A Winning Modular Storey

Lewisham Exchange has been a hugely positive project showcasing offsite construction and brick slip cladding technology.

The construction site has changed dramatically over the years, with safety, sustainability, efficiency, and legislation all driving factors that have led to product innovation and materials used, affecting how construction methods are approached. But now, developers and contractors are looking at other means to make gains. Most notably, the construction process and method itself. As such, offsite construction has increased in popularity thanks to its various benefits from a cost, time and waste saving perspective, and efficiency of construction, storage, and labour.

For Lewisham Exchange, offsite construction was primarily chosen due to the time saving properties and cost benefits provided. However, the development did not concede on design or aesthetics, instead, improving on these key aspects contrary to what might be expected from a modular constructed, offsite build. The development stands more than 100m in height at its highest peak, making it the tallest modular student accommodation building in Europe. It is built from 3D volumetric structural modules, which were completed offsite by specialists Vison Modular.

The twin-tower block structure consists of 35 and 20 storeys and accommodates more than 750 student apartments and around 70 affordable homes. Meanwhile, its commercial properties at the foot of the structure achieved an ‘Excellent’ BREEAM rating, putting them in the top 10% of buildings from a performance perspective.

Constructed by Tide Construction using 3D volumetric modules enabled on-site construction to be streamlined and contributed to the impressive 35-week completion of the brick slip cladding installation by Century Facades Ltd, who also carried out the window installation offsite. The modular build saw the housing ‘pods’ manufactured in optimal facility conditions, including windows, which were then delivered to site where they were erected around the building’s lift cores. Then, once ten or so stories were complete, the external envelope’s Mechslip cladding was constructed in

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unison, chasing the finished pods up the building.

Offsite construction not only ensured time saving benefits compared to more traditional methods of concrete or steel frame, but also quality of product with each one being manufactured in optimal facility conditions for consistency of quality. Furthermore, sustainability efforts were achieved through the reduction in transportation movements to and from site meaning less trucks needing to complete journeys for the finalised modular pods.

Mechslip was chosen for its exceptional A1-rated fire accreditation and innovative natural brick cladding aesthetics. These benefits overcome difficulties with competitor products that in the past have either not been fire accredited or from an aesthetics perspective, look unnatural with clay extrusions which can’t compete with Ibstock’s eye-catching, real cut bricks. Importantly, the development also breaks the narrative surrounding modular structure builds and their limited design availabilities that come with the technique. Lewisham Exchange showcases incredible architectural and aesthetically pleasing detail thanks to the Mechslip cladding technology.

The Lewisham Exchange development is an example of how innovative technologies such as Mechslip can combine with the increasingly popular offsite construction processes to make real-world gains on sustainability, time, and cost efforts across a modern new build – all without compromising on aesthetics and quality.

For more information visit:

www.mechslip.co.uk

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01. The twin-tower block structure consists of 35 and 20 storeys and accommodates more than 750 student apartments and around 70 affordable homes

DRIVING DESIGN EFFICIENCY IN OFFSITE - VERTEX BD

Vertex BD is Building Information Modelling (BIM) software which is your complete source of information for prefabrication and modular projects.

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Efficiencies in the manufacturing process need to be matched by efficiencies in the design process, this is where Vertex BD comes in. Vertex BD uses a high level of automation to rapidly reduce the time spent in the design phase, whilst giving its users the flexibility to build the way they need.

Vertex BD specialises in cold-formed steel and timber framing and we aim to offer our clients all the benefits from Vertex BD whilst fitting in with how they are currently operating. Design time can be vastly reduced, accuracy increased, and costly errors avoided. Vertex BD uses digital automation to seamlessly translate information about a project across all disciplines within a project, so all the plans, schedules, material reports, shop drawings, and manufacturing data can be automatically generated and saved within the BIM model.

Minimise queries from your on-site and manufacturing teams by generating clear, concise and understandable documents with Vertex BD. You don’t have to sacrifice control over your construction specifications to take advantage of automated tools. The result is uncompromised speed, accuracy, and control.

Import existing 2D drawings and 3D models from other CAD systems and export your plans and models for collaboration. Vertex BD supports over 20 file formats used in construction projects, such as IFC, PDF, 3D PDF, DWG, DXF, IGES, STL, and many more. Vertex is compatible with over 30 different CNC Manufacturers for steel and wood.

For more information visit: www.vertexcad.com

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01-02. Vertex BD uses digital automation to seamlessly translate information about a project across all disciplines within a project