Morris Blitz Court is a residential housing estate located in Hackney that has recently undergone an extensive amount of refurbishment works as part of the Decent Homes Programme. Included within the approved scheme was the refurbishment of all of the building’s balconies and walkways, as well as the transformation of the 1,000m2 concrete podium deck located above the car park into an aesthetically pleasing social space.
Prior to any work commencing on site, Hackney Council hosted regular consultation meetings with all Morris Blitz residents where plans were presented and discussed. Upon receiving approval for the proposed refurbishment works the building was surveyed by flat roofing specialists Bauder to investigate the options available for improving the aesthetics and functionality of the podium deck, and to determine what course of action needed to be taken to ensure the building was watertight. The client’s main priority for the podium deck was for it to be totally free draining so that there was no standing water, which had previously caused problems. Various waterproofing system options were explored, however it was decided that Bauder’s cold liquid applied systems would be the most suitable solution given all the requirements.
One of the major challenges for this project was the low door thresholds connecting to the podium deck, which couldn’t be raised, meaning that the entire build-up for the majority of the cold liquid waterproofing and landscaping elements would need to be less than 100mm in height. Because of these restrictions the only drainage and protection board suitable within the system was Bauder’s Versicell 20, which is just 20mm in height but can withstand extremely high loading. The LiquiTEC system also incorporated 140mm of Bauder’s JFRI insulation in sunken areas of the podium, ensuring a level surface across the deck and combining thermal efficiency with environmental friendliness. The surface of the deck consists of three distinct finishes; permeable paving on the ground floor patios and walkways, artificial turf featuring fibreglass planters to serve as a communal garden and rubber mulch to create a play area for children.
The cantilever style balconies and communal walkways were waterproofed with Bauder’s LiquiBALKON system; demanding a high degree of workmanship from Bauder approved contractor Armour Group due to the amount of intricate detailing requirements. This waterproofing system features PMMA resin technology that provides exceptionally fast curing times and can in fact withstand foot traffic within an hour of being installed. This was essential as the residents of Morris Blitz remained in situ throughout the installation and working hours had to be scheduled between 10am and 2pm to accommodate for school hours. Despite the various design, technical and installation challenges encountered all waterproofing and landscape works were completed on time and to budget much to the delight of all project stakeholders.
Harsha Amin, Project Manager from Hackney Homes, stated “The required refurbishment works at Morris Blitz Court were by no means straight forward. However Bauder were able to deliver a comprehensive, single source waterproofing solution of the absolute highest quality; providing expert technical support throughout the project and demonstrating exceptional levels of workmanship. They caused minimal disruption to residents and have successfully transformed this housing estate in terms of appearance and functionality; creating a visually appealing and inviting communal space where residents of all ages can relax and socialise.”
For more information please visit www.bauder.co.uk
