Sapphire Balustrades Bring a Touch of Glass to New Apartments

Unique glass and stainless steel balcony balustrades from Sapphire Balustrades add a contemporary styling highlight to Tagore Court, a new development of mixed-tenure apartments in the London borough of Harrow. Bespoke balustrades, manufactured and installed by Sapphire, satisfy the project’s architectural specification and regulatory requirements for residential applications, including DDA compliance as well as coming with a touch of class, not just to touch but the service as well. In addition, elegant safety balustrades by Sapphire in communal stairways reinforce the impression of strong architectural detail of the building.

By combining elements from its five core ranges with custom detailing Sapphire is able to offer bespoke balustrade solutions to meet most client budgets and lead times. Sapphire’s design team worked closely keeping closely in touch with Tagore Court’s main contractor, SDC, to create technically and aesthetically appropriate solutions for the development’s single and double balcony structures.

Balustrades for apartment balconies feature 60mm satin polished stainless steel handrails and balusters (uprights) from Sapphire’s Onyx range with 10mm clear toughened glass infill panels, fixed with offset glass lugs. An inverted angle edge trim was specially designed by Sapphire to cover the edge of the timber glazing frame for a clean, neat finish. Main balcony handrails are manufactured in the form of a ‘structural hoop’ which takes the main loading. Sapphire also provided complementary privacy screens between balconies, which incorporate obscure glass panels with a satin-etched finish.

In addition to external balustrades manufactured in 316 Grade stainless steel, Sapphire’s product package for Tagore Court includes mild steel balustrades for internal stairways. Balusters with welded vertical bar infills and matching handrail installed to communal stairs are finished in a smart and durable black PVC coating.

Balustrades for the project were designed by Sapphire to comply with all standards and legislation relating to structural performance and design loads. Balustrades also meet relevant regulations and guidelines covering height, positioning and dimensions to ensure suitability for the disabled and the safety of all users, irrespective of age or ability. In residential applications like Tagore Court this includes the size of the ‘triangle’ formed by the tread and riser in stairway balustrades to minimise the risk of persons falling through, and ensuring that internal and external balustrades are not easy to climb, particularly by children.

Creating products which feel as they should when you touch them combined with a service which gives you true support at every touch point. Is what makes a real difference to our clients.