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Historic building renovation enjoys sea and sky views thanks to Xtralite

A historic building in the seaside town of Whitley Bay has undergone a radical renovation and development programme restoring it to its former glory.

Spanish City, which was constructed in 1910, has been given a new lease of life as part of a coastal development plan driven by North Tyneside County Council. Its unusual name is reputedly borne from the ‘Toreadors’ concert party who played on a temporary stage in what was then home to Rockliffe Rugby Club between 1904 and 1907. To protect their audience from the inclement North Eastern weather, canvas and wood awnings were built and painted to look like a Spanish Village and the rest, as they say is history.

Fast forward to the 21st century and the £10m investment has seen the restoration of original features along with modern extensions and the wonderful rotunda atop the building has been beautifully brought back to life as a focal point of the project. The ceiling of the central space has been removed from the ground floor to allow visitors to see the iconic dome and the architectural detail.

“We are proud to have been able to supply products to this stunning project which will rejuvenate the heart of this seaside community,” said Jim Lowther sales director Xtralite. “Our rooflights will allow visitors to make the most of the lovely sea views and have integrated seamlessly into the heart of the building with ease, balancing practicality and aesthetics perfectly.”

Xtralite supplied products from its X-Glaze range which incorporated a series of self-supporting 37.5mm double glazed units with dimension of 4.92 metres wide and a slope length of 2.52m pitched at 5° 7 units covering an area of 86.78 sqm.

The Double Glazed Glass units were made up of 10mm thick Guardian SunGuard 70/35 toughened solar control outer pane, 16mm Argon filled cavity with black spacer bar, 11.5mm thick clear heat strengthened laminate with Ionomer interlayer and black boarder to give building users greater comfort. Practically, the units were fitted directly to the builder’s kerb and resulted in a 1.2 W/m²°K Ud value (relating to the glazing units only).

Andrew Coleman, Senior Project Manager at Robertson Construction, main contractors for the project commented; “It was important to flood the building with as much natural light as possible and to capitalise on the lovely sea views afforded from certain aspects of the building. Balancing comfort, aesthetics, building regulations and thermal efficiencies can be tricky but the reputation and reliability of Xtralite products allowed us to fulfil all requirements. Supply was efficient and technical information and support was readily available allowing us to stay on track with our timescales to meet the launch deadline of summer 2018.”

Jim concluded: “This is a prime example of how modern products can be used in historic restoration programmes to great effect sympathetically embracing the fabric of the building but making it fit for its new intended purpose.”

X-Glaze is just one of a range of glazing and rooflight products offered by Xtralite.

Further information can be found by visiting www.xtralite.co.uk or by calling 01670 354 157.
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Brett Martin gives a new angle to £90 million former press and broadcast centre

The former press and broadcast centre in London’s Olympic Park has been transformed into the one of the biggest tech hubs in Europe, with Brett Martin Daylight Systems’ Marlon Clickfix RL glazing system glazed with Marlon Clickfix 1040 polycarbonate, providing a low pitch rooflight which maximises natural light and creates a bright, appealing and naturally-lit environment for a range of businesses.

From a design by Hawkins Brown, Here East is a major new 1.2 million sq ft development in Stratford that is set to transform creative and digital industries in London. Comprising three buildings – the former press and broadcast centres, and a 750-seat auditorium – the challenge for the main contractor was converting what were once windowless and cavernous warehouses into eye-catching, daylight-filled buildings with sustainability at their core. Central to the design was the specification of 34 Marlon Clickfix RL rooflights glazed in clear Marlon Clickfix 1040 polycarbonate to ensure the offices and shops below were bright, appealing and flooded with natural light.

Commenting on the specification, Steve Higgins of Brett Martin said “One of the challenges for the architect was finding a thermally-efficient rooflight solution which would work at a low 7° pitch. Marlon Clickfix RL provided the the most adaptable solution and ensured a fast and straightforward installation for roofing and cladding contractor, Lakesmere.”

A lightweight polycarbonate panel, Marlon Clickfix 1040 has integral interlocking connections that simply click into place forming glazed areas of unlimited size and shape. The 40mm structured polycarbonate glazing panel has 10 insulating walls to achieve a U-value of 0.99 W/m²K, for a high performing and thermally-efficient glazing solution. It has a choice of thermally broken aluminium glazing bar systems depending on the application. The Marlon Clickfix RL glazing bar system – used at Here East – has been designed for use in low pitch rooflights and canopies, whilst Marlon Clickfix VF has been specifically developed for vertical installations such as façades, partitioning, rain screens and northlights.

Marlon Clickfix 1040 provides high quality natural light, superior thermal insulation and UV protection. In addition to the impact resistance, resilience and structural strength that is inherent in all of Brett Martin’s high performance polycarbonate sheet products, it is also lightweight and easy to handle.

With this state-of-the-art digital tech quarter now complete, Brett Martin Daylight Systems will demonstrate once again that introducing natural light into spaces is central to achieving the required performance of highly sustainable buildings.

For more information please visit www.brettmartin.com.
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