SCAFFOLDERS TAKING THE BULLRING BY THE HORNS

❖ Midlands Scaffolding Services (MSS) is currently providing a colossal and highly technical access scaffold package to the world-famous iconic Selfridges store at the Bullring in Birmingham.

Appointed by main contractors BAM Construction, MSS is progressing well with its eight-month scaffolding project. The complete access scaffolding and a huge temporary roof is being supplied to enable the replacement of the façade for improved energy efficiency and the removal and reattachment of the iconic signature 16,000 silver discs.

MSS Commercial Director Amie Rooney says it’s the biggest technical challenge the Northamptonshire-based scaffold contractor has faced in its 40-year history.

Before we could start the project it required over four months solid design work from Apex Scaffold Designs and 18 months overall planning. There is not one flat elevation on the job, it’s totally curved in both horizontal and vertical planes.

MSS scaffolders are set to use over 290,000 fittings and an eye-watering 750,000ft (142 miles) of scaffold tube within the structure. The 21,000 ft2 temporary roof will see MSS use over 1,700 aluminium beams.

In sections the whole scaffold will eventually be covered by the UK’s largest printed scaffold wrap which will also double up as a huge, eye-catching public art installation. Industry specialists Embrace Building Wraps are tasked with installing the 10,400m2 record-breaking scaffold banner design entitled ‘The Dogtooth Flower’ that has been created by Birmingham-born Osman Yousefzada. Each of the dogtooth flowers measures 6.7m high and 7m wide.

ScaffMag will be covering the project as it progresses further in our next issue.