Construction Fixing Systems

Chelsea Waterfront is a transformative mixed-use redevelopment of the iconic Lots Road Power Station, originally built to power the London Underground. Designed by architecture firm Farrells, the project integrates low-rise townhouse-style buildings, the preserved power station, and two striking high-rise towers, all set amidst landscaped gardens open to the public.The façade design required a GRC band to be supported as well as masonry support, that sat directly above a GRC diamond. At the time, there was no company offering combined masonry and GRC support Brackets meaning that contractors usually need to deal with two suppliers and two technical teams, one for masonry support and one for GRC support. This naturally brings in the complexity of not only coordinating the two suppliers to ensure timely delivery but also coordinating the actual structural design.Having worked with CFS on a previous project, McMullen Facades approached CFS on behalf of the main contractor Midgard to see if there was some way to simplify the situation and invited CFS to tender.In theory, the GRC and masonry support brackets can be combined into one, however, it brings additional structural challenges to consider and requires a good understanding of structural engineering.Given CFS's experience both in the design of GRC support and masonry support, CFS were able to consider the additional design challenges and designed a novel type of combined masonry and GRC support bracket. The design adjustment resulted in savings on masonry support brackets due to smaller material use despite the brackets being relatively large.Using a combined bracket also meant that Midgard needed to work only with one supplier – simplifying the whole supply chain.Midgard rationalised the design to be modular and repetitive. This was achieved by using a small number of masonry pier variations and window openings allowing for repeated supports to be used throughout each level. All this meant that CFS were able to deliver just several variations of the combined GRC and masonry support bracket.Combined GRC and masonry support brackets bring a significant reduction in labour hours on site. Additional savings are made by simplification of the supply chain – this also reduces risk associated with supplier management and increases transparency across the project. This approach proved to be successful and is used in other projects to date.As a result, CFS now offers combined GRC and masonry support brackets to date.

Coventry Very Light Rail (CVLR) is a light tram / rail operating in Conventry.Designed to be one of its kind, the system is battery powered, eliminating the need for overhead wires. The low-profile track makes use of advanced materials to optimise its performance characteristics, whilst also employing standard rail parts where possible to ensure ease of manufacturing and use of existing supply chains.Although light rail systems offer benefits for cities in terms of transportation and air quality, the costs associated with system installation are often out of reach given funding constraints. Typical system costs may be in excess of £70 million per kilometre meaning that new networks are likely to run to billions of pounds. Early project research by the WMG-Coventry City Council team revealed that a significant proportion of these costs are related to the diversion of utilities. Convention light rail systems utilise deep foundations, leading to interaction with utilities and therefore resulting in diversions, delays and project management costs.Coventry City Council set WMG the challenge of developing a low-profile light rail track system that requires a dig depth of no more than 30 cm. A high-performance shallow slab system was developed meeting the requirements for mechanical performance due to both the light rail vehicles and heavy good vehicles. To achieve secure fixing of the rails to the high-performance slabs, the fixing inserts need to provide flexibility and be able to withstand the applied forces. Another consideration is for the fixing bolts to provide reliable integrity for long-term exposure. They have to be secure yet allow for enough movement caused by the tram cars and the material expansion due to the weather exposure. They also need to be durable to long-term repetitive loading from rail and road vehicles.The support from CFS helped WMG to deliver a functional design that has the potential to revolutionise city public transport infrastructure projects.CFS worked with WMG at the University of Warwick along with main contractor Galliford Try to deliver a functional design that has the potential to revolutionise city public transport infrastructure projects. Together with Ingerop and Rendel we are currently looking at changing the coating of the bolts to modify friction but provide equivalent corrosion protection as galvanising. The benefit is that the reduced friction can provide more reliable bolt torque to be achieved.Having worked together on this project WMG and CFS have started a partnership that focuses on new product development for the precast industry.

