Newfoundland is the
latest soaring addition to London’s Canary Wharf estate. When complete,
the 60-storey residential tower being developed by the Canary Wharf Group will
provide 636 build-to-rent apartments, offering stunning views across the city.
The building features
a striking diagrid structure, akin to that used in another famous London
landmark, ‘The Gherkin’.
Designed by architects
Horden Cherry Lee and structural engineers WSP, this aesthetic has been
achieved through the use of a structural concrete core supported by a series of
steel beams which join together on the outside to form the tower’s distinctive diamond
pattern.
Any residential
building over 18 metres requires enhanced fire protection to comply with
Building Regulations. Newfoundland’s unique design also called for a
bespoke passive fire protection system to provide peace of mind for residents
while delivering a high-quality rental experience. Promat and
installation sub-contractor Sharpfibre worked together to find a solution.
David Harper,
technical director at Sharpfibre, explains: “Good building design and
maintenance is essential to minimise the spread of a building fire. Passive fire protection systems do this by
compartmentalising a building through fire-rated walls and floors and
structural protection, which stops a fire from growing quickly, allowing people
more time to escape and rescue teams to operate safely.
“At Newfoundland, our brief was to provide up to two
hours’ fire resistance for the tower’s steel beams as a critical structural
component. We also wanted a fire protection system that would maximise
internal space to deliver the lifestyle Newfoundland’s residents expect.”
To achieve this, Promat and Sharpfibre specified
Supalux – a high performance fire protection board which is
non-combustible. David Harper continues: “Supalux not only met the
required technical performance but also provided an additional 8mm of space for
the floor-to-ceiling heights for each apartment, compared to using standard
boards. This extra room is crucial for accommodating building services
like air conditioning as well as luxury conveniences such as built-in music
systems.”
Using Supalux also had the added benefit of allowing
the fire protection installation to be completed before the external façade
works were finished. David Oram, area sales manager at Promat, explains:
“The board is a calcium silicate material, which means that it is resistant to
moisture and can be left exposed to the elements. This helps to speed up
overall build timetables as the fire protection installation process doesn’t
have to wait until external works are done.”
Promat’s PROMATECT 250 board was specified for
Newfoundland’s 60th floor where a robust material was required to
compartmentalise the plant systems on its roof. Both Supalux and
PROMATECT 250 are supported by test data and certificates from Promat’s own
Innovation and Technology Centre in Belgium as well as independent third-party
bodies.
David Harper adds: “Following the Grenfell Tower fire,
we have seen a sharp rise in clients asking for more details on product
performance which is a positive shift for the industry. Ensuring that
materials are backed up by appropriate test data and accreditation is essential
to giving clients and building users peace of mind that they will do the job
they’re intended for.
“Promat has always led the field in following
stringent testing procedures and providing robust performance evidence and it
is our policy to only work with materials manufacturers who meet these high
standards.”
Newfoundland is
expected to complete in 2020, providing its new residents with a safe,
comfortable and stylish home for years to come.
