In March 2020, we were contacted by a major UK-based contractor to review the masonry support designs of a residential-led development in West London.

The team on site had noticed that the movement joint was being crushed, and brought us on as consultants to carry out a full review. Through our assessment, we found that the loads being experienced were significantly higher than had been allowed for, with loads in some areas as high as 35 kN, when as little as 11 kN had been expected.

In essence, the masonry support for the project had been under-designed. Crushing of the movement joint meant the masonry façade didn’t adequately allow for movement that would occur as a result of temperature and moisture content, a problem which could ultimately lead to the brickwork cracking. A thorough redesign was required and had to be turned around quickly, not only to ensure the project didn’t suffer serious consequences down the line but to avoid costly delays elsewhere on the site.

In construction, efficiency is always of the essence. With this project, however, the pressure was immense. We were proud that our flexibility and determination meant we were able to deliver success and lift the contractor from a challenging situation.

Despite being contacted initially as a consultant, we were brought on straightaway to restart the entire project. The existing masonry and support had to be stripped out and our own installed, and with the project falling significantly behind schedule as a result, everything – including the design work – had to be done at record pace, to help make up the time lost. 

An additional layer of complexity presented itself during the process of having our designs approved. To avoid a repeat of the previous miscalculations, designs that would usually require only minor comments were being subjected to heightened levels of scrutiny. Ultimately, the system held up. Whereas most fully welded systems are rigid, ours was advantageous in that it’s fully adjustable, covering all site tolerances by offering vertical adjustment, lateral adjustment and horizontal adjustment. As a result, we could work at speed and operate with enough flexibility to complete the project on time.

West London Masonry Support Project

Regent's Crescent view from the Regent's Park side

Whilst the Grade I listed crescent facade is a characteristic of the Regent’s Park, due to the Second War damages, it was not viable to retain it. Following extensive research and consultation, Studio PDP decided to rebuilt it – but in the traditional way. There were many complexities and challenges to both the design and construction. The curved site is bounded on three sides by busy roads, including the central London artery of Marylebone Road. A further challenge for this complex project involved mitigating the effects of vibration from the four London Underground lines that pass beneath the site.

Designed by John Nash in the 19th century, Regent’s Crescent is a historic site adjacent to Regent’s Park. Following the building’s damage during the Second World War, the buildings were reconstructed in the 1960s. Following this reconstruction, 

 was recently tasked with redevelopment of the site to comprise sixty-eight new apartments and nine mews houses to the rear.

Studio PDP Regent's Crescent case study

CFS launches patented facade restraint system

, structural engineers working on the project, were looking at ways of mitigating the vibrations in a way that would be compliant with the conservation rules. This for example means the inability to use reveal angles.

AKT II Regent's Crescent case study

CFS have a long history of creating bespoke solutions, and as such they worked on ways to enable for both vertical and horizontal movement. This resulted in a bespoke product for façade retention combining two cast-in channels and a bobbin.

Regent's Crescent facade retention project

The building was designed to achieve BREEAM ‘Outstanding’ rating. The facade was designed to maximise the light coming in. However, due to its design, the loads that the panels need to withstand are significant.

, 1 Bank Street is a steel-framed office tower with a sloping western façade and flexible design based around cellular beams.

Lindner Group website

Due to its extensive expertise in the design and delivery of glass facade fixings, Construction Fixing Systems were approached to discuss the design. CFS delivered a special design of cast-in channels for the facade, including the design and manufacturing of ski channels.

One Bank Street glass facade project 

One Palace Street is a prestigious residential development in the heart of London, offering 72 private residences over 7 storeys above ground and 4 levels below with breathtaking views of Buckingham Palace gardens. Comprising of 6 buildings, 2 of which are grade II listed, One Palace Street is located to the south of Buckingham Palace within the Birdcage Walk Conservation Area.

Led by Balfour Beatty as the main contractor and developed by Northacre and Palace Revive Development Ltd, the project combined specialist skill and craftsmanship to meticulously restore and enhance the unique island site. Architects Squire & Partners skillfully blended five architectural styles to create a seamless integration of heritage and contemporary living.

CFS was proud to contribute to this iconic development by supplying Windposts to stabilise large wall panels and reinforce areas around openings. CFS Windposts enhance structural integrity by reducing deflection and ensuring walls remain secure and straight. They also while providing design flexibility for taller or longer walls without compromising structural safety, even in high wind areas.

