PRODUCT SECTION 55
mullions using a special single stage cladding that clips on to the specially- designed lower track.
Clear structural glass was originally spec-
ified, but the new design required only 4 mm + 4 mm laminated glass to retain a clear view, without the need for posts. An added advantage of the system, par- ticularly for high-rise buildings, is that panel replacement, if needed, can be done quickly and safely from inside. Panels are supplied up to 1.2 metres in length for ease of transportation and installation.
LIVING SPACE Ballymore Group’s building envelope man- ager, Mark Jackson, comments that bal-
conies are a desirable addition to apart- ments, “as they create an additional, practi- cal living space where occupants can sit outside and relax.” Jackson continues: “The clean lines of the aluminium hand railing and glass pan- els create sharp-looking balconies that re- ally enhance the external facades.” According to Effi Wolff, managing direc- tor at Balconette, the company felt there was a gap between very expensive struc- tural glass systems and the traditional posted balustrades. He comments: “The research we have undertaken with con- sumers told us overwhelmingly that their reason for wanting a balcony was to enjoy the view, so it made sense to try and re-
move the obstructions.
“The engineering for the new system was developed in-house, with what is effectively a concealed cantilever construction running through the handrail. We decided early on that aluminium had important advantages over stainless steel – not only in terms of weight but also in terms of longevity. Even marine grade stainless steel begins to show corrosion after a few years, but aluminium is virtually immune.”
In addition to the 377 balconies, Balconette supplied a glass balustrade design for the scheme’s social housing element, replacing the original wrought iron concept.
Enq. 185
HBDONLINE.CO.UK Enq. 186
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60