In March 2020, we were contacted by major UK-based contractor Midgard to review the masonry support designs at Fulham Riverside, a residential-led development on the North Bank of the Thames designed by architects Gillespies.The team on site had noticed that the movement joint was being crushed and brought us on as consultants to carry out a full review of the design. Through our assessment, we found that the loads being experienced were significantly higher than had been allowed for, with loads in some areas as high as 35 kN, when as little as 11 kN had been allowed for.Despite being contacted initially as a consultant, we were brought on straightaway to restart the entire project. The existing masonry and support had to be stripped out and our own installed, and with the project falling significantly behind schedule as a result, everything – including the design work – had to be done at record pace, to help make up the time lost.Whereas most fully welded Masonry Support systems are rigid, ours was advantageous in that it is fully adjustable, covering all site tolerances by offering vertical adjustment, lateral adjustment and horizontal adjustment. As a result, we could work at speed and operate with enough flexibility to complete the project on time.

Ocean Drive project will deliver 373 homes including family and affordable housing across 4 apartment blocks to Leith in Edinburgh. Designed by architects 3Dreid with Hart Builders as the main contractor, the project will be one of Scotland’s most sustainable residential developments due to a 55% reduction in operational carbon emissions. Interestingly, all 4 blocks were built simultaneously.Initially, CFS were approached by subcontractors McAleer and Rushe with the plan to introduce masonry support on the piers at every other level up to the roof. This initially presented challenges, particularly at the corners, because of the large cantilever due to the shape of the building and the cavity depth.At Level 12, McAleer and Rushe had also intended to support all the way to the roof, spanning 2 and 3/4 levels. Unfortunately, this approach proved unfeasible due to excessive loads on the fixings, especially in the corners.To support the excessive loads on the fixings CFS recommended adding an additional support at Level 14 which relieved the load.Photo taken from McAleer and Rushe website.

Designed by architectural firm Kohn Pedersen Fox (KPF) and supplied by main contractor Canary Wharf Contractors, 1 Bank Street is a 27 storey steel-framed office tower featuring a sloping western façade and flexible design based around cellular beams.The building was designed to achieve BREEAM ‘Outstanding’ rating, the highest level of certification a building can achieve for sustainability performance. The façade was designed to maximise the light coming in. However, due to its design, the loads that the panels need to withstand are significant.Due to our extensive expertise in the design and delivery of glass façade fixings, Construction Fixing Systems were approached by Lindner facades to discuss the design.CFS worked with Lindner facades to deliver a special design of cast-in channels for the façade, including the design and manufacturing of ski channels.

Regent’s Crescent is a historic site adjacent to Regent’s Park in London, designed by John Nash in the early 19th century. CFS worked with Main Contractor Midgard on the Regent’s Crescent project to provide a bespoke product for façade retention combining two cast-in channels and a bobbin. Designed by PDP Architects with AKT II providing structural engineering, the site was re-developed to comprise of sixty-eight new apartments and nine mews houses to the rear.Whilst the Grade I listed crescent façade is a standout feature of Regent’s Park, due to the damage from the War it was not viable to retain this. Following extensive research and consultation, Studio PDP decided to rebuild the Crescent, which is now the only Grade 1 listed façade to be rebuilt in the UK.There were many complexities and challenges to both the design and construction, including the fact that the site is surrounded on three sides by busy roads, including the Marylebone Road. A further challenge for this complex project involved considering the effects of vibration from the four London Underground lines that pass underneath the site.AKT II, the structural engineers working on the project, were looking at ways of mitigating the vibrations in a way that would be compliant with the conservation rules. This meant that they were unable to use traditional reveal angles.CFS have a long history of creating bespoke solutions, and as such we produced solutions to allow for both vertical and horizontal movement. This resulted in a bespoke product for façade retention combining two cast-in channels and a bobbin.