Image taken from Northacre Developments website.

One Palace Street

 designed bespoke fixings to attach the concrete facade to the main structure. They were looking for a manufacturer who could support them in delivering the solution, including about 18 000 cast-in channels.

Techrete V&A Dundee case study

Victoria and Albert Museum of Design Dundee (V&A Dundee

) is the first V&A built outside London. The design of the facade drew inspiration from the Scottish cliffs and the silhouette of the impressive facade imitates the shape of a ship at dock. Due to the complex geometric slopes and curvatures, coupled with its exposure to the Scottish weather and its proximity to the North Sea marine environment, architectural concrete was the favoured material option for this project.

V&A Dundee

Since this project, CFS has supported Techrete on various projects and we keep working closely.

CFS worked closely with Techrete in order to manufacture the required precast facade support brackets in Duplex stainless steel. We have also worked closely during the building phase of this project in order to deliver the brackets in timely fashion.

Victoria and Albert Museum Dundee facade project

Designed by Architect Scott Brownrigg Ltd and Squire & Partners, West End Gate combines contemporary architecture with traditional craftsmanship. Main contractor and developer Berkley Homes will deliver 812 residential apartments next to Edgward road station, with the wider development featuring retail and amenity space.

The development ranges between 4 and 14 storeys and includes 8 shops, a restaurant and a new public plaza. The development aims to compliment the surrounding period buildings by combining traditional Georgian architecture with contemporary homes designed for the 21st Century.

CFS supplied Windposts to Lee Marley for use on the West End Gate project.

West End Gate

The facade design required a GRC band to be supported as well as masonry support, that sat directly above a GRC diamond. At the time, there was no company offering combined masonry and GRC support brackets. This means, that contractors usually need to deal with two suppliers and two technical teams, one for masonry support and one for GRC support. This naturally brings in the complexity of not only coordinating the two suppliers to ensure timely delivery but also coordinating the actual structural design.

Chelsea Waterfront is a mixed-use redevelopment of the original iconic Lots Road Power Station, originally powering the London underground.

Designed by Sir Terry Farrell, it combines low raise townhouse-style buildings, the original power house, and two new high-rise towers, combined with public access landscape gardens, this redevelopment aims at bringing new life to the area.

114 Lots Road is part of the development. McMullen Facades were contracted by the main contractor, Midgard, to deliver the facade.

Combined GRC and masonry support brackets bring a significant reduction in labour hours on site. Additional savings are made by simplification of the supply chain – this also reduces risk associated with supplier management and increases transparency across the project. This approach proved to be successful and is used in other projects as well.

As a result, CFS is now offering combined GRC and masonry support brackets.

Having worked with CFS on a previous project, McMullen Facades approached CFS to see if there was some way to simplify the situation and invited CFS to tender.

In theory, the GRC and masonry support brackets can be combined into one, however, it brings additional structural challenges to consider and requires a good understanding of structural engineering.

Given CFS's experience both in the design of GRC support and masonry support, CFS were able to consider the additional design challenges and designed a novel type of combined masonry and GRC support bracket. The design adjustment resulted in savings on masonry support brackets, because of smaller material use despite the brackets being relatively large.

Using a combined bracket also meant that Midgard needed to work only with one supplier – simplifying the whole supply chain.

Midgard Design Services rationalised the design to be modular and repetitive. This was achieved by using a small number of masonry pier variations and window openings allowing for repeated supports to be used throughout each level. All this meant that CFS were able to deliver just several variations of the combined GRC and masonry support bracket.

114 Lots Road, Chelsea Waterfront

The Westmead project is the latest residential project for Westminster City Council for 65 new affordable homes set for completion by the end of 2025.

Developed on the site of the former Westmead Care Home, each home features private amenity spaces such as balconies or private gardens. The development also integrates improved green spaces, fostering a welcoming environment for both residents and the wider community. In addition, 121 new cycle spaces will be provided, supporting sustainable transport options in line with Westminster’s commitment to reducing carbon emissions.

The 6-storey building, designed by Architect Child Graddon Lewis, uses a mix of PV panels, exhaust heat pumps and strict air tightness measures to ensure that the homes provide maximum energy efficiency.

