100 embankment is the second building of a two-phased development on this vibrant site, situated at the historic centre of Salford and overlooking Manchester cathedral and Deansgate. It completes Flanagan Lawrence’s work on the regeneration of the Greengate area, linking Manchester and Salford across the river Irwell with the redevelopment of the viaduct.
The scheme is arranged on a series of levels, with a Grade II Listed sandstone viaduct forming a grand base for two office buildings which will sit at plinth level, nine metres above. The modern steel and glass office buildings appear as lightweight highly polished jewels, sat above the robust historic façade of the railway embankment.
The existing and newly created perimeter arches are retail units, intended to revitalise the public realm, while the interior of the podium contains a state-of-the- art multi-decked car park.
“The nine and ten storey office buildings above form an important gateway to a major new square beyond the railway,” explains a spokesperson for Flanagan Lawrence. “Accessed via a processional route up Cathedral Approach, the buildings are located within a dynamic urban context which optimises its southerly aspect, inviting office workers to enjoy a calm, green environment.
“A commitment to sustainability by the client requires the buildings to achieve a BREEAM ‘Excellent’ rating, as well as achieving an efficient thermal performance which improves on current Part L requirements.”
The 11-storey, steel-framed project is led by BAM Construction and specialist building envelope contractor Prater; the latter renewing its partnership with unitised curtain wall specialist, AEL.
100 Greengate is a development by the joint venture partners Ask Real Estate and the Richardson family. Located on the site of Manchester’s historic Exchange Station, and overlooking the city’s Cathedral, the development sits at the heart of the joint city centres. The location offers a wide variety of retail, cultural and leisure opportunities and is well served by a range of public transport options, with Victoria Station and Metrolink in close proximity.
After the successful delivery of the 101 Embankment office building in Manchester in 2016, Prater was appointed by BAM to provide an external package for the neighbouring 100 Embankment.
Prater delivered unitised curtain walling, rainscreen cladding and Glass Reinforced Concrete (GRC) feature panels. It was working with key members of its supply chain including Kawneer, Interpane and Schuco and all were involved from an early stage to ensure successful collaboration.
“We are incredibly pleased to be working on the historic Greengate redevelopment once more,” commented Miguel Santos, Pre-Contracts Manager at Prater, “We are looking forward to collaborating with both BAM and our key supply chain partners on this project to deliver the same high standard as 101 Embankment – its sister building.”
PSP Architectural manufactured 192 panels for this project and the majority were produced on a flatbed CNC machine which offers high tolerances and very sharp folds, whilst the curved elements were bespoke fabrications.
These A2 fire rated ACM feature channel panels included a backing support grid which was specified to ensure it allowed for thermal and floor movement but also for ease of installation onsite.
“PSP were extremely approachable and helpful in finding solutions to overcome technical glitches,” said William Morrison, of Prater. “Although being competitive is very important, perhaps more so was achieving the brief on this project.
“The architect’s intent asked for panels up to 6m long which would achieve a flatness that would avoid the appearance of ‘oil-canning’. In addition, the panels had to be sufficiently robust so as not to distort when being manhandled into position.
“PSP achieved all of this while remaining competitive and meeting the tight timescales. After this experience we are confident that our relationship will last for a very long time.”
Dowsil sealants have been supplied by the Sherwin Williams Company to one of Dow’s leading Quality Bond customers, Architectural Engineering Ltd (AEL).
While the structure of the podium skyscraper shows elements of rainscreen cladding and glass reinforced concrete, AEL’s high performance curtain wall package encloses the four main elevations.
A total of 1,164 panels – featuring a 350mm deep aluminium channel covering the floor zones – were installed, making a total area of 7,000m2. The façade’s assembly and installation included the use of Dowsil 993 Structural Glazing Sealant to bond the glazing elements, as well as Dowsil 791 Weatherproofing Sealant for all of the weather-sealing applications.
Additionally, all of the insulating glass units (IGUs) were assembled by sub-contractor, Interpane, using Dowsil 3363 Insulating Glass Sealant - specifically formulated in response to modern architectural designs featuring larger glass areas. This product is ideal on tall buildings where wind and other loads are generally higher.
The two-part neutral curing, high modulus silicone sealant is twice as strong as conventional products while also facilitating faster unit assembly and greater durability.
As part of the Quality Bond procedures, both AEL and Sherwin Williams conducted tests, before and during the contract period, including assessment of a trial rig comprising the structural glazed units and the aluminium feature panels. The largest glass panels used measured 1,646 by 3,296 mm while the ‘bite size’ for the structural glazing was 12 by 6 mm, with individual units weighing up to 300 kg. There was also the additional challenge of manufacturing and installing a variety of curved panels designed to different radii.
Dowsil 791 is a specially developed weather-proofing low-modulus silicone sealant: available in clear as well a white, grey, black brown, bronze, stone, buff limestone and anthracite. It is suitable for un-primed application to glass, metal, masonry and other porous or non-porous substrates, which offers +/- 50% movement of the original joint width, making it ideal for expansion, perimeter and other joints.