The Gloucester Quays Project

One of the most impressive multi million pound regeneration sites ever to be developed in the city centre of Gloucester is currently being crowned with its unique gull wing window structure.

The Gloucester Quays project is a major £300m mixed use regeneration scheme. The project will consist of an exciting mix of designer outlet shopping, waterfront restaurants, cafés and bars, two hotels, food shopping, homes and workspace.

The shopping experience will have a rich mix of scale, style, culture and environment which will be a key factor to its success. The outlet centre will include a 6 storey high glazed covered courtyard with a dynamic and sculptural roof and supporting structure.

Two leading construction firms have played a leading role in ensuring the scheme becomes a landmark feature in Gloucester's skyline. English Architectural Glazing (EAG) and Adey Steel.

English Architectural Glazing won the contract to glaze Gloucester Quays and is supplying atria mall roofing, steel, gantries, and ventilation systems to the major shopping mall.

The main shopping area roof requires 250 tonnes of steel to support the specially designed facetted gull wing shaped glazed roof with central area containing four Windcatcher units to provide ventilation to the shopping areas below. The edges of the roof incorporate active areas of louvres to provide air extract from the large atria space and combined with the Windcatcher units can be controlled to provide a continuous air flow. Over the main glazed areas of the roof two motorised gantrys provide cleaning and maintenance access.

Two smaller rooflights provide light into the east and west mall shopping arcades requiring a further 30 tonnes of steel to support the dual pitch roof glazing and insulated panel upstand walls. A mixture of motorised gantrys and walkway platforms provides cleaning and maintenance access to these rooflights.

Pre-Construction Director for EAG, Edward Whipp said: ‘This is one of the most exciting projects we have been involved with and as a result we have worked with some revolutionary techniques. We are currently fitting the glazing units which range in size from 1.8x3.75 to 2.1x 3.6 meters and are fritted to provide solar shading.’

EAG is a specialist in providing bespoke technical solutions to a wide range of envelope cladding, structural steel and architectural metalwork applications.

The structure principally comprises of CHS gull wing trusses supporting by a central spine truss. This in turn is supported at its ends by further support trusses on the concrete cores and intermediately by 3No support podiums.

Adey Steel, part of the Adey Group, is a leading specialist in providing bespoke technical solutions to a wide range of structural steel and architectural metalwork applications.

Neil Smith from Adey Steel,said: ‘The arrival of our steelwork on site and in particular the way in which the frame was assembled in large sections has really created a buzz in the area. The frames are quickly transforming the centre section and the full scale and size of this project can be seen for the first time. We are delighted to be involved in such an innovative project that is Gloucester Quays.’

The multi million pound Gloucester Quays scheme is being developed by Peel Holdings, designed by Dyer Associates and built by Bovis Lend Lease. Now the steel structures are in place EAG is soon to start the next phase of glazing and cladding, which is due to complete in December this year.

Web: http://www.eag.uk.com