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CAP
Towers at Centenary Plaza
Architectural
glazing manufacturer and installer, CAP Aluminium,
has won accolades for its £3m worth of spectacular glazing systems
on Birminghams latest landmark building, £76m Centenary
Plaza for developer Kings Oak (Midlands) and Weedon Partnership architects. Main
contractor was Laing ORourke.
Standing
20 storeys, Centenary Plaza is just Phase 1 of a £450m redevelopment
of Arena Central, the huge, city centre regeneration site. CAP glazing
enclosed 387 one, two and three bedroom apartments, penthouses, business
suite, gymnasium and entrance.
Using a bespoke Kawneer window system, each luxury residence has large
tilt and turn, double glazed, picture windows and swing balcony doors.
Set into a pre-cast, concrete, sub-frame some windows are full height
[6m x 2.5m] while other apartments have 3m glazed corner units which
offer cinemascope views over the city and the countryside beyond.
From the 12th to 20th storey CAP completely clad the building. The
companys designers had to adapt Kawneers window wall system
as there was no existing sub-frame. An aluminium powder-coated
feature panel was also fabricated and incorporated into the walling
system.
Because of the companys design and installation experience CAPs
site programme was text-book efficient. All the windows and doors
were fabricated off-site at CAP and lifted externally at a rate
of approximately 30 composites per fortnight one floor, per block,
per fortnight. Frames were hoisted by crane and external access was
gained by cradle. Above this progress was more complex as the structure
had a highly engineered, self-supporting façade.
Due to the proximity of Birmingham New Street station, one of
Centenary Plazas facades had to be enhanced with 6mm + 10mm double
glazed units [6mm+6mm on the rest of the building] to provide acoustic
comfort.
For the entrance, business suite and gymnasium CAP also provided a bespoke
fin version of Kawneers curtain wall.
Tel: 0121 525 1000
Email: mailto:enquiries@capaluminium.com