FP McCann Precast Concrete Architectural Facade Panels And Balconies Feature On Luxury Hyde Park Development

FP McCann’s architectural facade division has supplied and installed bespoke acid-etched precast concrete cladding units, stone inlaid precast panels and precast balconies to envelope a brand-new 190,000 sqft luxury residential development overlooking Hyde Park, London. “Park Modern” is a nine-storey building comprising 57 high-end one to six bedroom apartments, amongst some of the most prestigious in Kensington. Residents in the development have access to valet parking, a resident’s lounge, a 25-metre pool, gym, spa, cinema, and treatment salon.

Completed earlier this year, the super-prime £500 million design and build project for client Fenton Whelan, was awarded to central London based construction company Ant Yapi UK Ltd. Unique to Park Modern’s design is an undulating precast concrete sandstone look façade and curved precast balconies working in combination with complementary smooth natural stone slips inlaid in precast cladding panels.

Designer PLP Architecture inspired by the surrounding parkland, used the setting to create natural lines to allow the building to sit comfortably within the Hyde Park landscape. Recognising FP McCann’s experience in this field, Ant Yapi UK along with PLP Architecture approached the Company to quote for the design, supply and installation of the three key precast concrete architectural elements. 

On securing the contract FP McCann employed structural installation partner RLH Construction Ltd to undertake the panel façade build using free issued tower cranes, significantly reducing the need for any scaffolding on the building. The balconies delivered on a supply only basis, were fitted by building frame specialist Modebest, who also installed decks and floors on behalf of Ant Yapi UK. 

In total, 192 FP McCann precast concrete cladding units were fitted by RLH Construction of which, 106 are acid-etched sandstone-coloured curved panels and 86 are inlaid natural stone panels with the exposed precast concrete faces having an acid-etched sandstone coloured finish. 96 sandstone colour-matched curved balconies completed the order, with all products manufactured and delivered on a just-in-time basis from FP McCann’s Littleport factory in Cambridgeshire. 

Commenting on the Park Modern build, Chris Watson, Senior Planner for Ant Yapi UK says, “This construction approach demonstrated a number of efficiencies compared with practices associated with a traditional build. The off-site manufacturing of the architectural cladding panels and balconies offered significant advantages in terms of product quality and integrity.

On site, speed of construction, minimising waste and the ability to work uninterrupted in all weather conditions were all major benefits. Additionally, the external precast facade system removed the need for scaffolding and wet trades, thereby minimising the health and safety risk factors associated with people working at height”. www.fpmccann.co.uk

FP McCann Offsite Precast Concrete Structural And Architectural Frame Solution Specified On Distinctive Buckinghamshire Housing Development

FP McCann has completed a unique supply and build project consisting of 64 luxury apartments in Chalfont St Giles, Buckinghamshire. The high-end development is set on 200 acres of historic private gated grounds offering new-build houses and apartments next to a grand Grade II listed Georgian era mansion house. 

Newland Park is a development by London based Comer Homes. The collection of new apartments and houses sits within the modern country estate and is set to become one of the area’s most desirable residential locations. The apartments are located in 4 individual blocks, each on three levels with undercroft car parking beneath each building. FP McCann were approached by Comer Homes at design stage with consideration of the superstructure above the parking being a precast concrete frame as opposed to a traditional block and brick construction.

The Modern Methods of Construction (MMC) precast concrete frame solution has been designed, manufactured and installed by FP McCann, a Tier 2, BIM Level 2 certified supplier. 

As on all such contracts undertaken by FP McCann, BIM Execution Plans (BEP) were prepared for the Comer Homes development, demonstrating FP McCann’s proposed approach, capabilities, capacity and competence to meet stringent Employer’s Information Requirements (EIR). 

The subterranean car park construction consists of precast retaining perimeter walls, internal columns and cross beams, topped off with prestressed hollowcore planks. Access from ground floor level is via a precast concrete staircase. Above the car park, the FP McCann precast structural frame comprises internal crosswalls, prestressed hollowcore flooring planks and precast stair cores and stair landings. Integral to the structural frame itself, are the architectural brick-faced insulated sandwich wall and gable ridge panels, offering the attractive external finish to each building from the ground floor up. 

Another feature of the build are the black acid-etched balconies to levels two and three. Many other MMC features include the factory installation of windows and balcony doors and the fair face finish to internal walls, allowing for follow-on trades to complete their works in a timely and efficient manner. 

The accelerated construction time typically seen in such offsite precast concrete structural frame builds, saw the Newland Park project completed in just 36 working weeks. Commenting on the Chalfont St Giles residential development, David Donnellan, Senior Design Engineer for Comer Homes says, “Reducing construction times by 40%-60% compared to traditional build methods has to be factored into addressing the demand for new housing, whether luxury or affordable. 

Traditional construction methods, while tried and tested, are increasingly less efficient to meet the increasing call for quality and environmentally sustainable housing. The Newland Park apartment development is a clear demonstration that offsite construction and MMC in any location lays the groundwork for a more efficient and sustainable home building industry. By embracing these methods, we can build faster, reduce our environmental impact and provide both high-end and affordable living space.”  www.fpmccann.co.uk

FP McCann ‘L’ Walls Form Construction Aggregate Stock Bays At Bristol Based Recycling Facility

FP McCann has recently supplied and installed its precast concrete ‘L’ Wall system on behalf  of Heidelberg Materials owned Bristol & Avon Transport and Recycling Ltd, who are extending their Hallen based operation with the formation of a new recycling plant with associated works for the washing and processing of construction, demolition and excavation waste to produce recovered aggregates.

Included in the construction works is the erection of product storage bays and concrete push walls along with perimeter concrete walls. Following a review of the stock bay and push wall options, the construction team at Heidelberg Materials opted for the FP McCann steel reinforced precast concrete ‘L’ Wall system.

This method of walling using an off-site manufactured precast unit, is a simple and fast process, eliminating the need for shuttering, steel foundation formwork and the pouring of wet concrete. FP McCann were approached by Heidelberg Materials to provide a quotation to supply and fix their 3.0 metre high ‘L’ Wall unit, following which an order was placed for the installation of 273 individual sections, comprising 255 straight units and 9 ‘L’ Wall corner (2 piece) units.

The stock bay walling supplied from FP McCann’s Lydney depot in Gloucestershire, has been set out on an in-situ concrete base slab. Each individual ‘L’ Wall unit has been dowelled into the slab using steel dowel rods to secure via the holes cored in their toe sections. A construction strength grout has been pumped into each dowel hole for added stability. The key considerations to the Heidelberg Materials team selecting the ‘L’ Walls, were the ease and speed of installation, accelerating the construction time and the tried and tested load resisting durability this precast walling system offers.

A further added benefit of the ‘L’ Wall system is that no propping is required during construction. Speaking on behalf of Heidelberg Materials, Project and Engineering Manager for Heidelberg Materials Miguel Valdés Menéndez says, “This FP McCann precast concrete walling system designed to withstand high loading forces generated by heavy plant, is ideal for this new materials stock bay project. It was evident that the FP McCann fixing team were well versed in the lifting, levelling and anchoring method and as a result, we are confident that the ‘L’ Walls installed will offer a long-term, low maintenance material holding solution.” Applications for the FP McCann ‘L’ Wall unit include:- Perimeter and Boundary Walls; Earth Retaining Walls; Stock Bays and Push Walls; Dividing Walls. www.fpmccann.co.uk