Kew Bridge Gate (Buildings E-H), Brentford

 “It’s been a good experience working with Sapphire.”

– Jac Louw, Project Manager, EcoWorld London

History

Brentford has grown from small beginnings into a thriving residential hub, not least thanks to EcoWorld London’s newest development, Kew Bridge Gate. Adjacent to the grounds of Brentford’s GTech Community Stadium, EcoWorld London aspired to integrate the stadium and surrounding residential developments into one cohesive area, envisioning a new community development for the area.

Executive Summary

• Regulatory Challenge and Insight: Uncertainty around NHBC guidance on balcony water management posed a significant challenge, prompting Sapphire to collaborate with Broadway Malyan and attend an NHBC presentation to gain clarity.
• Innovative Drainage Solution: Sapphire implemented controlled-draining soffits, reducing the need for rear-draining rainwater pipes (RWPs), enabling a more elegant, compliant, and cost-effective solution with savings of up to 25%.
• Efficient Installation Strategy: By using Sapphire’s Remote Locker Device (RLD), balconies were designed for streamlined installation within tight site boundaries, with no façade protrusions and safer crane lifts.
• Streamlined by Collaboration: Proactive engagement and cross-team collaboration ensured Kew Bridge Gate met regulatory demands while achieving practical, aesthetic, and economic advantages.

Streamlined by Collaboration, Delivered by Sapphire

Regulatory Challenge and Insight

EcoWorld London and architect Broadway Malyan and AFL aspired for this development to use a controlled edge drainage system, though the main constraint felt was around the then-unresolved status of NHBC guidance on water management and whether controlled drainage could be effectively used on balcony projects made this decision difficult.

Sapphire ensured that Kew Bridge Gate could be streamlined by collaboration. We attended an NHBC presentation alongside Broadway Malyan Architects to further understand what the then-current guidance around water management would be. Having an ever-increasing knowledge of construction guidance and regulations is incredibly and increasingly important, especially considering the impact of the new Building Safety Regulator on the construction landscape.

Innovative Drainage Solution

Having learned directly from the NHBC, we implemented controlled-draining soffits on the balconies at Kew Bridge Gate to effectively manage the drainage without the need for a rear-draining rain water pipe (RWP). The impact of this meant that controlled free drainage, an elegant and cost-effective solution to water management (often saving 25% in cost due to not needing an RWP), could be used.

Efficient Installation Strategy

In another instance of streamlining by collaboration, we worked alongside Broadway Malyan and AFL to design balconies that could be installed using our Remote Locker Device (RLD). Due to the tight site boundaries, an RLD installation was advantageous as the balconies could be transported to site and installed with the balcony arms situated inside the Cassette® itself, meaning no arms protrude from the building façade before installation and balconies can be craned up closer to the building façade, keeping the tight site boundaries in place.