Crosby Gardens, Sefton

The brief

To give a new lease of life to a 1960s former office building in Sefton, Merseyside, as part of its transformation into a block of new high-end apartments. Architect Falconer Chester Hall was appointed by the developer for the scheme at Crosby Gardens with a brief to refurbish the building’s interior and exterior.

Aliva UK was appointed to realise Falconer Chester Hall’s creative vision for the external element of the project including a new External Wall Insulation and brick slip solution to cover the existing concrete frame and brick outer shell.

As well as improving the look of the building, Aliva was tasked with achieving greater thermal efficiency to ensure the new apartment complex meets modern sustainable building requirements.

A need to retain and improve a brick aesthetic was also specified, both by the client and local planning officers at Sefton Council. Aliva’s bespoke solution also needed to demonstrate significant cost and delivery benefits as measured against alternative new build options.

What we did

Aliva’s lightweight brick slip system AlivaFlex Mineral Wool proved the perfect solution for Crosby Gardens. The solution was quick to install and is extremely cost effective when measured against new build alternatives.

The existing building’s concrete frame and brick infill wall (with minimal cavity) had serious shortcomings from an aesthetic and thermal efficiency perspective. The answer was to wrap the original frame and wall with a new “skin” comprising Aliva’s EWI and lightweight brick slips. The EWI is mechanically fixed onto the old brick exterior and consists of a 100mm layer of mineral wool insulation on top of which is added a basecoat layer of mesh, reinforcing mesh and a smoothing coat.

Onto this went the lightweight, red multi brick slips with a pressed aluminium feature band added at each slab level. A feature penthouse apartment at the top of the building was finished with Aliva’s textured EWI in white.

Crosby Gardens was completed in February 2020. Not only does the new exterior look stunning, it has also significantly improved the building’s thermal efficiency. A new U-Value of 0.18W/m2k has now been measured against 1.3W/m2k before the refurbishment.

What makes it special?

Aliva has produced a bespoke brick slip and External Wall Insulation solution which has brought a tired and dated office building into the 21st Century. The building’s future is now assured, with a contemporary yet sympathetic brick aesthetic which has met both client and planning officer demands.

Aliva’s solution demonstrates the tangible benefits of refurbishment over rebuild when it comes to legacy office buildings. Commercial space can quickly and efficiently be transformed into high-end homes, without the need for expensive demolition or traditional brick building associated with new build. A scheme such as Crosby Gardens gives developers and architects the opportunity to get the brick look for less, while delivering significant sustainability wins through improved thermal efficiency.

Crosby Gardens was highly commended in the refurbishment category of the 2021 INCA Awards.