The Mercury Shopping Centre, Romford

Client: The Mercury Shopping Centre
Architect: ESA London
Type of works: engineering, furnishing and installation of an entrance corridor between the existing mall and a newly built section.

Novum was contracted to engineer, furnish and install an entrance corridor between the existing mall and a newly built section. The out of plumb walls of the existing structure presented a design challenge as they were not capable of handling the roof load. To solve this, Novum cantilevered the steel members from concrete side walls of the new section.

The use of very lightweight, ETFE air filled pillows as a roofing material helps the cantilever design and also creates a warm, inviting entrance for mall visitors.

Structurally the system uses AES. Circular hollow steel members that are media blasted, primed and painted support the roof.

The membrane is AFP. Aluminum profiles with an anodized finish hold three layer ETFE pillows. The top layer of ETFE is white and the other layers are clear.