and carbon emissions.

Metal Technology has been appointed to supply its ‘next generation’ System 5-45 Hi+ Inward Opening Windows and System 17 Hi+ Curtain Walling. Both high performance products have been purposefully designed to meet the required Passivhaus energy-efficiency criteria and have been approved as Certified Components by the Passive House Institute, with System 17 Hi+ Curtain Walling achieving the highest ranking of A+.

Metal Technology’s systems are designed to perform seamlessly together to deliver the desired aesthetic and performance standards. Further products to be supplied for this exemplar campus include System 5-20D Hi+ doors, System 23 Louvres and LV023 Barrier Grilles.

Visit our Passive House section here

 

 

Belfast design-led flexible workspace refurb uses Metal Technology systems

Posted on by Anna Rainey

Redefining the traditional office environment, Eagle Star House has elevated Belfast’s flexible workspace to that found in New York or London. Now operating as Urban HQ, this 32,000 sq ft building accommodates more than 500 desks and includes light-filled meeting rooms, focus rooms, phone booths and a rooftop terrace that offers spectacular views of the city.

To realise the vision of developers Magell, Like Architects and main contractor GRAHAM Group collaborated to complete a major £4.5m transformation of this iconic Belfast City Centre building.

Fabricator Fortress SEFA used the specified Metal Technology systems in the replacement façade to achieve a totally different aesthetic and a u-value of 1.5w/m2k in conjunction with solar-control glazing. The curtain walling utilised various colour finishes, face caps and silicone pointing and ribbon tilt & turn windows glazing into insulated panels in the off-street areas, assisted in providing the necessary ventilation requirements. The project is subject to BREAAM assessment.

Systems used were: System 17 Capped and System 17 Silicon Pointed Curtain Walling and from our Thermal ranges, System 5-35Hi+ Casement Windows, System 10-35Hi+ Commercial Doors and System 23 Glazed-In Louvres.

Bespoke aluminium window profiles enhance Durham’s Milburngate

Posted on by Anna Rainey

For developer Arlington Richardson, architects Faulkner Browns has designed a £120m masterplan for Milburngate, a landmark living, working and leisure destination which is set to transform a prime location in the heart of the World Heritage city centre of Durham.

For main contractor Tolent Construction, Metal Technology worked closely with fabricator Entec Design carrying out project specific acoustic testing on its 4-35 Hi+ Casement window suite to meet the required specification as well as the design of bespoke extrusions for this prestigious contract. When complete, the total façade and glazing fenestration will encompass over 5,750 m2 of Metal Technology’s curtain walling, window and door systems.

The masterplan comprises luxury apartments, bars, restaurants, a boutique cinema and a 92-bed flagship Premier Inn hotel. A range of open amenity spaces feature courtyards, and streets with panoramic views across the River Wear towards the city’s iconic landmarks, creating a vibrant destination for residents and visitors alike.

Across the Milburngate buildings, Entec are utilising Metal Technology’s System 17 Latitude curtain walling with bespoke capping, System 4-35  casement windows, System 10-35  Commercial door and framing, System 26  bi-folding doors, System 9/10 Automatic bi-parting doors, System 23 louvres and System 22 brise soleil.

 

Imagery courtesy of Milburngate

In the fast lane with Craigavon’s new multi-million pound South Lake Leisure Centre

Posted on by Anna Rainey

An expansive multi-use sports and leisure facility, South Lake Leisure Centre is one of the most significant recent investments in health, fitness and wellbeing in Northern Ireland. Designed by McAdam Design Ltd and undertaken by ABC Council, the cutting-edge building has been specifically designed for people with disabilities, providing accessibility for all users.

Located overlooking the stunning Craigavon Lakes, South Lake Leisure Centre features a brand new 50 metre, eight-lane swimming pool, a young children’s indoor leisure water feature, a 1,000m² state-of-the-art gym, as well as a multi-court sports hall, squash courts, multiple studios, soft play area, a health & wellbeing suite and an on-site café. It also incorporates an outdoor water sports provision offering a wide range of water based activities including windsurfing, water skiing and paddle sports.

