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The new MX curtain walling system from Technal has been specified by Cartwright Pickard Architects for a landmark 16 storey tower in Sheffield. The £850,000 contract has been awarded to fabricator and installer Dortech, in partnership with Technal. The I Quarter is a £12 million mixed use riverside scheme, which includes a fully glazed residential tower overlooking the river Don.

Figures released by architectural aluminium glazing specialist Technal indicate that demand for its façade systems in Ireland has grown dramatically. The company has also announced plans for further expansion, which includes increasing its network of fabricators. In the past three years, Technal's turnover in Ireland has more than doubled and enquiries have increased by 80%. Average project size has also doubled. The company's growth follows the launch of its MX curtain walling system and a number of senior staff appointments to offer technical support to architects, fabricators and contractors locally. Its operations recently relocated to larger premises in Dublin earlier this year. Des Bellew, Manager for Technal in Ireland, said: 'We have broadened the range of our products in response to the changing requirements of specifiers.'

The first UK application of Technal's MX BG beaded curtain walling system has been completed. Located in the Rhymney Valley in South Wales, the project is the new headquarters for Williams Medical Supllies, a leading pharmaceutical and medical equipment supplier. The recently launched system has a flush externally beaded frame to create a 'picture frame' appearance for the building facade. It uses the same mullion and transom grid as other designs in the MX curtain walling suite, allowing specifiers to vary the aesethetics of a building without the need for additional interface detailing and construction.

Transforming a former 1960s campus building into a bright gateway to the university, Technal's new structurally glazed curtain walling system has been employed at the University of Sunderland. The first UK application of the fa?ade system, the design utilises a bold pattern of irregular bays which incorporate a mix of transparent, opaque and opening panels. Glazing from Technal was used to reproduce the geometric pattern of colours for the building's new external envelope. The abstract style is characterised by vertical and horizontal lines which form irregular rectangles glazed in a palette of bright colours.

This product appeared in Building Products more than 12 months ago. Please contact Technal directly for further details.

Designed to simplify specification, improve efficiency and reduce time on site, Technal's new glazed facade system, MX SSG, is Building Products' Product of the Month for December. Based on the same grid system as the company's MX curtain walling suite, the new system has been developed to create a truly flush glass facade. With the use of structural silicone bonding, it will significantly reduce the amount of visible aluminium, the company claims. MX SSG, which is designed to complement MX visible grid and MX Trame curtain walling, offers additional aesthetic variety for the building envelope from a single interconnected grid, while offering good thermal performance and weatherproofing. The units can accommodate 6mm, 28mm or 34mm glazing or 50mm composite panels. The system features a glass security support at each corner of the carrier frame, allowing a maximum glass weight of 200kg per frame. It is available with the option of top hung or tilt/turn concealed vents for natural ventilation and as a flat facade or faceted up to 3?. The system has been tested to BS EN standards, achieving 2400 Pa for wind resistance, 3600 Pa for safety and 600Pa for water tightness and air permeability

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Windows and door systems for Oxfordshire County Council's glazing replacement programme have been provided by Technal. The company's FXi46 top hung casement windows, GXi horizontal sliding and CD pivot doors, and Series 7000 ground floor framing will be used. Finished in a durable white polyester powder coating, the aluminium systems will be replacing timber windows and will provide a thermally efficient and low maintenance solution. The FXi range has a flush polyamide thermal break for enhanced thermal performance and is available in a choice of three sizes - 46mm, 52mm and 65mm - with weather resistant properties.

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For the external envelope and interior of a new mining museum in Northumberland, Technal has supplied its range of curtain walling. The slim profiles of the company's curtain walling enclose sheer panes of glass and was used to form a full height facetted glazed screen which supports timber brise soleil sunshading. The curtain walling was finished in a grey polyester powder coating and glazed in 6mm clear toughened outer and 6mm low E inner glass.

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Some 1000 windows and doors have been supplied by Technal for a new riverside apartment scheme in Leeds. Technal works closely on the glazing contract with Fox Aluminium who fabricated and installed the system. Its faceted curtain walling system was also supplied for the double height penthouse apartments. The system follows the curved roof profile and supports brise soleil sunshading to the living rooms on the south facing elevations. The company was able to deliver on acoustics using its FXi door and window system.