The project will be one of the first delivered by Westminster Builds, the Council’s own company created to help deliver its ambitious regeneration and development programme, and is Westminster City Council’s first housing scheme to target Passivhaus standards and is set to almost achieve the Passivhaus Plus benchmark.

CFS were delighted to supply Masonry Support and Reveal Plates to main contractor Willmott Dixon for use in the Westmead Project. At CFS, we’re committed to driving sustainability forward, and that’s why our Masonry Support is covered by an Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) to provide transparent data on the environmental impact of the product through its lifecycle.

Image taken from Child Graddon Lewis website.

Westmead

The stadium was designed by Architects Foster and Partners with exceedingly high internal walls, and to make these walls stable, Windposts were required to increase lateral wall stability.

The Wembley Stadium project was one of the most expensive stadiums ever built, with costs totalling to over £789 million (£1.2 billion today).

During the construction of the Stadium, Pyramid Builders provided the brickwork, blockwork, stonework, engineering, steel Windposts, firestopping and scaffolding along with the logistical management of all associated deliveries along with main contractor Multiplex Construction UK.

Based on the provided design, CFS provided custom manufactured steel Windposts up to 10m long to restrain the internal walls. These Windposts are integrated within the block walls.

CFS manufactured and supplied steel Windposts used in the construction. Manufactured from Austenitic Stainless Steel which provides excellent corrosion protection, CFS Windposts are designed to enhance structural integrity by reducing deflection and ensuring walls remain secure and straight. We also provide design flexibility for taller or longer walls without compromising structural safety, even in high wind areas.

Wembley Stadium windpost project

The Coventry Very Light Rail track system with CFS channels and T-bolts on display at The University of Warwick. 

Although light rail systems offer benefits for cities in terms of transportation and air quality, the costs associated with system installation are often out of reach given funding constraints. Typical system costs may be in excess of £70 million per kilometre meaning that new networks are likely to run to billions of pounds. Early project research by the WMG-Coventry City Council team revealed that a significant proportion of these costs are related to the diversion of utilities. Convention light rail systems utilise deep foundations, leading to interaction with utilities and therefore resulting in diversions, delays and project management costs.

Coventry City Council set WMG the challenge of developing a low-profile light rail track system that requires a dig depth of no more than 30 cm. Together with an innovation partner 

, a high-performance shallow slab system was developed meeting the requirements for mechanical performance due to both the light rail vehicles and heavy good vehicles. To achieve secure fixing of the rails to the high-performance slabs, the fixing inserts need to provide flexibility and be able to withstand the applied forces. Another consideration is for the fixing bolts to provide reliable integrity for long-term exposure. They have to be secure yet allow for enough movement caused by the tram cars and the material expansion due to the weather exposure. They also need to be durable to long-term repetitive loading from rail and road vehicles.

Ingerop-Rendel

 aims to develop a mass transport solution, providing a viable alternative to the car, helping to improve air quality, reduce CO2 emissions and reduce congestion. The project was launched by Coventry City Council, who worked alongside 

 to create a game-changing public transport solution.

Coventry Very Light Rail project overview

WMG website

The vehicle is battery-powered, eliminating the need for overhead wires. It has an innovative turning system allowing it to handle 15m radius curves, meaning it can be installed in tight corners in the existing highway, and the Council intends to operate it at a high frequency to provide a turn-up and go service. The vehicle has a capacity of 56, is comfortable, and has low floors to enable passengers to embark and disembark easily. It has been developed to allow autonomous operation in the future.

The low-profile track makes use of advanced materials to optimise its performance characteristics, whilst also employing standard rail parts where possible to ensure ease of manufacturing and use of existing supply chains.

The support from CFS helped WMG to deliver a functional design that has the potential to revolutionise city public transport infrastructure projects.

CFS and WMG continue working together to further optimise the design. We are currently looking at changing the coating of the bolts to modify friction but provide equivalent corrosion protection as galvanising. The benefit is that the reduced friction can provide more reliable bolt torque to be achieved.

Having worked together on this project WMG and CFS have started a partnership that focuses on new product development for the precast industry.

As WMG was looking to bring their vision to life, they searched for a supplier that could provide channels that could meet the demanding mechanical performance required. As this is not a standard application, finding a supplier with both the technical knowledge and the products to support the project proved to be a challenge.

Also, as this is a significant civil engineering R&D project, WMG required for their suppliers to be flexible. WMG undertook all the prototype testing in-house using their advanced testing facilities.

