A full Knauf system
specification is being used in a landmark development on the site of the former
Athletes’ Village in Stratford that was a centrepiece of the 2012 London
Olympics.
Now known as East
Village, the site already accommodates more than 6,000 residents across 2,818
homes.
The first element of
phase two involves constructing two residential towers of 30 and 26 storeys
which will contain a total of 482 apartments. The project is unique as it
involves using the innovative “jump factory” method.
The self-contained
factory is constructed around the outside of the new building. Inside, the
residential tower is constructed floor by floor and when one is completed, the
factory is ‘jumped’ up 3.3m to the floor above to repeat the process, revealing
the completed building below.
Main contractor Mace
appointed subcontractors Conneely and AT Plastering to complete the drywalling
and plastering elements of the project and chose to use Knauf Fill &
Finish, Knauf Joint Filler, Knauf Airless Finish and Knauf Plasterboards as a
full system specification.
Dean Phillips of
Conneely said: “I always use the full Knauf system for projects so was already
familiar with using the products. I find the spray plaster very quick and easy
to apply.
“A representative
from Knauf always comes to visit us on site to provide assistance with the
product application. They are able to provide us with clear, easy to understand
information and I’ve not had any problems with using the full Knauf system
specification.
“Overall, using
Knauf was a good experience from start to finish in East Village and I’d
definitely use them again for my next project.”
Andrew Mansfield
from AT Plastering agreed. “Normally for a project this size you’d need 30-40
plasterers, but using the Knauf system we only need 15 spray plasterers. There
is also no need to have the typical 6-8 labourers to clear up wastage as using
Knauf Airless Finish means there is almost zero waste”.
He added: “It’s also
much easier to use compared to traditional plastering methods. The fact it is
pre-mixed is a big plus for us as normally you’d have to wait for around two
weeks after plastering before painters can come on site due to the cold temperatures
and moisture associated with completing a construction job during the winter
months.”
Knauf Airless Finish
only requires ventilation and a little bit of heat whereas traditional plaster
requires all the moisture to be drawn out before paint can be applied. The
spray plaster method allows us to expedite the whole process and helps reduce overall
costs for projects due to the savings gained from reduced time and labour.”
Manufactured from
crushed and milled marble together with polymer and organic binders, Knauf
Readymixed Finishing Solutions eliminate the need for a direct water supply on
site. The significant reduction in product wastage is achieved through the
ability to recycle any excess plaster back into the hopper to be used again.
“It’s definitely the
way forward,” says Andrew.
East Village is due
to be completed next year and Get Living London will manage the apartments upon
completion.
