星空传媒

Over 50 years ago the concept of pre-fabrication was heralded as the solution to beat the crippling housing shortages that faced the country in the immediate aftermath of the war. The result was the hasty construction of thousands of poorly designed structures that quickly fell into disrepair, resulting in lasting scepticism about the suitability of the method - until now that is. Over the last five decades the variety of systems that have become available, such as Timber Frame or Brick Cladding systems have all made huge strides forward in terms of technological advancement; but none have evolved more than Unitised Curtain Walling systems.

There still remains the generalised misconception that these systems are appropriate only for large, multi-storey projects and, as such, are by definition bespoke, complex and expensive. In reality these notions are far outdated, as the vast array of benefits they provide to the installer and client alike are in keeping with all the requirements of Modern Methods of Construction (MMC).

The AA 201 system from Kawneer, for example, has been especially designed to fit with today's fast paced construction schedules, which demand high performance, fast installation, simplified fabrication, superior performance and design flexibility.

Expedient installation

Modular by nature, Unitised Curtain Walling systems are composed of individual units or panels that are assembled off-site in factory-controlled conditions and then transported to site for immediate and expedient installation in accordance with MMC criteria. By manufacturing off-site a better quality finished product is the end result, as the entire panel has been assembled and sealed in a controlled environment rather than out on site, where it is susceptible to variations in temperature and weather.

The installation of fully completed panels dramatically reduces on-site time, as they do not require secondary fixing. Transportable directly to site they can be simply fixed into position, meaning building envelopes can be enclosed very quickly. Indeed, a team of five can install 250 square metres of Unitised Curtain Walling in a single day!

Choice of styles

The AA 201 unitised system gives the contractor a wide choice of styles to create individual and exciting building facades. Accommodating spandrel infill materials including glass, granite and metal panels, it offers two sided or four sided structural silicone glazing, fully capped or horizontal caps giving a horizontal emphasis or a vertical cap option giving a vertical emphasis. The AA 201 unitised curtain wall system is adaptable to any new construction project, and because it can be quickly installed in occupied buildings with minimal disturbance, it is ideal for refurbishment projects.

Stunning example

One of the most stunning and effective uses of Unitised Curtain Walling in the UK was Manchester's Lowry Hotel. The 拢30m scheme, located in Chapel Wharf, utilised 3,100 sq. metres of Kawneer Unitised Curtain Walling for the hotel's 164 bedrooms on the north and south-east elevations.

The curtain wall design posed a number of important visual and performance challenges, as internally the system needed to be highly transparent in order to maximise the views across the city, but also needed to retain a degree of privacy for the inhabitants. Whilst externally there was a requirement to provide a smooth, plane-like aesthetic with a horizontal emphasis, in order to reduce the apparent scale of the building in relation to the piazza.

In addition the project had a tight construction programme of just 12 weeks. To this end the Kawneer Unitised Curtain Wall, a high performance, prefabricated glazing system not previously used in the UK was specified for the project. This tight construction time required each part of the building project to occur simultaneously. The pre-fabrication of major design elements ensured that manufacture could take place off-site whilst the main structure was erected.