Thanks to its technical department, CFS was able to work in partnership with WMG to specify the right design, focusing on a bespoke channel with a large profile and a shallow anchor. Being a supplier with vast technical expertise in cast-in channels, CFS was able to react promptly and support WMG with the design.

Coventry Very Light Rail Project

Sheldebouw were tasked with designing the building’s glazed envelope. The key challenge in the case of Shard was the building’s irregular shape. As the architect’s vision asked for a highly transparent facade with excellent energy efficiency, Sheldebouw opted for extra-clear low-iron glass. The glazing panels were installed to oversail the steel frames, making them invisible from the outside. Due to new regulations introduced in 2006, the whole facade was designed as a passive double-skin ventilated facade with built-in automatic fiberglass roller blinds.

Similarly, Shard Place, built several years later, has a double-skin glass facade.

In both cases, Sheldebouw needed an experienced partner to design and deliver fixings for the glass facade.

The Shard Quarter, developed in several phases, consists of three buildings: News Building, Shard Place, and Shard itself. Thanks to Sheldebouw, a leader in the curtain wall industry, CFS were involved in the building of Shard and Shard Place.

The Shard, designed by Renzo Piano Building Workshop, was designed as a ‘vertical city’. Shard Place (aka Fielden House) is a residential building built in the third phase of the development.

CFS has extensive experience in designing fixing solutions for glass facades as well as project management to minimise any unexpected delays. Being able to combine their technical expertise and manufacturing capabilities makes them an ideal partner for large complex projects.

In both cases, CFS designed and delivered cast-in channels to fix mullions supporting the glass panels of the facade, including relevant T-bolts.

Shard Quarter glass facade project

Award-winning architects Patel Taylor were inspired in their facade design by London’s classic redbrick mansion blocks. Where residential blocks tend to be uniformly designed, Patel Taylor made subtle changes to each story, meaning each level has a unique design.

The facade itself was designed by Ardmore, the main contractor on the project, to consist of stone and brick elements.

The general concept was that there would be a stone band running through each level which would support the masonry. Originally, there were two suppliers to deliver the façade, one for the stone support and stone delivery and CFS, both designing and delivering the masonry support.

This proved to be a challenge in terms of coordinating of the project given two different suppliers were providing different types of brackets, especially since each level was slightly differently designed.

Battersea Power Station is a large regeneration project in south London. Phase 4a, the latest phase of this large project, will provide 386 new homes for shared ownership and affordable rent. As well as offering views across London, the £120 million development will also include a new NHS medical centre and flexible workspaces for local entrepreneurs.

The Ardmore group’s involvement in the scheme focuses on seven blocks of up to 18-storey residential blocks, arranged around a garden square called New Mansion Square. The project developer was Peabody Group.

The Ardmore group now works closely with CFS, with CFS delivering the design of the masonry support in collaboration with the Ardmore group.

CFS also offers initial design meetings outside of the project to discuss if there could be challenges to consider such as the placement of the fire barrier. This also gives an opportunity to discuss requirements and design considerations that could possibly make the masonry support cheaper to deliver.

To simplify the delivery of the project, CFS were asked to tap into their masonry support knowledge to apply the same design principles to the stone support. This also helped to solve one of the design concerns as when the stone was supported by masonry support, the cavity became less congested on the slab face.

CFS were also able to coordinate with several suppliers to provide the stone components and support for the façade in time for site requirements. In some areas brackets were not needed, so close collaboration between all suppliers was needed to ease the pressure for storage at the construction site. The fact that CFS's masonry support brackets are fully adjustable was also an added benefit.

New Mansion Square 

When designing Masonry Support for Block D of the project CFS encountered a hurdle of a Soffit which was unusually split into 3 sections – a front section, back section and a central GRC section.

Back in 2020 we were contacted by McMullen Facades on behalf of main contractor Midgard to design and supply the Masonry Support for the Sackville Road project. Designed by Whittam Cox Architects, the former trading estate near Hove Station was transformed into an intergenerational neighbourhood featuring over 800 modern homes, including 564 Build to Rent units, 10% affordable housing, and 260 care community residences.

The development provides long-term tenancy options and state-of-the-art amenities such as communal lounges, dining areas, shops, restaurants, and co-working spaces. With 70% of the site dedicated to public and green spaces, including roof terraces and landscaped gardens, the project aims to foster a vibrant and connected community.

