Aluminium façade and door systems from Schueco UK Limited, the UK’s market leader in systems for the building envelope and solar products, are being used extensively in the construction of a 27-storey residential tower-block at Maple Quays, South East London. The project, for Barratt London, is part of the massive Canada Water development that aims to regenerate the Rotherhithe area.

The £8 million design, prefabrication and installation contract was won by London façade specialist and Schueco network partner, M Price. The company is using Schueco’s USC 65 insulated unitised façade system for the work. This extremely flexible system, which is ideally suited to large projects, combines economy and functionality with visually striking aesthetics in the form of continuous, consistently narrow sight-lines.

The contract involves the fabrication of over 1,000 2.5 m x 3 m unitised sections, which are being constructed off-site at M Price’s newly enlarged 20,000 sq ft factory facilities in Enfield. The company purchased a new 4-corner crimping machine from Schueco to ensure that the job would be completed efficiently and on time. Delivery to site began in June this year.

A second Schueco system, ASS 70 FD, an aluminium, thermally insulated folding/sliding door system, is also being installed in apartments with balconies. Delivering 'U' values as low as 1.7 W/m2K, the doors offer excellent water-tightness, are easy to open and close and can accommodate door leaf sizes up to 1200 mm wide and 3000 mm high.

Designed by Glenn Howells Architects, this phase of Maple Quays includes not only the landmark central tower, but also four low-rise blocks, bringing the total number on the site to ten. Once completed in March 2013, Maple Quays will provide 668 new homes in a large, mainly residential development offering a sustainable mix of housing, retail outlets and associated community facilities.