Exchange Point, Embankment West
Specified by: CallisonRTKL-UK Ltd
Project overview
Part of the award-winning Affinity Living Embankment West build-to-rent (BTR) development, Exchange Point is located a stone’s throw from Manchester’s Victoria Station. The luxury 18-storey apartment block, containing 147 investment apartments for the rental market, sits alongside the 16-storey Laurence House apartment block and City Suites 2 aparthotel. It was named in the UK Property Awards as the UK Residential High-rise Development of the Year.
Design requirements
The Shackerley SureClad® Ceramic Granite cladding system is a popular choice for BTR developments, thanks to the design flexibility and high-end façade aesthetics that can be achieved with the lightweight SureClad® Ceramic Granite material and large format cladding panels.
BTR developments such as Exchange Point also require a façade that will retain its high-end aesthetic over time and offer a low-maintenance façade solution. The non-porous Shackerley SureClad® Ceramic Granite cladding system provides excellent U/V and freeze-thaw resistance and enables façades to maintain their luxury appearance, with excellent graffiti and algae resistance.
The high rise residential development required a certified non-combustible façade system. Shackerley SureClad® Ceramic Granite cladding is a certified EuroClass A1-rated non-combustible façade system, with A2-s1,d0 rated anti-fragmentation safety mesh. Consequently, the façade system is compliant with building regulations for installation on high rise residential buildings of 18m or taller.
In the competitive Manchester BTR market, there is also a need to design façades with visual impact, and the Shackerley SureClad® Ceramic Granite system was specified in four colourways for the project, providing variation and helping the building achieve stand-out.
Materials used
Shackerley supplied the SureClad® Ceramic Granite façade system for a total façade area of 1938m2, manufacturing the large format cladding panels at one of our ISO 9001 certified factories in Lancashire for delivery to site as and installation-ready façade system.
For floors 0-1 of Exchange Point, cladding contractor, FK Group, installed the SureClad® Ceramic Granite façade system in a combination of bronze ‘Jelsa’ cladding panels and ‘Basilicata’ in polished black. A charcoal grey ‘Loreto’ SureClad® Ceramic Granite colourway was chosen for floors 2-15 in a natural finish, and, for floors 14-18, contrast was created with the use of beige ‘ Volcado’ SureClad® Ceramic Granite cladding panels in a honed finish.
Large format SureClad® Ceramic Granite cladding panels were installed using the patented and Queen’s Award winning SureClad® Access primary support system across all façade areas, enabling non-sequential installation and ease of future maintenance.
