A pioneering modular construction project in Newcastle-upon-Tyne beat off tough competition to be awarded the ‘Best Tall Building Façade and Fenestration Engineering Project’ at the Tall Buildings Awards 2022, held recently in London.

The 82-metre Hadrian’s Tower is one of the most ambitious projects ever undertaken in the North East and has transformed the city skyline. But the exceptionally high-quality architectural finish would not have been possible without the use of modular construction techniques which relied on Reynaers’ ConceptWall 65 (CW 65) unitised system.

The constraints of building in a city centre location led Faulkner Browns Architects to specify the CW 65 system because it met both aesthetic and performance requirements, but can also be constructed off-site in modular panels – which can then be erected in units on site, radically reducing installation time. This curtain wall system meets the highest performance requirements in water and air tightness and wind load resistance. The building has also achieved the appropriate British Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method (BREEAM) credit.

The CW 65 system is available with different insulation levels, answering to the appropriate requirements of the building, and other environmental assessment systems such as the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System. In practice, this allows architects to rely on high-quality systems which achieve the Centre for Window and Cladding Technology (CWCT) test standards, while supporting their project programme, timescale, and budget.

Dan Gleeson, Head of Commercial Sales at Reynaers, said: “We’ve been involved in iconic tall building projects across the world since 1965. We’re delighted that the ambitious architectural finish and design of Hadrian’s Tower has been recognised for its excellence and particularly pleased that the project made best use of CW 65’s modular construction capabilities.

“Our unitised façade systems provide slim profile designs for architects which meet the highest performance requirements. Working in city centre locations on constrained sites is an engineering challenge, so prefabrication of the systems offsite in a climate-controlled environment under strict quality assurance significantly sped up the installation time without compromising on accuracy or safety.”

Hadrian’s Tower maximises the potential of its location in a constrained city-centre site. Home to 162 luxury apartments, a premium cocktail bar and fine dining restaurant, the 82-metre tower is at the heart of the city’s bold regeneration scheme. By building up, this project has demonstrated the viability of tall buildings in the region and answered a local need for housing in a modern, innovative way.

For further information about Reynaers Aluminium UK and its range of aluminium systems, visit www.reynaers.co.uk