Last
year saw the completion of the Business School and Growth Hub’s new flagship
building on the University of Gloucestershire’s Oxstalls Campus, close to
Gloucester’s city centre, where the project team has made expressive use of
Technal fenestration systems including MX curtain walling.
This latest addition to the campus has been constructed
by sector specialist, Willmott Dixon while Austin-Smith:Lord LLP was the
architectural practice leading the design team.
Vision 2000 is the
Cwmbran-based fabricator which manufactured and installed the package of
Technal systems that also includes Technal doors and windows.
The new
extension to the state-of-the-art Oxstalls campus represents a £16 million
development that accommodates the University of Gloucestershire's Business,
Marketing, Human Resource Management, Law and Accounting and Finance courses as
well as University in Business and GFirst LEP.
The
Project Architect for Austin-Smith:Lord, Neil Farquhar, comments: “The
University of Gloucestershire always wanted the new Business School building to
be a showcase for the campus: with an efficient compact form of three storeys
that has been developed to maximise its location; signalling its presence from
the moment of arrival on the campus. As a result of which we worked to express
a range of features on the main elevations. This involved not just the
treatment of the main entrance, but also views of other areas.
“A triple height
atrium forms a central multi- functional gathering space, which is light filled
and has a high degree of transparency, aiding inter-connectivity and
communication. The atrium links the key spaces of the building including the
reception, external terrace and cafe, and is given further activity and
interest through the feature stair and Lynn Chadwick sculptures.”
For the atrium Vision
2000 employed the MX Roof System to create four large rooflights – the biggest
of which is eight metres square – covering a total area of 140m2.
The building also
features lines of clerestory windows atop each elevation, executed using the
Technal FY65 system, providing a number of opening lights for natural
ventilation. The overall U-value achieved is 1.52 W/m2 K.
The first and second
floor windows, totalling almost 300 m2,
were also fabricated using the FY65 system and are coupled together using a
special structural mullion section. This carries a special feature cap and
supports solar shading.
The curtain wall
screens at first and second floor level were fabricated using MX Capped and
again carry solar shading, while a 12 metre by three-metre-tall run of feature
screens were supplied in MX Toggle.
The ground floor
curtain walling again uses MX Capped, with PY and CD doors as well as FY65
windows inset. There are six pairs of doors set within the curtain
walling, plus two sets of automatic sliding doors to provide EA compliance.
While all of the
frames are finished in a RAL 7016 Dark Grey Matt, the glazing throughout
features Pilkington Suncool 50/25 glass for the south, east and west
elevations. The specification for the north side switches to Pilkington 66/33
glass. Also around the ground floor, the IG units contain a toughened
laminated inner pane for safety.
Technal’s MX suite of
curtain walling profiles offers contractors and consultants the widest set of
technical and practical benefits, as well as providing an aesthetic and very
durable solution for a variety of project types. The system has been tested to
provide excellent wind and weather resistance - as well as thermal performance
beyond the requirements of the Building Regulations; while enabling specifiers
to maintain consistent sightlines across complex elevations.
Simon Hagain, who co-founded Vision 2000 with Godfrey
Meese, reflected on the relationship with Hydro/Technal: “We have been using
the Technal brand since we established the company 18 years ago, and had
already completed the Hay-on-Wye and Llangorse schools for Willmott Dixon prior to tendering for the Oxstalls
Campus contract. In fact, we do a lot of education as well as commercial, large
scale residential and hospital projects across Wales, the South-west and the M4
corridor using Technal systems.”
Technal is part of the
Hydro Group, a world leader in aluminium solutions that also encompasses sister
brands Sapa and WICONA. Through its globally renowned Hydro Technology Hubs,
the group is shaping a sustainable future, with innovative products that satisfy
and surpass customer expectations, in line with demands of CSR and increasing
environmental regulations.
The Oxstalls project
is being delivered to BIM Level 2 and is set to achieve a BREEAM Excellent
rating, through use of a number of measures. The ultimate recyclability of
aluminium fenestration systems and the creation of natural ventilation within a
highly insulated envelope, and heat recovery all contribute to this score.