We were delighted to contribute to the creation of a dynamic, intergenerational neighbourhood that prioritises community, sustainability, and modern living.

Whilst the front and back sections were easily supported with from the underside of our masonry support angle, this left the 550x2000mm GRC section completely unsupported. As a solution, we fixed 2 Brackets per panel to the underside of the downstand which meant that the central GRC section was now supported.

Sackville Road 

The redevelopment was a sizeable project which blended the old masonry façade with new additions. Because of this, and the fact that each level had a slightly different design meant that the project required a lot of attention to detail. Ardmore Group as the main contractor required a project partner who would be able to minimise the risks and challenges during the major heritage refurbishment.

The redevelopment of Southwark Fire Station, designed by architects Peter Taylor Associates, is a major mixed-use development, branded as Brigade Court. The plans included a comprehensive refurbishment of a Grade II listed former fire station, headquarters, museum, and training facility originally built in 1777, alongside the development of a 10-storey residential building to create 199 new apartments, commercial space, and a new school to house 1,150 students.

The new secondary school and sixth form, designed by Peter Taylor Associates, incorporates space within the existing fire station as well as a new building which is constructed using pre-fabricated off-site modular technology.

Ardmore Group decided to bring in CFS to support the project because of our extensive experience in complex masonry support design. This project required a significant number of designs that had little repetition per floor never mind per level. CFS worked together with the Ardmore Group to provide design of the masonry support used.

Southwark Fire Station Redevelopment

During construction, an unexpected complication arose when it was discovered that a neighbouring hotel had extended beyond its designated building parameters. This meant that adjustments to the eastern elevation of 247 were necessary to prevent the brickwork clashing.

The 247 Broadway enriches Wimbledon with 31,107sq. ft. of premium office accommodation. Designed by Emrys Architects, this impressive structure rises across four floors and includes a collaborative reception area with co-working capabilities, comprehensive amenities, service facilities, and a functional basement level.

The building features a modern aesthetic with classic Victorian and Edwardian proportions to compliment the wider historical district. Beyond being visually appealing, the building also demonstrates exceptional environmental performance, earning a "Very Good" BREEAM rating overall and achieving "Excellent" specifically for carbon reduction initiatives.

Each floor features large windows on both the front and rear facades of each floor to maximise the natural light. Each level also features garden terraces to provide all office users with the access to a convenient outside space. At first the project had faced initial resistance from local planning authorities regarding height and density concerns, however these were quickly resolved bycreating a stepped building profile that reduced the perceived height from street level while maintaining the unit count.

We were delighted to work with Langdale Associates on the 247 The Broadway project to provide our AMS Masonry Support System.

Despite facing unexpected site conditions, the building seamlessly integrates with Wimbledon's architectural landscape while offering modern, sustainable workspaces. The development also sets a new standard for environmentally conscious office design in the area, proving that thoughtful architecture can successfully balance aesthetic tradition with contemporary functionality.

The resulting reduction in cavity size meant that our team had to reconfigure the Masonry Support design to accommodate the changes. Fortunately, the Angles were still compatible which helped to contain project costs despite the modifications.

247 The Broadway

Designed by KKM Architects, Leyes Road will feature four new residential buildings, ranging from four to eight storeys, delivering 116 new carbon-neutral apartments as part of the Council’s ‘Affordable Homes for Newham’ programme. Notably, 40% of these will be dedicated to much-needed family homes, offering three- and four-bedroom units. The project is expected to complete in March 2026, with Bugler operating as both the main contractor and developer.

The development in Newham aims connect the community and offer a strong identity and sense of place. The design uses high-quality materials, enhancing proportions to increase local interest. The project aims to mitigate environmental impact and whilst also addressing fuel poverty.

CFS is proud to contribute to the development by supplying our Windposts to stabilise large wall panels and reinforce areas around openings. Manufactured from Austenitic Stainless Steel which provides excellent corrosion protection, CFS Windposts are designed to enhance structural integrity by reducing deflection and ensuring walls remain secure and straight. They also provide design flexibility for taller or longer walls without compromising structural safety, even in high wind areas.

