Curtain walling in the community
A double-height curtain walling system, measuring approximately 7.2m high x 9m wide, manufactured, supplied and installed by Structura UK forms the main facade to the new, purpose-built, £3m Croydon Adult Learning and Training (CALAT) education and community centre in New Addington, Surrey.
The curtain walling consists of Schüco’s FW60+ aluminium facade system and small section, double glazed windows incorporating an outer pane of Pilkington’s new 6mm, Eclipse 33/40 Advantage, blue/green, toughened, heat-soak tested glass. Structura UK is the first company in the UK to use the special glass for curtain walling on this scale in a public building. The mullions and transoms are capped in aluminium in a RAL 9006 silver metallic finish.
The architects, Architon LLP, wanted a secure, easily maintained, faceted curtain walling system providing high levels of thermal and acoustic performance, and solar shading. A design prerequisite was to achieve spaciousness and flexibility within the centre, and to ensure light floods into the central hub of the 1350m2, two-storey building.
For CALAT’s rear entrance, Structura UK manufactured and installed a pair of automatic swing doors, and used Schüco’s FW50+ profile together with Pilkington’s special glass for the curtain walling. Brackets manufactured by Structura UK support the brise soleil.
Schüco’s AWS 60 system was used by Structura UK to supply 27 double-glazed, high performance window units for ground and first floor levels. Security bars have been fixed to all ground floor windows.
As part of its £230,000 contract, Structura UK also provided a single, automatic, swing pass door located to the left of the main facade, and 11 sets of fire exit and louvre manual swing doors.
The main contractor was Haymills and the client was Croydon Council.
