Sapphire delivers continuous balconies for stylish Northway House residential development refurb
Sapphire’s pioneering balcony design and intelligent engineering has delivered the dynamic reimagining of an iconic 1970s office building into highly desirable apartments close to the capital. Sapphire’s install partner for the project, McKean Developments, installed Sapphire’s offsite-manufactured balcony Cassette® system and Windoor enclosed balcony spaces to provide over 160 stunning glass balconies for Northway House in the sought-after North London suburb of Totteridge and Whetstone.
Balconies at Northway House play a key role in the architectural design of the courtyard development, with their frameless glass balustrades from Sapphire’s Crystal range creating a continuous line of glass to the L-shaped walkways. The balcony Cassettes® (the frame structure and balustrade) were manufactured in Sapphire’s Thetford production facility while associated works, including thermally broken balcony bracketry, were being completed to the building facade. Cassettes® were delivered as preassembled structures, with laminated glass balustrades, powder coated capping, fascia, soffits and gutter for positive drainingDrip Trays Positively Draining to downpipes, ready for Sapphire’s Scottish install partner McKean Developments, to install.
Sapphire was able to overcome the potential problem of limited access on site by delivering seven balconies per flatbed lorry. Using the company’s fast-track install method, featuring its pioneering Glide-On™ connectors, it was possible to install all the balcony sections for one floor’s L-shaped walkway in a day
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Project Manager for the developer, Durkan, scored Sapphire ten out of ten for product and service performance and commented: “Sapphire balconies are an excellent design, resulting in high quality and rapid installation.” RMA Architects, the award-winning architectural practice behind Northway House, also gave Sapphire top marks. “The finished product was a very high standard,” praised the project architect and added: “Sapphire’s team was easy to work with and produced a good level of drawings and details that we could coordinate with the rest of the design team.”
Although Sapphire’s Cassette® balconies are made off site, which minimises on site trade coordination, there are still plenty of other trades which need to work together in synergy. Sapphire sees the product and trade interface as a critical aspect of a smooth balcony installation. OCL Facades, the specialist façade contractor for Northway House, was particularly impressed by Sapphire’s willingness to work collaboratively and overcome joint issues. As a result, a member of OCL’s installation team concludes: “I would be more than happy to recommend Sapphire for another project.”
