Client: Network Rail
Type of works: supply and installation of cladding system.

Synopsis:
Rainscreen Cladding using perforated metal panels for a multi-storey car park adjoining Runcorn railway station and close to the River Mersey. The fittings were specially designed to allow the cladding to ‘ripple’ along the side of the car park.

Specification:
1383m² of 3mm expanded metal, anodised finish aluminium cladding system. Typical panel size 3m x 1.2m with Unistrut channel supports and brackets mounted to the existing structure.

After developing a combined barrier and cladding product in Protecta-Clad, it was perhaps a short step for Berry Systems to enter the car park cladding market in their own right. With the expertise gained from both the Berry Systems and TopDeck Parking installation teams, this new activity was put to the test at the new Runcorn Station multi-storey car park. A £7.7m design and construct contract was awarded to Kier Civil Engineering and the four storey MSCP sub-contracted to Composite Ltd. The expanded car park provides an additional 198 parking spaces, making a total of 558 spaces on the site.

The project forms part of a larger programme to upgrade parking facilities on the West Coast Main Line.

The architect’s vision was to evoke images of the waves rippling along the nearby romantic River Mersey and so the expanded metal cladding ripples along the side of the car park with the upper and lower edges symbolising the waves washing on the shore. The fittings and fixings for the cladding had to be designed to accommodate this rather than a more conventional level finish.

Installation on this first cladding project went smoothly and the car park opened on schedule.