Recent redevelopment of the food court
at Kings Mall Shopping centre, on a five-acre site in London’s Hammersmith
area, exposed up some interesting and
complex challenges.
As part of the ongoing development, the
new residential apartments above the shopping centre were being adversely
affected by light pollution and lack of privacy from visitors looking through
the food court atrium.
To solve this problem, owners and
developers Schroders decided to install Kalwall translucent cladding around the
whole of the atrium. This screened the external courtyard above, thereby
mitigating the issues around privacy, while maintaining the maximum levels of
interior daylight.
Installed in a Verti-Kal pattern, the
Kalwall panels complement the industrial feel of the redevelopment and its hard
concrete and stone surfaces, while providing several benefits for shoppers and
residents alike.
This project perfectly illustrates the
advantages of Kalwall over traditional glazing. Here it offers complete
line-of-sight protection, maintaining privacy for the residents and controlling
light pollution, while bathing the interior with diffused daylighting, regardless
of the weather. The panels are lightweight but very durable with excellent
resistance to impact and scratching. They are also vandal resistant with good
protection against windborne debris.
In addition, Kalwall’s insulating
properties mean that U-values down to 0.28 can be achieved while daylight is
driven deeper into the interior space below, thereby reducing energy costs for
both artificial lighting and temperature control.
The exterior face is colour stable and
includes a UV resistant, self-cleaning surface. This means that normal rainfall
helps to keep the surface free of dust and dirt while at the same time
retaining the original colour during the weathering process. All this helps to
reduce the costs of maintenance and cleaning.Case studies and technical
information are available from Structura UK Ltd on tel: 01233 501 504 or by
visiting www.structura-uk.com/kalwall
