Structural glazing solutions provided by WICONA

WICONA has worked with specialist contractor GLASSOLUTIONS to deliver a glazing and facades package for a flagship mixed use development in central London.

The specialist manufacturer of glazing and glass curtain walling has played a massive role in the 115,000 square ft mixed-use office and retail development at One Bedford Avenue.

The project saw two outdated office buildings replaced on the corner of London’s Tottenham Court Road, with the design concept for the building, from Bennetts Associates, to create energy efficient, versatile spaces that would maximise natural light throughout the seven-storey building, whilst also providing the best views possible.

WICONA’s WICTEC 50 Stick build curtain wall was selected for these demands; the system design ensured spectacular floor to ceiling glazing could be achieved and the extra narrow 50mm profiles further reduced obstructions to the views from the building.

As well as this, WICONA WICSTYLE 65 doors were installed to provide access to the building’s upper floor terraces. The versatile product, which features a flush leaf design, was used to replicate the aesthetics and integrate with the curtain walling.

Working alongside both main contractor Mace and GLASSOLUTIONS, a semi-bespoke window system was also created using WICONA WICLINE 75, with window profiles designed to guarantee the aesthetic and structural requirements of the development were met.

The incredible thermal and air-tightness performance of the windows, doors and curtain walling was a pivotal factor in achieving the building’s energy efficiency targets.

Both the WICLINE windows and WICSTYLE doors feature multi-chamber thermal insulation systems, allowing the building to meet the required U-values.

External access was extremely limited due to the location of the development being in a busy part of the capital and the site perimeter possessing a similar size to the building’s footprint.

To overcome these dilemmas, the GLASSOLUTIONS team developed an innovative sliding track system to move the glass units into place, so they could be installed from inside the building.

As well as eliminating the need for floor cranes, this method meant the installation team could remain safely behind perimeter protection at all times, whilst also freeing up the floor slab for other trades to operate safely.

John Foster, Commercial Director of Glassolutions’ Contracting division, commented: “The installation was a huge success and everyone involved should be very proud of the finished building.

“With the exterior glazing and curtain walling being such a key part of the architect’s vision for this spectacular development it was essential to select the right products to achieve both the required aesthetics and performance.”

Graham Hurrell, WICONA Director of Specification Sales, said: “The complex requirements of the One Bedford Avenue meant that a close partnership between WICONA, GLASSOLUTIONS and Mace was vital to complete the project on schedule and to the highest levels of quality while meeting the challenges that the site presented.”