The brief

Architects CZWG wanted an edgy, standout façade on a new community building for Rathbone Market in London’s Canning Town. The cladding and backing structure had to complement other finishes on the building, making it an impressive addition to the new public square in the £25m second phase of the regeneration of the area. Rathbone Market offers a range of residential units, shops and cafes while continuing to host one of the East End’s oldest surviving street markets, dating back to the 13th century.

What we did

Aliva UK provided a black polished ceramic granite finish that ensured the building took its place as a striking landmark for the local community. Aliva also made its expert design team available from the start to ensure every detail of the façade system was right.

What makes it special

To ensure a seamless finish, Aliva designed the sub-grid using extruded brackets, mullions and transoms. The horizontal carrier rail was finished in black PPC coating. The cladding tiles were fixed with specialist undercut anchors to meet the architect’s brief for precise, sharp angles into the large windows.

What they say

The community building, fronting on to the square really stands out with its honed black granite cladding. Aliva helped us achieve the effect we wanted by providing a thin, inherently strong material that enabled us to maintain the crisp geometries of the development. We were particularly pleased with the way Aliva considered the technical requirements for the cladding early on in the project. Adam West, CZWG partner.