Iconic London Bridge station, the oldest rail terminus in London and fourth busiest station in the country, reopened last year following a vast £1 billion redevelopment, which included multiple facades and glass lift shafts held together by Sikasil® structural silicone.
Over a period of seven years, the station underwent both refurbishment and expansion in order to provide commuters with a modern, spacious and fully accessible concourse, alongside new platforms to allow more trains.
Officially reopened by His Royal Highness, the Duke of Cambridge in May 2018, the transformed station has now passed the one-year mark since completion.
Thanks to Sikasil® SG-500 structural silicone adhesive, which was specified by architectural glass specialists OAG, the project’s curved 275m long two-phase façade on Tooley Street and double height façade at the entrance to the station continue to stand the test of time.
As well as being able to provide the strength of bond needed, the Sikasil® UV and weathering resistance meant it was the perfect product for long-term durability. Throughout the project OAG continued to work closely with Sika, who provided in-house testing at their specialist facility in Welwyn Garden City.
The project proved to be particularly challenging due to the large size of the glass panels and the fact that the façade had to be incredibly robust, able to resist strong pressure up to the level of a bomb blast. However, with the help of Sika’s expert technical team, they were able to identify the structural sealant bite requirements to meet their needs. Plus, vital in-house adhesion testing ensured the use of Sikasil® would result in excellent adhesion between the sealant and the relevant substrates. This thorough testing meant the bonded structural glazing met ETAG 002 European Guidelines, providing a safe and long-term solution.
The application was carried out by Structural Glazing Telford in their specialist factory. As a Sika Approved Applicator, Structural Glazing Telford’s expertly trained team, having used Sikasil® on a number of projects, were able to complete the application without any problems.
OAG carried out a vast range of installations at London Bridge. On the Tooley Street lower façade, 5.6-metre-high bomb blast panes of glass weighing 350kg were installed, and for the 250m long upper curved façade, suction cranes were used to lift the large panes of glass 18 metres from the ground. However, due to the tireless efforts on the onsite teams, alongside technical support from Sika, the project was completed on time and to the client’s specifications.
Sikasil® SG-500 was also specified for use on glass lift shafts inside the station by Vision Design Projects. Initially commissioned to design and evaluate the glazing for 9 Scenic Lift Shafts, Vision Design Projects developed a fixing-free glass alternative from what was originally a fully framed architectural design with aluminium extrusions. Utilising the properties of the Sikasil® product meant this design came to life inside the London Bridge station.
The application and bonding of the Sikasil® SG-500 for the lift shafts was carried out by Vision Design Projects in-house. As a Sika structural silicone specialist, their expert knowledge and experience meant the application went smoothly.
With the lift shafts needing to be assembled inside the concourse, the installation was required to take place at night in order to avoid major disruption to commuters. However, despite the challenging access conditions, the Sikasil® ease of use allowed for a stunning, seamless arrangement, impressing the client with the high-quality finish.
Andrew Hills at Sika said: “This prestigious project not only showcases the many properties of Sikasil® – robustness, longevity, ease of use, design flexibility – it also demonstrates the wealth of experience and expert knowledge of both Sika’s in-house technical team and Sikasil® Registered Contractors, and what can be achieved when the two work closely together. The end result is a stunning, securely bonded finish, which will last for many more years to come.”