Metal Technology Ltd supplied its architectural glazing systems for the project through approved fabricator D&K Architectural Systems to project supply chain partner Farrans. The façade glazing package included its System 17 Curtain Walling, System 4-35Hi+ Thermal Casement Windows, System 5-20DHi+ Thermal Doors, System 22 Brise Soleil and System 23 Louvres. As showcased by this development, all of Metal Technology’s systems are designed to perform seamlessly together to deliver the desired aesthetic and performance standards.

 

Commenting on the project, Tony Rosbotham, Architectural Advisor / Business Development Manager at Metal Technology says, “The design team wanted to deliver large grids of curtain walling to provide as much of a glass wall façade effect as possible and this was achieved by installing larger mullions and transoms from our suite of profiles. A bespoke Brise Soleil bracket was also utilised to integrate our solar shading solution into the curtain walling. We are delighted with how the façade looks aesthetically and the level of light introduced into the building through the large panes of glass, which is great for a public use facility.”

Metal Technology’s glazing solutions offer complete design flexibility for creative expression, with the assurance of value engineered structural, weather and security performance.

 

 

 

A low carbon design approach for Queensferry High School

Posted on by Anna Rainey

The 1200 capacity, £40m Queensferry High School was delivered by Hub South East in partnership with the City of Edinburgh Council, with Morrison Construction appointed as main contractor. Ryder Architecture has created an innovative and sustainable learning environment for the school’s students, with funding from Scottish Futures Trust (SFT) helping to ensure a low carbon design.

The building features state-of-the art heating and lighting to ensure optimum classroom performance, placing student wellbeing at the forefront of the design. Incorporating a six-lane pool, dance studio, fitness centre, larger games hall and floodlit 3G pitch, the school has also been designed to sit well within its semi-rural context.

A wide range of Metal Technology’s high performance, aluminium glazing systems were specified for this superb new education facility, and were designed to cope with the marine environment and provide enhanced security to PAS24 standard.

Curtain walling and brise soleil solutions were supplied to allow for naturally ventilated classrooms with individual MVHR (mechanical ventilation with heat recovery) units to keep carbon consumption to a minimum and meet the thermal model demands of the building.

Products used were: System 17 Standard Capped Curtain Walling, System 17 Latitude flush silicone pointed transom and capped mullion Curtain Walling, System 4-35Hi High Insulation Top Hung Windows and Automatic Opening Vents, System 5-20D Thermally Enhanced Doors and System 23 Louvres.

The complex needs of the natural ventilation strategy to complement the Low Carbon brief, necessitated detailed evaluation of the free air provision for all areas through the technical assistance of Metal Technology, working in collaboration with Ryder Architecture and Consultants.

We’re proud to have been part of the collaborative team behind this environmentally sustainable high school. This innovative build showcases how Metal Technology’s systems are designed to perform seamlessly together to deliver the desired aesthetic and performance standards.

 

Sky high in architectural glazing: Liverpool’s landmark Horizon Heights

Posted on by Anna Rainey

This flagship new build student accommodation development, comprising over 1,000 bedrooms across two tower blocks of 21 and 19 storeys, is located on a cleared brownfield site opposite Liverpool’s Lime Street Station.

The development is a mixture of cluster and studio flats with communal areas and ground floor retail space. It is part of a detailed landscaping plan that will revitalise the retail area and enhance the pedestrian experience for both locals and visitors to the city.

For the client Unite Students, architects Falconer Chester Hall designed the two towers to respect the local context of both the train station and the nearby buildings in the aesthetics and materials used and specified Metal Technology for the façade. It is the largest single building completed to date by this developer and architect with a material palette which includes aluminium cladding, a series of perforated panels and curtain walling with window inserts.

     

For this project with an installed value of £7m, Metal Technology also worked closely with fabricator Walsin for main contractor McAleer and Rushe and developed a bespoke chamfered 230mm curtain wall cap which was used to create a pod around the perimeter of the glazed curtain walling.