Back in 2020 we were contacted by McMullen Facades on behalf of main contractor Midgard to design and supply the Masonry Support for the Sackville Road project. Designed by Whittam Cox Architects, the former trading estate near Hove Station was transformed into an intergenerational neighbourhood featuring over 800 modern homes, including 564 Build to Rent units, 10% affordable housing, and 260 care community residences.The development provides long-term tenancy options and state-of-the-art amenities such as communal lounges, dining areas, shops, restaurants, and co-working spaces. With 70% of the site dedicated to public and green spaces, including roof terraces and landscaped gardens, the project aims to foster a vibrant and connected community.When designing Masonry Support for Block D of the project CFS encountered a hurdle of a Soffit which was unusually split into 3 sections – a front section, back section and a central GRC section.When designing Masonry Support for Block D of the project CFS encountered a hurdle of a Soffit which was unusually split into 3 sections – a front section, back section and a central GRC section.Whilst the front and back sections were easily supported with from the underside of our masonry support angle, this left the 550x2000mm GRC section completely unsupported. As a solution, we fixed 2 Brackets per panel to the underside of the downstand which meant that the central GRC section was now supported.We were delighted to contribute to the creation of a dynamic, intergenerational neighbourhood that prioritises community, sustainability, and modern living.

The Shard Quarter, developed in several phases, consists of three buildings: News Building, Shard Place, and Shard itself designed by Italian architect Renzo Piano. Thanks to Sheldebouw, a leader in the curtain wall industry, CFS were involved in the building of Shard and Shard Place.The Shard, designed by Renzo Piano Building Workshop, was designed as a ‘vertical city’. Shard Place (aka Fielden House) is a residential building built in the third phase of the development, with Mace as the main contractor.Sheldebouw were tasked with designing the building’s glazed envelope. The key challenge in the case of Shard was the building’s irregular shape. As the architect’s vision asked for a highly transparent facade with excellent energy efficiency, Sheldebouw opted for extra-clear low-iron glass. The glazing panels were installed to oversail the steel frames, making them invisible from the outside. Due to new regulations introduced in 2006, the whole façade was designed as a passive double-skin ventilated façade with built-in automatic fiberglass roller blinds.Similarly, Shard Place, built several years later, has a double-skin glass façade. In both cases, Sheldebouw needed an experienced partner to design and deliver fixings for the glass façade.CFS has extensive experience in designing fixing solutions for glass facades as well as project management to minimise any unexpected delays. Being able to combine our technical expertise and manufacturing capabilities this makes us an ideal partner for large complex projects.In both cases, CFS designed and delivered cast-in channels to fix mullions supporting the glass panels of the façade, including relevant T-bolts.

Victoria and Albert Museum of Design Dundee (V&A Dundee) is the first V&A built outside London. The design of the facade drew inspiration from the Scottish cliffs and the silhouette of the impressive facade imitates the shape of a ship at dock. Due to the complex geometric slopes and curvatures, coupled with its exposure to the Scottish weather and its proximity to the North Sea marine environment, architectural concrete was the favored material option for this project. The main contractor on the project was BAM Construction Ltd.To enable the vision of architects Kengo Kuma & Associates, Techrete designed bespoke fixings to attach the concrete facade to the main structure. They were looking for a manufacturer who could support them in delivering the solution, including about 18,000 cast-in channels.CFS worked closely with Techrete to manufacture the required precast facade support brackets in Duplex stainless steel. We have also worked closely during the building phase of this project to deliver the brackets in timely fashion.Since this project, CFS has supported Techrete on various projects and we keep working closely.

During the construction of the New National Wembley Stadium, Pyramid Builders provided to the main contractor Multiplex Construction UK a fully integrated package that included brickwork, blockwork, stonework, engineering, steel Windposts, firestopping and scaffolding along with the logistical management of all associated deliveries.CFS manufactured and supplied the steel Windposts used in the construction.The building was designed with high internal walls. To make these walls stable, Pyramid Builders needed to include Windposts to increase lateral wall stability.Based on the provided design, CFS provided custom manufactured steel Windposts up to 10m long to restrain the internal walls.These Windposts are integrated within the block walls.