Industrial architecture reinvented
The zinc roofing and cladding of the social housing in Barchester Street (England) echoes the sawtooth profile of the former factory.
This redevelopment of a 1939 factory building and 1956 warehouse provides 115 new affordable homes of the site in the Limehouse Cut Conservation Area. Whilst the original buildings could not be retained, their appearance is echoed in the new scheme which uses A2,s1-d0 rated zinc roofing and cladding to provide additional storeys.
About the project
The development occupies a former industrial site, which included a disused factory and warehouse. The three new buildings are organised around a central landscaped courtyard, with a six-storey structure replacing the warehouse, and four- and fivestorey elements set within the existing walls of the factory.
Echoing the saw-tooth profile of the factory, the new zinc-clad upper floors and roof form a series of ‘spines’ that progressively raise in height across the site. This element is also conceived as a distinct metal volume that has been ‘slotted’ into the existing brick facade.
Why zinc was chosen rather than another material?
Installed using the standing seam technique, elZinc Rainbow® Brown titanium zinc is warm, it fits in harmoniously with the industrial heritage of the site. The material subtly reflects light in response to changes in natural lighting, as if the metal were alive.
Extremely corrosion-resistant and 100% recyclable, elZinc Rainbow® guarantees the architects at Metropolitan Workshop longevity for their magnificent project.
The main technical challenges
The façade is essentially a ventilated rainscreen, whereas the warm roof system does not require ventilation. Where the two systems meet, the solution was to move the ventilation of the façade to the rear of the parapet in order to conceal it.
Achieving to integrate the windows and balconies while allowing the material to expand and contract appeared to be an additional challenge.
The actors of the project
Project: Barchester Street, Poplar
Owners: Canary Wharf Group
Architects: Metropolitan Workshop
Installer: SIG Zinc&Copper
Roofing: All metal roofing
Material: Standing seam – elZinc Rainbow Brown Protect+
Photographer: Terrence Smith Photography.
Date: June 2020
