Sapphire’s custom work overcomes challenges at Trinity installation

Sapphire’s custom work overcomes challenges at Trinity installation

Sapphire fulfilled their Rigid.Ready.Right brand promise when providing balconies to Trinity, a 380 apartment high-rise residential scheme in Salford.

Trinity’s space includes a reception, a laundrette, a cinema room, fitness studio, bike storage and car parking space. The space between buildings makes up an ‘urban orchard’ and provides residents with an enjoyable outdoor recreational area.

The key challenge with this project was the use of concrete wall panels. Sapphire needed to find a way to fix the balcony arms to the panels while ensuring the rigidity of the balcony met their Rigid.Ready.Right. brand promise.

The concrete wall panel install schedule also posed a challenge, due to the required use of the site crane during the week whilst keeping the project programme on track.

A cast-in bracket was designed into the wall panels to allow the arms to be fixed without any connection back to the slab. By successfully casting the brackets into precast walls Sapphire avoided the need for costly thermal breaks and avoided penetrating fire barriers, therefore eliminating the need for fire stopping around balcony brackets. These custom designed brackets were shipped to the concrete wall panel manufacturer’s factory in Dublin to be cast in before shipping to site in Manchester.

This innovative solution resulted in some of Sapphire’s most rigid balconies installed to date (far exceeding their guaranteed L/360) and an average of almost 30 installed a day. The delivery schedule was also arranged primarily on weekends to coordinate with the use of the crane during the week for the concrete panels, allowing the install programme to work harmoniously.

Step 1- An innovative bracket was designed to be cast-in to the MMC concrete wall panels. The brackets were then manufactured and cast-in prior to being transported to Manchester for install.

Step 2 - Cassette® balconies were prefinished offsite at Sapphire’s production facility in Staffordshire, including the balustrades, decking and soffits.

Step 3 - Cassette® balconies were transported in coordination with other trades and crane availability with balconies ‘nested’ onto each pallet making transport both cost effective and safe. Balconies were pre-slung offsite ready for installation upon arrival.

Step 4 - Once lifted into position, the Cassettes® simply Glide-On™ to the pre-erected support arms, before completing the simple mechanical fixings.

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Sapphire Balconies Ltd

Sapphire Balconies Ltd

Sapphire leads the field in the design, manufacture, supply and support of beautiful, high-quality, innovative balconies

Sapphire are uniquely positioned by being solely focused on the high rise residential market. It's this laser-like...
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