The city centre regeneration developer, Clouston Group, responsible for Stephenson Quarter in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, along with the consultants and contractors, is transforming a four-hectare area of immense historical importance into a major new mixed use development, which includes a hotel, offices, residential, retail, leisure, public realm, city centre parking and other amenities.
Through one of its network of major regional contractors, Kalzip® became closely involved in delivering the cladding for a series of properties at the heart of the Stephenson Quarter, creating attractive as well as fully functional perforated facades and backdrops which will withstand the North East’s testing climate for many years to come.
The challenge
The site is centred on the former Robert Stephenson & Co works in Newcastle from where the famous Rocket locomotive first emerged in 1829. In creating this new mixed use development, Clouston Group and its team will not only need to conserve and convert important listed buildings, but also construct sensitively designed new ones to accommodate a range of businesses. They also had to contend with an often hostile climate including high winds and heavy rain, while frequently working at height as well as in a confined urban setting.
In terms of cladding solutions for elevations at Grade A office building, The Rocket, Stephenson Quarter multi storey car park and Crowne Plaza hotel, the project team were seeking systems which could offer both a striking visual appearance and very high technical performance standards, combined with consistent economic benefits. In essence a suite of modern materials and fixing arrangements which could transition and interface the modern constructions with a unique site from a pivotal period in the country’s industrial heritage.
“This was a challenging job given the city centre location and conἀned space, but with Kalzip’s assistance – the offloading and hoisting into position – everything went well with the deliveries. We get good logistical back up from Kalzip®. We have used Kalzip’s perforated facades before – it is very versatile and simple to install.” Derek Brown, Managing Director for Chemplas.
The solution
As well as the restored listed buildings where Robert Stephenson created his famed Rocket locomotive, the new development will offer several acres of public realm, leisure destinations and event spaces, making the backdrop of the buildings vital to the success of the venture.
As a specialist in the field of cladding and roofing, as well as a member of the UK wide Teamkal installer network, Chemplas was able to demonstrate to all parties involved that the Kalzip® products considered would meet the wide range of technical as well as aesthetic requirements for the work. Also that the various stages to the tightly programmed contract could be met in terms of the design, delivery and erection.
During the first phase of the work, completed last year, the cladding specialist installed 1,800m2 of Kalzip’s versatile and visually striking Kalzip® FC rainscreen system on the elevation to The Rocket and also on the new Crowne Plaza Hotel, in addition Chemplas installed 1,070m2 of Kalzip® perforated facades on the Stephenson Quarter multi storey car park.
The fact that both Kalzip® products have been developed as fully integrated product oᴀerings, backed by comprehensive design detailing and an integrated supply chain, helped ensure that the three phases to the work were carried out smoothly and successfully: on time and within budget. While the specification called for a high quality cladding and finish which will endure long term, the 18 month duration of the contract also required Chemplas to work at height in exposed conditions during Newcastle’s notoriously long winter months.
Therefore the key characteristics to Kalzip’s FC rainscreen system – including simple economic installation and a neat joint detail – were made more important. The cladding also had to co-ordinate well with window openings and other perimeter junctions.
Thanks to the attention to detail and the success of the installation by Chemplas, the scheme was highly commended in the ‘Best Kalzip® FC rainscreen project’ an‘Most Innovative Use of Kalzip® Products’ categories at the 2016 Teamkal Conference & Awards ceremony.