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Incorporating architectural glazing systems from Technal, a health centre in Belfast has won a major award for architecture. The Arches, a ?15 million community health and social services centre, has been presented with a Royal Institute of British Architects Award. Around 100 windows in different colour combinations, frame and span sizes were provided by the company. A 'stained' glass facade constructed from Technal's curtain walling spans three storeys above the main entrance. The double glazed units are structurally bonded to the curtain walling system to give the appearance of one large pane of glass. An image of a flower on vinyl film was applied to the inner face of the units.

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Curtain walling from Technal has been used to create a fully glazed fa?ade for Queen's University's new ?40 million Institute for Electronics, Communications and Information Technology in Belfast's Titanic Quarter. The fa?ade needed to have the appearance of the bow of a ship leaning into the wind. This was achieved by the company's Trame Vertical system which spans three storeys and was structurally bonded to allow an incline of 12?. Large 1.5m by 3m double glazed units were used for the curtain walling with glass to glass joints at the corners. Vertical lines were accentuated with the Trame aerofoil cap. The systems were finished in a dark grey powder coating.

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Curtain walling by Technal offers a range of design options from a single grid system. With enhanced thermal performance which achieves low u-values, the product provides the ability to vary the appearance of the building envelope in one integrated system. It features a face-fixed spigot for each mullion or transom joint, controlling the injection of sealant for weatherproofing. Each drainage zone has a series of bespoke EPDM plugs to prevent water ingress and remove the need for sealant. The MX Trame option is dry glazed, removing the requirement for site-applied sealant. This variation allows specifiers to highlight the vertical or horizontal profiles across the building envelope.

This product appeared in Building Products more than 12 months ago. Please contact Technal directly for further details.

Architectural aluminium systems from Technal have been utilised on a refurbishment programme at the Arches Centre in Belfast. Some 100 windows in large spans, different colour combinations and frame sizes, were installed. Dual colour tilt/turn casement windows from the FXi46 suite were supplied and finished in a variety of colours. Internally the frames are white with the opening vents taken from the palette of colours. Polyester powder coated infill panels were inserted into the window frames and finished in different colours. A 'stained' glass fa?ade constructed from curtain walling spans three storeys. The double glazed units were structurally bonded to the curtain walling to appear as a single glass pane.

This product appeared in Building Products more than 12 months ago. Please contact Technal directly for further details.

Occupying a spectacular parkland setting at the University of Limerick in Ireland, a new campus development has been completed using a range of architectural aluminium glazing systems from Technal. Already shortlisted for the Irish Architecture Awards, the three to four storey buildings feature the company's grid curtain walling system to each elevation and the FXi65 top hung casement windows. The opening lights were finished in blue, contrasting with the curtain walling, which was supplied in grey. The elevation treatment of the two buildings uses a palette of timber and zinc cladding and glazing as the primary materials, with brick used on the research facility to complement other buildings on the campus.

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Architectural aluminium glazing systems from Technal have helped to transform a Nineteenth Century former textile mill into a waterside residential scheme at the West Yorkshire town of Brighouse. More than 300 of the company's GXi sliding patio doors were specified. Visible grid curtain walling with 5m high spans was used for the double height penthouses, with GXi integrated into the system, which was finished in slate grey. The systems were an important architectural feature, with slim sight lines and thermal efficiency. Tested to 20000 open and close cycles, the system features a 9mm flush polyamide thermal break for enhanced performance.

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Different colours and glazing systems from Technal, have been used to create a futuristic new residential and commercial development in Glasgow. The Matrix building features the company's MC curtain walling, which is framed by black rainscreen cladding and carries 2.4m high panels of glass, spanning the full height of each storey. The glazing specification - 8mm toughened and laminated glass - met the required acoustic performance. Architectural interlayers in a palette of colours were applied to clear and reflective glass, which glows at night and complements the coloured aluminium panels in the day. With a slim profile, the MC system was specified to achieve both the artistic composition and functional form that the project required.

