Lewisham Exchange has been a hugely positive project showcasing offsite construction and brick slip cladding technology.
The construction site has changed dramatically over the years, with safety, sustainability, efficiency, and legislation all driving factors that have led to product innovation and materials used, affecting how construction methods are approached. But now, developers and contractors are looking at other means to make gains.
Most notably, the construction process and method itself. As such, offsite construction has increased in popularity thanks to its various benefits from a cost, time and waste saving perspective, and efficiency of construction, storage, and labour. For Lewisham Exchange, offsite construction was primarily chosen due to the time saving properties and cost benefits provided. However, the development did not concede on design or aesthetics, instead, improving on these key aspects contrary to what might be expected from a modular constructed, offsite build.
The development stands more than 100m in height at its highest peak, making it the tallest modular student accommodation building in Europe. It is built from 3D volumetric structural modules, which were completed offsite by specialists Vison Modular. The twin-tower block structure consists of 35 and 20 storeys and accommodates more than 750 student apartments and around 70 affordable homes.
Meanwhile, its commercial properties at the foot of the structure achieved an 'Excellent' BREEAM rating, putting them in the top 10% of buildings from a performance perspective. Constructed by Tide Construction using 3D volumetric modules enabled on-site construction to be streamlined and contributed to the impressive 35-week completion of the brick slip cladding installation by Century Facades Ltd, who also carried out the window installation offsite.
The modular build saw the housing 'pods' manufactured in optimal facility conditions, including windows, which were then delivered to site where they were erected around the building's lift cores. Then, once ten or so stories were complete, the external envelope's Mechslip cladding was constructed in unison, chasing the finished pods up the building. Offsite construction not only ensured time saving benefits compared to more traditional methods of concrete or steel frame, but also quality of product with each one being manufactured in optimal facility conditions for consistency of quality.
Furthermore, sustainability efforts were achieved through the reduction in transportation movements to and from site meaning less trucks needing to complete journeys for the finalised modular pods. Mechslip was chosen for its exceptional A1-rated fire accreditation and innovative natural brick cladding aesthetics. These benefits overcome difficulties with competitor products that in the past have either not been fire accredited or from an aesthetics perspective, look unnatural with clay extrusions which can't compete with Ibstock's eye-catching, real cut bricks.
Importantly, the development also breaks the narrative surrounding modular structure builds and their limited design availabilities that come with the technique. Lewisham Exchange showcases incredible architectural and aesthetically pleasing detail thanks to the Mechslip cladding technology. The Lewisham Exchange development is an example of how innovative technologies such as Mechslip can combine with the increasingly popular offsite construction processes to make real-world gains on sustainability, time, and cost efforts across a modern new build – all without compromising on aesthetics and quality.
For more information visit: www.mechslip.co.uk
