Shackerley helps deliver flagship building

Shackerley Sureclad ventilated rainscreen cladding system has been used to enhance and protect the exterior of the Faculty of Health and Social Care building at Salford University.

A Shackerley Sureclad ventilated rainscreen cladding system in a striking combination of ceramic granite and Prodema high pressure laminate has been used to enhance and protect the exterior of Manchester's latest landmark development, the new GBP21 million Faculty of Health and Social Care building at Salford University.

The building will be used by students of nursing, midwifery, physiotherapy, radiography, social work and complementary medicine, and is part of the GBP100 million investment programme currently under way at the University.

Manchester architects AFL worked closely with Shackerley and contracting companies Richmond and Archwise to achieve the unique exterior envelope they had designed for this five storey building - a medley of vertical elevations and fin walls with curvature of varied radii - a testing design for any rainscreen system.

An enclosed circular amenity space - described by the architects as "a contemporary interpretation of the traditional academic cloisters and courtyard" - also had to be fully clad, introducing further 'setting out' challenges for the team to overcome.

Shackerley's Sureclad support system proved equal to the task and the sturdy prefabricated aluminium and stainless steel substructure was carefully designed to deliver the required curvature - the first time that the Sureclad ceramic granite rainscreen system has been customised in this way in the UK.

Over 1700m2 of buff coloured ceramic granite in 600mm x 600mm slabs and 1600m2 of Prodema panelling was affixed to the distinctively shaped building.

The ceramic granite slabs were technically secured 'invisibly using a patented stainless steel undercut expanding anchor method, as a monolithic effect was critical to the design concept.

The Prodema panels were also affixed to the Sureclad substructure, their rich warm tones providing a contrast with the more neutral buff colour of the ceramic granite panels.

Stainless steel and aluminium panels provided the third element in the cladding scheme.

AFL Director Richard Leng said: "The appointment was won against European competition".

"The building is based on a diagonal symmetry and exploits the truncated geometry of the circle and square".

"It creates an enclosed courtyard and presents a striking roof scape to the main road".

"The site itself is in a prominent location, on a main approach road into Manchester".

"The building therefore announces the expansion of the Faculty of Health and Social Care and creates a new face for the University to the wider community".

Richard added: "Being able to source the ceramic granite and Prodema from one supplier and use a common substructure which eliminated the need for wet trades was enormously beneficial".

"We're very pleased indeed with the finished results.".

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