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Curtain walling

70 St Mary Axe

Dubbed ‘the Can of Ham’, its curved façade presented many challenges

Modern commerce and creativity blend together indside this building.The interior design is just as striking as the exterior with its unique symmetry and gentle curves. It offers building users 360° panoramic glass for some of the most enviable views in London.

Project details

Year
2020

Location
London, UK

Building use
Commercial

Developer
Nuveen Real Estate

Consultant
DP9

Architect
Foggo Associates

Main contractor
Mace

Façade contractor
Focchi

Products and systems

  • CW-FS Firestop
  • BM/P Acoustic Barrier

Introduction

The distinctive, semi-elliptical shape of the new 90 m high glass and steel office building at 70 St Mary Axe in London required proven passive fire protection and acoustic solutions that could fit with the unique curved frame.

With its curvaceous form, each of the ‘Can of Ham’s 24-storeys differs from the next, requiring a high level of accuracy and detail to meet the sound barrier and fire stop requirements.

Façade contractor, Focchi, used the CW-FS Firestop to seal the gap between the curved walling system and the slabs of this tapered building. It was also used as a vertical barrier for each internal steel column.  

The BM/P Acoustic Barrier Mat was installed to assist in reducing flanking transmission between adjacent internal areas and further improve the room-to-room acoustic performance.

Commenting on the project, Matteo Bugané, Project Manager at Focchi said:

“The technical assistance and design advice from Siderise was invaluable to ensure compatibility between the fire stops and our curtain walling system.  We also developed the vertical acoustic barrier with the Siderise team to reach the required 45dB performance requirements on the project. The experience working with Siderise on this project was excellent and we look forward to working with them on the next project.” 
 

Installation and inspection

Whilst specifying the correct product is crucial, the quality of installation of a life-safety critical product is equally as important. Throughout the application, the Siderise Inspection and Reporting App provided Focchi with an efficient way to effectively inspect, record and seamlessly audit the quality of the installation of the fire stops. By capturing the relevant information on a tablet device, the contractor was able to highlight any issues in need of a resolution.

The App allows the user to easily update data input fields, capture multiple photos for each area or element inspected, and then record as in accordance with recommendations. A comprehensive report is immediately generated which effectively offers feedback on the quality of installation of the areas inspected in accordance with recommendations, thereby identifying areas that require remedial treatment.

The Siderise Inspection and Reporting App is part of a comprehensive range of services from the company’s site services team which ensures that each stage of a project, from product selection to final installation, runs smoothly.  

Conclusion

With this stunning city building and its curvaceous irregular form a welcome addition to the London skyline, Siderise played its part in delivering tried and tested solutions which met the client’s passive fire protection and noise transfer requirements. 

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