Tata Steel’s new A1 fire-rated wall cladding system, Urban Seam® Façade has been used alongside its standing seam roofing and cladding system, Colorcoat Urban®, for The Waterfront development in the coastal town of Shoreham-by-Sea.
The systems have helped to provide a distinctive and durable finish to different properties within the development, whilst maintaining a sense of continuity in the overall design.
The Waterfront from Hyde New Homes utilises a disused plot next to the River Adur and creates 120 new homes. Built by PMC Construction and designed by HGP Architects, the development also includes commercial space, communal courtyards and a riverside café. The Waterfront is part of a wider, 15-year regeneration scheme in the Shoreham area that will include new leisure facilities and improvements to the harbour.
“It was important that the different buildings and property types had their own identity but had common elements that linked the whole scheme together,” explained Matthew Edwards, Associate Director at HGP Architects.
“Using the steel standing seam for the cladding, roofing, balcony edges, oriel windows and other details helped create a sense of continuity. Urban Seam® Façade and Colorcoat Urban® blends perfectly with the copper cladding, London Brick, timber and glass that feature heavily in the design.”
Due to the potential uncertainty around the cladding regulations at the time the scheme was being designed, it was important to ensure the fire performance of all cladding elements exceeded the current requirements. Also, due to the tight layout of the site and the mixture of apartment blocks and lower storey houses it was essential that the Urban Seam® Façade and Colorcoat Urban® products were adaptable to meet the requirements of the building regulations.
“Although the block on the north end, now known as Cormorant House, was under 18 metres high, we needed to make sure that the cladding was tested and fire-rated to the highest standard. Urban Seam® Façade offered the ideal solution, especially with the updated BBA certification in 2019,” added Matthew Edwards.
The Urban Seam® Façade system consists of a high-quality steel standing seam mounted on a profiled steel deck.
This steel deck replaces the continuous plywood or OSB backing board usually used in fully supported standing seam cladding and means the new system has an improved reaction to fire rating of A1. This makes it ideal for low- and mid-rise residential apartment blocks.
Furthermore, due to the development’s proximity to the coast, the durability and longevity of the roofing and cladding was also a consideration. Both Urban Seam® Façade and Colorcoat Urban® are manufactured from high quality pre-finished steel that features a Galvalloy® metallic coating for exceptional corrosion resistance and cut edge protection. The longevity and performance of this coating is covered by a Confidex® guarantee of up to 40 years.
“We knew from previous projects that we could achieve the required look and finish with Urban Seam® Façade and Colorcoat Urban®,” said Rob Clarke, Pre Construction Manager at PMC Construction.
“The systems were simple to install on all areas of the scheme and we were very pleased with the help and support we received from Tata Steel right from the earliest stages of the project. This included full product training for our installation teams.”
Gordon Crichton, Business Development Manager at Tata Steel concluded: “The Waterfront project demonstrates the versatility of our systems and their ability to provide a modern, safe, durable and cost-effective alternative to both other metal systems and more traditional materials. We are delighted to have been part of a development that is such an important element in Shoreham’s ongoing growth and regeneration.”
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