MechSlip enables projects to advance quickly without having to compromise on aesthetics or safety.
Castle Park View in Bristol, one of the tallest residential buildings in the city, had an ambitious design and short timeframe for completion, necessitating an innovative cladding solution. It is the flagbearer for Bristol’s multimillion pound regeneration project, offering 300 build-to-rent homes and 75 affordable dwellings in the city’s newest and now tallest building.
A1 rated MechSlip enabled architects Chapman Taylor achieve the ambitious timeline by employing a modern unitised design, with the BBA accreditation affording additional peace of mind.
Aiming to meld historic features with modern architectural and building practices, Chapman Taylor, brought to bear innovative building products from some of the UK’s most renowned manufacturers to enable the stunning design.
Consisting of three sections, a 10-story block connected by a lower building to a 28-story tower, the development provides a business centre, reception and leisure facilities for residents, all while holding the record for Bristol’s tallest building, standing at 98m tall. The most striking feature of the new development is its cladding – with brick facades interspersed with long stretches of glass – which envelopes the development in a modern design with classical throwbacks.
Chapman Taylor identified MechSlip as the right solution for a development the size and scale as Castle Park View, recognising the need for a system which combines safety, aesthetic appeal and ease-of-install, while, crucially, specifiable at height.
All told, MechSlip provided a litany of advantages over competing cladding solutions for Castle Park View, not least its A1 fire rating, certified by UKAS accredited laboratory Warrington Fire. With the cladding on high-rise accommodation facing increased scrutiny post-Grenfell Tower, Chapman Taylor were able to rest assured that they had specified a system which had been stringently tested in a real world environment.
By utilising both Ibstock brick and Ash & Lacy high-grade aluminium support rails, MechSlip therefore contains no combustible parts.
What’s more, with lightweighting a key concern for the development, MechSlip, at more than 50% lighter than traditional masonry, enabled a significant reduction in overall structural load, while the genuine Ibstock Brick finish provided an elegant tone, in keeping with the wider local vernacular.
Products Used:
Mechslip Brick Cladding System
Click here to view the relevant A1 certificate
