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The Fold, London
Expertises
Safety Circle steps used in this project
The Building
The Fold is a nine-story development in Kent with prominent copper cladding and curving façade. Situated in a prime position next to Sidcup station in London, The Fold includes a 98-unit residential tower, a restaurant and two office buildings.
The first project of its kind in the UK, The Fold's façade comprises five different hard metal applications – rhomboids, rectangular shingles, horizontal angled seam, vertical angled seam and perforated mesh.
Our client, Lindner Prater, appointed Eurosafe to help provide a visually appealing solution for safe access to the façade, for the purposes of cleaning and maintenance of both the cladding and floor-to-ceiling windows.
The Challenge
There is restricted access around the footprint of the building, limiting the use of alternative means of access such as mobile elevated working platforms.
The curved building façade presented design and off-site fabrication challenges in regard to ensuring the installed solution followed the same curvature of the building.
An offset installation program required an installation process that considered the lower copper cladding, which was already installed. This cladding was susceptible to staining if it came into contact with wastewater produced from the concrete drilling process required to fit support brackets to the main structure.
The Solution
Eurosafe specified NorAcon NP01 profile abseil monorails, supported by mild steel fin brackets which have minimal visual impact on the architectural façade and cladding. Now, workers can gain access to all areas required for maintenance and carry out activities safely, while minimising the visual impact to the building.
Our in-house designers progressed the design in partnership with NorAcon, the monorail manufacturer, with all fabrication and rolling of the rails undertaken in their specialist manufacturing facility in Norway and transported to site for direct attachment to the brackets.
The Outcome
The nine-storey, curved sculptural façade of The Fold provides an extraordinary landmark in the town of Sidcup, which is known for its primarily low-rise housing. The NorAcon abseil monorails have minimal visual impact on the building’s visual identity, while enabling for long-term inspection and maintenance access across the façade.
By working closely with both the client and manufacturer, Eurosafe were able to design and install a solution which provides safe access to all elements of the façade, while remaining sympathetic to the building’s artistic exterior and curved elevations.
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Daniel Capper
Pre-Construction Director, Contracting
