Vaulted glass roof brings sun-lit, year-round shopping to Newton Abbot

The open-air pedestrianised street of Newton Abbot’s shopping centre has recently been enclosed with a large glass roof from Pilkington, in order to create a bright space to be enjoyed all-year-round.

Originally built in the 1970s, the Newton AbbotMarket Walk shopping centre, was bought by Teignbridge District Council in 2016 as part of a £13m acquisition. This gave Teignbridge a greater ability to positively influence the future development of Newton Abbot’s central shopping district. As part of the acquisition, Teignbridge invested £2m in upgrading the centre.

The project involved upgrading the shopfronts and paving, including re-cladding units and installing new furniture to create a more modern, welcoming street-scene. 

A key part of delivering the architect’s vision for the scheme was constructing a roof that obstructed the view of the sky as little as possible. 

Consequently, a discreet steel structure of tension-chord-supported arched beams were chosen to hold Pilkington Planar™ structural glass units, which are attached to the spans with the system’s stainless steel 905J fixings.

The 4-point stainless steel Nexus castings allow the units to be anchored to the steel beams at the corner intersections by single bolts, minimising the hardware required and delivering a more unobstructed outlook.

The glass itself also contributes to the clarity, with Pilkington Optiwhite™ true low-iron glass being used to deliver a sky view with the most natural colours possible.

A total of 475 sq m of laminated glass was used in the project, featuring 10mm and 6mm glass sandwiching a Trosifol® SentryGlas® interlayer. The canopy is almost the size of two tennis courts, and from the perspective of a visitor at street level, the span of the roof recedes behind the roofs of the shops, helping to maintain the original outdoor appearance.

Tony Watson, interim head of commercial services at Teignbridge District Council, comments: “The investment we have made here brings Market Walk Shopping Centre up to the standards consumers expect from a modern shopping destination. The weather of course plays a major role in many people’s shopping habits, so we believe the pleasant covered space this project has created will be attractive to people all year round, to the benefit of local residents and business alike.”

Jason Eggerton, UK Specifications Sales Manager at Pilkington United Kingdom Limited, concludes: “This project is a great example of how the Pilkington Planar™ system can bring a contemporary architectural appearance to an existing building without altering its original character.

“The minimal framing means the glass itself becomes the most notable feature of the installation, rather than the hardware supporting it, allowing architects to use glass to enhance the functionality of spaces without impacting excessively on their aesthetics.”

Contact:

Pilkington United Kingdom Limited,
Greengate Works,
Sherdley Road,
St. Helens,
Merseyside,
United Kingdom,
WA9 5 DZ

Phone: 01744 692000
Fax: 01744 692569

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