Leyes Road

Brent Cross Town stands as a landmark urban development in North London, forming the centrepiece of the expansive Brent Cross Cricklewood regeneration programme. This ambitious project creates a thoughtfully designed neighbourhood that blends modern urban living with green spaces and community-focused amenities. Upon completion, Brent Cross Town will deliver 6,700 new homes, create office space for up to 25,000 employees, and establish a vibrant high street featuring diverse shops, cafés, and restaurants.

Plot 202 is situated in a prime location along the southern portion of Plot 12, overlooking the newly developed Claremont Park. The 8-storey residential building provides 180 homes in a mix of 1, 2, and 3-bedroom configurations, each benefiting from a central private courtyard offering communal outdoor space, while the building's integrated design seamlessly connects to surrounding green spaces.

The project is a joint venture between Related Argent and Barnet Council to develop a large-scale mixed-use development including new homes, retail and commercial space as well as improved schools and greenspaces in the area.

Adjacent to Plot 202, Plot 12 comprises 120 homes built as replacement residences for the Whitefield Estate residents of Whychcote Point, Clare Point, and Norden Point, alongside accommodation for new residents. The development features two distinctive blocks; one rising 9 storeys and another reaching 12 storeys—with each home including its own private terrace or balcony.

Whittam Cox Architects designed Plot 202, collaborating with Maccreanor Lavington and Squire & Partners for design development and technical design. Working closely with main contractor Midgard, CFS were pleased to supply the Lintels for all levels for Plot 202 and Plot 12 which were fabricated on site in Medmenham. We were delighted for the opportunity work with Midgard again having worked with them on previous successful projects.

Image taken from transforming BX website.

Brent Cross Plot 12 and 202

The view of Electric Bouleward at Battersea focusing on the Battersea Gardens

Although technically considered a single building, Battersea Power Station is actually composed of several interconnected structures, each serving different purposes. The balconies, spanning levels five to thirteen, vary in design with some running along the entire building.

However, due to the mixed-use nature of the development and subtle internal design modifications based on individual owner requirements, each level had unique load conditions with minimal repetition. Additionally, the project had to meet strict requirements for fire safety at REI 120 standard, as well as the need for additional thermal breaks for balconies.

Located along the Electric Boulevard, Battersea Power Station Phase 3a, designed by Foster & Partners, features the 164-room Art’otel, Battersea Roof Gardens, and Koa apartments, along with a variety of shops and restaurants. The project was developed by The Battersea Power Station Development Company, with Sir Robert McAlpine serving as the main contractor.

CFS designed all balcony connectors using the AVI Thermokorb system, a highly flexible solution that allowed us to create a custom design with 120mm insulation instead of the standard 80mm.

Balcony connectors for concrete balconies

CFS then assembled the balconies on-site in Medmenham, to allow for flexibility and to minimise any delays on site. With extensive experience in large-scale projects, we efficiently coordinated both the design and deliveries to ensure a smooth execution on-site.

Battersea Power Station Phase 3a Balcony Project

Lombard Wharf view from the bottom of the building 

Our client Techrete was appointed to deliver the design and manufacture of the architectural precast concrete cladding for the façade. Despite the varying form, a high degree of repetition in the precast forms formwork costs. The formwork ‘masters’ changed for each set-back but were then repeated on each floor.

Whilst the outer profile of the façade is always consistent, the inner profile varies through the use of a secondary former inserted into the main formwork shutter. The inner profile is lined with a thermal break connector (concrete-to-concrete) for connection to the reinforcement in the main structural slab. The balconies feature a waterproof membrane on the upper surface and are overlaid with a composite decking system.

As the balconies form the perimeter of the building, they required a reliable supplier who would also be able to support with the balcony design. Having worked with the Construction Fixing Systems previously on various projects, including the V&A Museum in Dundee, Techrete approached CFS to provide a suitable solution for the thermal breaks.

Designed by Patel Taylor, the Lombard Wharf residential tower in Battersea boasts an eye-catching silhouette. The original design focuses on maximising the available provision of public space at the base of the building for pedestrian and cycle routes as well whilst preserving existing views of the river and the land. The projects distinctive twisting appearance was achieved with very subtle changes to the positioning of the white precast concrete balconies on each level.

Patel Taylor Lombard Wharf case study

Upon completion in 2017 the project was awarded several prizes, including Housebuilder Awards 2016 and What House Awards 2017. Barratt London were both the main contractor and developer of Lombard Wharf.

The design itself presents a building that appears to twist as it rises, which was achieved with very subtle changes to the positioning of the white precast concrete balconies.

