Case Study
The Glass Works
Barnsley
The ideal solution for modular or offsite construction projects.
Set to open its doors in September 2021, Barnsley’s Glass Works development is the result of significant investment in the South Yorkshire town. Upon completion, the complex is set to house seven shops, 25 restaurants and a multiplex cinema.
Set to open its doors in September 2021, Barnsley’s Glass Works development is the result of significant investment in the South Yorkshire town. Upon completion, the complex is set to house seven shops, 25 restaurants and a multiplex cinema.
Built on the site of Barnsley’s historic market place, The Glass Works is a major new development at the heart of regeneration for the town’s centre.
Representing investment of more than £180m, The Glass Works retail and leisure scheme comprises a series of interlinked market halls across two storeys. Built around a double-height atrium which is designed to introduce natural light into the development, the first floor of the complex is given over to the ‘Market Kitchen’ food court, home to 10 independent food stores, accessible via walkways within the centre and directly from the street outside.
A key consideration at all stages of the development was creating a building which, ultimately, both nodded to the site’s legacy as an ancient centre of trade in the town, while delivering a distinctly modern look. A vital component in achieving this was the use of the MechSlip cladding system, which has been used extensively in the development’s frontage and interior alongside long stretches of glass, affording a dramatic finish to the structure.
Understanding the need for a cladding system which had both aesthetic appeal and crucial safety credentials, IBI Group soon settled on MechSlip, with its recently attained A1 fire rating, as the solution of choice. Spanning more than 23,600 square feet, The Glass Works needed a cladding system which was easy-to-install and lightweight, while delivering that all-aesthetic appeal. MechSlip was able to deliver that. Designed with the needs of installers front of mind, convenience and ease-of-use are very much watchwords for the system.
Indeed, one of the features unique to MechSlip is that is can be fully assembled in a factory controlled environment and sent to site as ready-made panels, making it the ideal solution for modular or offsite construction project. The panels are fully finished – and even mortared – before being delivered to site, allowing for seamless, and time efficient, installation. For a development such as The Glass Works, which was being completed in a busy town centre setting, this offsite capability is an important consideration.
The Glass Works development presented a unique challenge, in that the products have to reference both the heritage of Barnsley with the architect’s desire for a strikingly modern, eye-catching finish.
Evaldas Juska | Product Engineer, Ash & Lacy
Evaldas Juska, Product Engineer at Ash & Lacy commented: “The Glass Works development presented a unique challenge, in that the products have to reference both the heritage of Barnsley with the architect’s desire for a strikingly modern, eye-catching finish.
In a development the size and scale of The Glassworks, the benefits of the MechSlip become abundantly clear. Because the work is being carried out in a busy, town-centre location, the ability to ship MechSlip panels to site ready-made really streamlined the installation process – helping the contractors save time and money.”
Project Gallery
Speed and efficiency. Built in.
Why You Should Choose MechSlip
MechSlip starts delivering benefits from day one, with its lightweight construction that reduces the demand on the building’s foundations. It is suitable for high rise applications.
MechSlip is fully compatible with modular and unitised construction techniques and with many modern building substrates, so you can use it to enhance concrete, steel frame, masonry and insulated panels. Installation is easy and fast, so you can save time and money over traditional brickwork. Often, you don’t even need scaffolding to install MechSlip and we can train your own installers in less than a day.
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