Reaching the stars with Aluprof’s observatory work

A visually incredible new curtain wall facade has been installed by Aluprof customer, Britplas, at Jodrell Bank Observatory.

Backed by an international collaboration of 12 countries, the Square Kilometre Array (SKA) Organisation have set up their new global Headquarters at the world famous location with funding from the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy, the University of Manchester and Cheshire East Council to oversee the delivery of the SKA.

The SKA, a new network of radio telescopes to be built in Australia and South Africa, will eventually have a collecting area of almost one million square metres working within the 50 MHz to 20 GHz range and will play a major role in answering key questions in modern astrophysics and cosmology.

The curtain wall on the North elevation is structural glazed and forms an attractive sawtooth stepped appearance, whilst other elevations are finished in traditional 50mm capping.

Aluprof systems used on the project included MB70 doors and windows and SR 50N curtain walling, with Trimo Qbiss cladding. The colour specified was RAL9011 from Interpon.

The £1.2 million installation was designed by architects Hassell and constructed by Sir Robert McAlpine.

Aluprof UK’s head office and extensive distribution centre is located in Altrincham, Cheshire, with the company’s products increasingly being specified on a wide range of residential and commercial projects nationwide, including Passivhaus projects.

Systems are designed, fabricated and installed by selected, specially trained local companies, to guarantee each fabricated product meets Aluprof’s stringent standards.

For more info, visit www.aluprof.eu or phone Aluprof’s UK offices on 0161 941 4005 for specialist advice.