The brief

The architects wanted a dynamic natural stone cladding for new civic offices in the central hub of the London Borough of Greenwich. The façade needed a traditional look that enabled the building to work in unison with other local centres, without compromising safety or ease of installation. The stone cladding was surrounded by glass and exposed negative corners, as well as some complex geometry.

What we did

Aliva in conjunction with Putney and Wood was responsible for supplying the stone section of the façade, and our in-house team of technical experts carried out the structural design and calculations. Jura Limestone was selected for the façade, utilising 40mm sections for the front faces and 30mm for the soffits. We used a combination of our advanced Ali Stone 2 & 3 backing structures to ensure appropriate installation and retention. We used Ali Stone 2, which comprises vertical box sections retained by omega-shaped helping hand brackets, slotted horizontal rails, stainless steel pegs and slots. Ali Stone 3, used for the soffits, comprises vertical box section or T rails secured with L shaped or omega-shaped helping hand brackets, a horizontal slotted rail, panel fasteners and specialist undercut anchors.

What makes it special

Extensive design work by Aliva lay at the heart of this project’s success and ensured a smooth transition between the soffits and the other walls. The Jura Limestone – a bright lime and marl stone, quarried in Germany for over 100 years – conveyed the traditional look that placed this modern building in its historic surroundings. The façade features a ‘levitating’ block shape surrounded by curtain walling. The project triumphed through the combination of a stunning finish and a high level of technical back-up.