Products used were Metal Technology’s System 5-35    Tilt turn Window suite, System 17 Curtain Walling with bespoke cap, System 23 louvres (P33) and System 5-20D  door.

This significant BREEAM ‘Excellent’ rated scheme won the Student Accommodation award at RICS Social Impact Awards 2020 and is a finalist in the Tall Buildings Awards 2020 for “Best Tall Building Architect”, which recognises professional architects or architectural organisations who offer detailed explanations into technical and creative reasoning behind the specification of particular materials and systems.

Metal Technology MD Calvin Wilson said “working collaboratively with Walsin to bespoke this challenging technical solution for such a signature building is evidence of our capabilities to deliver a project to meet advanced design demands and we are delighted to have our systems showcased in such a landmark development”.

All Metal Technology’s systems are designed to perform seamlessly together to deliver the desired aesthetic and performance standards. Used individually or together, they offer complete design flexibility for creative expression with the assurance of value engineered structural, weather and security performance.

 

Metal Technology provides architectural definition for Bertha Park High School

Posted on by Anna Rainey

Metal Technology recently delivered its specialist architectural aluminium systems for use at Bertha Park High School in Perth, Scotland’s first new secondary school in over 20 years. It is set to become one of the most advanced schools in the UK and beyond, due to investment into innovative technologies.

Designed by NORR Architects and built by Robertson Construction, the significant education project selected Metal Technology’s systems in order to meet the security, thermal, and airtight design requirements, as well as the desired ventilation strategy.

The state-of-the-art facility, which has been designed to accommodate up to 1,100 students, perfectly showcases Metal Technology’s striking full height System 17 curtain walling façade, as well as a range of other specialist products.

In order to fulfil the specific needs for structural integrity and comply with thermal enhancement needs, Metal Technology’s System 4-35Hi Windows and System 5-20D Doors were included in the construction. Its System 23 Louvres were also utilised in order to create the desired aesthetics whilst also providing sophisticated light, as well as natural ventilation.

As Bertha Park High School is a newly constructed school for a new catchment area, rather than a replacement of an existing educational establishment, there were no restrictions on the design of this key project. This allowed for the use of Metal Technology’s specialist products, which expertly combine aesthetic with function.

Having supplied the education sector in Scotland for almost 30 years, hundreds of schools have been completed showcasing the exceptional properties of Metal Technology’s architectural aluminium systems. Used individually or collectively, they offer total design flexibility for creative aesthetics with the assurance of value engineered, structural, weather and security performance.

 

 

The Maldron Hotel Belfast Uses Metal Technology’s thermal range

Posted on by scaffold

The Maldron Hotel, Belfast, which is one of city’s newest hotels, has created an efficient and sleek construction using Metal Technology’s latest architectural glazing technology. The hotel is a recent addition by the Dalta Hotel Group, one of the largest hotel operators in Ireland. With the use of Metal Technologies products, some of which are a part of their  range, the Maldron Hotel is also set to be one of the most heat efficient in the city.

Utilising Metal Technology’s thermal range has given the Maldron Hotel the advantage of polyamide thermal break technology, which means that heat transfer through each product profiles are significantly minimised. The thermal products used for the hotel were the System 5-35 High Performance Thermally Enhanced Tilt & Turn Window, System 5-20D Door System and System 17 Capped Curtain Walling.

These products in the thermal range further boost thermal performance through specially designed thermal gaskets and foam profiles. The purpose of this is to reduce radiation heat loss across the air cavities within the product profiles to provide them with additional thermal enhancement. All of this ensures that Metal Technology’s products aid the Maldron Hotel in keeping with the latest thermal requirements of the current building regulations.

The other products Metal Technology created for this project were the System 23 P33 Louvres. These were designed for the Maldron Hotel with the intent of providing a pleasing aesthetic appearance at the same time as providing natural ventilation and controlling.

All Metal Technology systems are designed to perform seamlessly together to deliver the desired aesthetic and performance standards. Used individually or together, they offer complete design flexibility for creative aesthetics with the assurance of value engineered structural, weather and security performance.