Building 270 - A Fixfast Case Study

Building 270

Cambridge Science Park, Cambridge
HomeCase StudiesBuilding 270
Project Details
Location: Cambridge Science Park, Cambridge
Main contractor: Kier Construction
Sub contractor: T R Freeman
Our complete engineered rainscreen support system has been used to securely fix the decorative rainscreen façade for the new WorldPay offices.

Building 270 forms part of a substantial redevelopment of commercial premises within Cambridge Science Park to meet the needs of modern technology companies and improve sustainability.

TR Freeman was appointed as the specialist façade subcontractor and approached us for advice on the best fixing solution for the project.

The rainscreen features decorative polyester powder-coated cassette panels in soft champagne, soft silver, and anodic ice, with Kingspan composite panels - complemented with anodised column casings adjacent to the main entrance.

Our technical team reviewed this information, together with the architectural drawings, pull test calculations and details of the substrate. This, together with the project location, wind speed, building type and construction, was used to undertake wind load calculations.

Our customised rainscreen support system for TR Freeman was designed to make installation as straightforward as possible.

To create the structural aluminium framework for the substructure, helping hand brackets were used, and the framework was secured with DrillFast® DF3 frame fasteners in A2/304 stainless steel. Powder-coated DrillFast® lacquered stainless steel fasteners were used to ensure they blended in with the panels.

One of the most challenging aspects of the build was the decorative detailing, which featured shadow gaps and moulded corners. This meant each panel needed to be laser-levelled to create horizontal stripes that wrapped around every elevation - with up to 12 men installing the panels simultaneously around the building, this was no mean feat. Thankfully the brackets in our rainscreen support system are fully adjustable, meaning that TR Freeman’s installation team could achieve the millimetre-perfect alignment required.

Thanks to our easy-to-install rainscreen support system, building 270 boasts a high-performance rainscreen façade with stunning aesthetics fit for a growing technology company.

“We were very impressed with the system itself. In all honesty, I’d say the Fixfast Rainscreen Support system is like using a Meccano set – you know you’re going to get all the components you need, and they’ll all fit together precisely as designed. It just works.”
Gary Webb Director | T R Freeman