City skyline

A new landmark 16-storey tower in Sheffield designed by Cartwright Pickard Architects is one of the first UK applications of Technal’s MX faceted curtain walling system.

Developed by Urban I and constructed by ROK, this fully glazed residential tower has regenerated an important brownfield site on a main gateway into the city and overlooking the River Don.

Fabricated and installed by Dortech, the Technal curtain walling carries clear low-e glazing to the vision areas and insulated glass panels with a ceramic coating in a striking palette of four shades of blue. Used in a random pattern for a shimmering effect, the opaque units conceal the building structure and add interest to the face of the building.

The use of the MX faceted option allowed the architects to express the curve of the building, which is accentuated with the specification of smaller panel sizes. The MX system was sufficiently flexible to accommodate both an opening light and a louvered vent in one 850mm wide unit, for uninterrupted floor-to-floor glazing.

The project is also the first application of Technal’s new MX62 curtain wall. This latest option for MX Visible Grid features a 62mm module, which allows specifiers to accommodate larger dimensions and maximise natural light. Here, it was used to provide large spans of glass to the bar and restaurant unit on the ground floor.

A dark grey cap for the system complements the blue ceramic-coated panels, and clear external glass creates a more reflective finish for the facade. Around 250 of Technal’s FXi65 top hung aluminium casement windows were inserted into the curtain walling to naturally ventilate the apartments.

Peter Cartwright, director of Cartwright Pickard Architects, said: “Our aim for this project was to provide a building that would stand out on the city skyline and become a strong urban landmark.”

“Our solution was to design a facade with innovative use of colour, detailing and a high quality specification that would also complement the surrounding industrial architecture. We are delighted with the finished scheme.”

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