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Completing the refurbishment of the entire fa?ade of Buchanan House in Glasgow, 3,500m� of aluminium curtain walling from Technal was fabricated and installed by Systems Aluminium in a ?2.5m contract. Specified for performance and value, three variations of the MC suite carry large 3.6m wide spans of 28mm double glazing. The MC Trame system gives specifiers the choice of accentuating the vertical or horizontal lines across the building envelope using distinctive aerofoil profiles.

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Architectural aluminium glazing systems from Technal have been used for the first national museum to be built in the North East. Locomotion is a development which combines a series of historic buildings with a new facility that houses 60 historically important vehicles from the national railway collection. Technal's MC Trame Horizontale curtain walling was specified as continuous bands of ribbon glazing to provide high level lighting to the long sides of the building. The system also features prominently on the main and rear elevations, which are curved at the eaves. The design maximises the amount of natural light entering the building to reduce energy consumption, in keeping with the sustainability theme of the project.

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Some 500 windows and doors have been supplied by Technal for an award-winning riverside urban regeneration scheme in London developed by St George. Brewhouse Lane forms part of Putney Wharf - a mixed use redevelopment on the River Thames. The company's MC curtain walling is set back at roof level, producing full height glazing which is integrated with balcony doors for access onto the roof terraces. Technal's FXi52 side hung casement windows and balcony doors also feature in white and glazed in clear glass.

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Some 200 aluminium casement windows from Technal feature at a new flagship 10-storey hotel in Liverpool?s waterfront. Airdale Architecture fabricated the FXi46 fixed light windows, which were pre-installed into concrete panels off-site. This method of construction improved both accuracy and build time, Technal claims. The 8m long pre-finished white acid etched panels were then craned into position on site at the Radisson SAS Hotel. The FXi46 window provides a low maintenance, contemporary glazing solution for the scheme, with slim sight lines creating a modern finish.

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MC Curtain walling from Technal has been specified by architects Kensington Taylor for the new passenger airport at Guernsey Airport, providing a glazing system that echoes the building?s aeronautical design theme. The new terminal has curved ends, curved roofs and shaped overhanging eaves, which reflect the forms of the aeroplane and the building?s use. The MC curtain walling system was used with silver aerofoil caps to highlight the horizontal lines and visually elongate the building. Finished in black, the vertical profiles are less prominent, adding to the horizontal emphasis. The curtain walling was facetted to the north and south elevations, to create sweeping curves that follow the aesthetic of an aircraft. Fabricated and installed by St Gobain Solaglass, the MC curtain walling in this application carries green tinted low E bomb blast resistant glass.

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Developed by the Beetham Organisation, the 30-storey Beetham Tower is the largest project in the UK to feature Technal?s architectural aluminium glazing systems. The tower features 1,800m² of the company?s MC facetted curtain walling to the height of the building, and 130 FXi46 aluminium casesment windows. The windows were inserted into pre-cast concrete panels off-site and craned into position in order to reduce the programme time and improve the quality of the installation. This method of construction, which was also used for the adjacent hotel, removed the requirement for external scaffolding. With a specially adapted heavy duty section, the FXi46 windows meet the wind loadings for the tower. The system was tested at Technal?s UK product development centre in Leeds and achieved in excess of 2000 Pa for wind resistance and 600Pa for water tightness. Available in a choice of configurations and three module sizes, FXi uses a flush polyamide thermal break to meet current Building Regulations.

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One of the largest schemes to incorporate Technal?s new GXi aluminium sliding balcony door, Raines Court has won a RIBA award. The design ethos for the project was to use high quality, low maintenance materials. Each apartment module incorporates an entrance ?court? for access and balcony to the front elevation, which is glazed using the GXi sliding balcony door.

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Construction of the new Golden Jubilee wing at King?s College Hospital London has included the use of a fully glazed curved facade created using 2000m² of Technal?s MC Trame Horizontale curtain walling. The north-facing elevation is fully glazed in Trame facetted curtain walling which spans four storeys to give high levels of daylight. The aerofoil MC cap runs across the facade

This product appeared in Building Products more than 12 months ago. Please contact Technal directly for further details.