The Thermokorb® system by AVI proved the ideal choice as this is a very flexible thermal break system that allows wide range of concrete-to-concrete balcony designs. As a trusted partner, CFS has not only the capacity to supply large projects but also the expertise to support with the structural design of the thermal breaks. With assembly taking place at CFS’s Medmenham facility, CFS is able to deliver the system within 3 weeks from design to delivery to site for casting.

Lombard Wharf Balcony Project

Leadenhall building front entrance picture

From design to construction, this was a challenging project to deliver as due to location the building’s substructure was divided into large components which were to be fabricated off site due to limited space. Space became even more limited as the levels increased, and during the project it was the first time that floors from the fifth level were assembled rather than poured on site.

The Leadenhall Building, also known as the Cheesegrater, was designed by Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners. Its distinctive angled façade sloping at 10.62 degrees was intentionally designed to preserve views of London landmarks such as St. Paul's Cathedral. Spanning over 224 meters high with 45 floors, the building features a ground-level public gallery, restaurants, office space and seven floors of plant rooms on the highest levels.

This unique design features an unconventional structural system which sets it apart from other high-rise buildings in the city. The Leadenhall Building's structure comprises of two main elements: a superstructure on its perimeter comprising the office floors, alongside a northern support core, which houses all passenger and goods lifts, service risers, on-floor plant rooms and WCs. The office floors are then connected to the structural tube at every floor without the need for further perimeter columns.

Construction Fixing Systems have an extensive experience for supplying components for precast concrete projects. For this project, we worked with main contractor Laing O’Rourke to supply Well Void as well and Continuity Rebar Couplers to connect the concrete slabs to the north core.

The Leadenhall Building

Precast components stacked for the delivery

As a design and build specialist, PCE coordinate all the design, no matter the size of the project. As such, they have an internal design team as well as a multidisciplined installation team. In their work, they focus on off-site manufacturing. To be able to deliver large-scale projects efficiently, they developed unique HybriDfMA systems that are based on pre-determined, optimised ‘kits of parts’ that are both repeatable and scalable, whilst maintaining the flexibility to configure components to a clients unique needs. This is why their in-house design team works on standardisation to maintain exceptional quality, and why the highest quality manufacturing is crucial to successful project delivery. 

Throughout project delivery, coordinating manufacturing process on such scale is both complex and challenging. In order to be able to deliver their jobs significantly quicker than typical traditional building methods, PCE built its manufacturing model centered around a flexible offsite approach, underpinned by the latest in digital innovation and manufacturing technology. Also, by the nature of these large-scale projects, for example 

 was a 10-month manufacturing period producing nearly 14,000 offsite components, supply needs can vary significantly.

HMP Fosse Way project

 'system build' solutions for structures and facades, PCE deliver world-class quality across the design and build process.

HybriDfMA system

With leading expertise in modular construction and 50 years of Modern Methods of Construction experience, the employee-owned company ensure industry-leading client value through data driven insight, cutting edge automation, and optimised, flexible structural and facade systemised solutions. PCE utilises a ‘kit of parts’ DfMA (design for manufacture and assembly) philosophy, benefiting from standardisation coupled with a hybrid of materials and construction techniques, offering enhanced safety, quality, speed, and value across all build sectors.

Together PCE and CFS were able to standardise the specification process. Together we built rules to automate this process to save time without impacting the quality. Now, the specification of any lifting sockets is one less worry for the PCE team.

By providing a standardised set of lifting methods by CFS, PCE ltd are able to build assurance that the quality of parts manufactured by their suppliers will be maintained.

CFS has also listened to their feedback and made adjustments to their own standard designs to accommodate PCE requirements.

In their quest to standardise the process to be able to deliver quality projects timely, PCE was looking for a partner to support them. They already had relationships with other CFS clients from the precast industry.

However, they decided to bring CFS into the process earlier. First, CFS was able to deliver specific changes to their products to support PCE’s proprietary designs. They also used their technical knowledge to work with PCE on various scenarios to deliver detailed documentation including product data, test data, and imagery to allow for easy specification of products by engineers and make the coordination between several precasters easier to maintain the required quality.

Lastly, CFS being both reseller and manufacturer also means they can provide flexible stocking to enable full flexibility of the projects PCE is working on.

Various large-scale custodial projects

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