Sapphire’s balustrades are right on track at Newbury racecourse
Residential balustrades, superbly styled and intelligently engineered by Sapphire, are situated right by the track in an exciting new development at Newbury Racecourse in Berkshire. ‘Living at the Racecourse’ offers a unique opportunity to own a new-build home in the heart of one of Britain’s premier leisure destinations. Sapphire provided over two miles of balustrades to balconies, terraces and internal stairways for around 400 apartments completed in the initial phase on the western site of the racecourse.
Sapphire’s proactive approach, high quality products and personal service proved a winning combination for the prestigious residential development, says the project architect at Roberts Limbrick Ltd, an award-winning architectural practice in Gloucester. “Sapphire’s team demonstrated enthusiasm and expertise from the initial design stage right through to installation on site,” he comments. “Their support was invaluable in overcoming some of the challenges we faced in creating a new community alongside a high profile sporting and hospitality venue.”
Terraces and balconies with beautiful clear glass balustrades are a key architectural element of the development’s track-side apartments, ensuring that residents can enjoy stunning views over the racecourse in Newbury. The balconies are integrated structures, with concrete decks that form an integral part of the structural façade, rather than being bolted on to it. Sapphire was able to achieve the architect’s desired effect of a clean, continuous line of glass using its Crystal frameless, structural glass system. The balustrades, uninterrupted by upright posts, span the full width of the five-storey apartment buildings.
High aesthetic appeal is maintained with Sapphire’s concealed fixing details and bespoke connections, specified to tight tolerances, where balcony balustrades return back to the façade’s ceramic cladding. Individual apartment balconies are separated by etched glass privacy screens, also by Sapphire. Given the close proximity of the racecourse, the illumination of handrails to terrace balustrades provided for rooftop penthouses required particularly sensitive handling. Sapphire’s solution to enable a discreet LED lighting system set into the handrails ensures adequate lighting for those using the terraces without being obtrusive.
In addition to external balustrades, Sapphire’s project package included internal balustrade solutions for the apartments’ communal stairways. Sapphire’s Opal powder coated tubular balusters are combined with toughened glass infill panels in one of the buildings, while balustrades to stair cores in two further buildings feature Opal balusters with a vertical bar infill.
Reflecting on the success here, the project architect says: “Sapphire’s excellent products and service matched the exacting standards and distinctive setting of this exclusive new Newbury development and I’d have no hesitation in recommending them for future projects.”
Download our case study document showing how we assisted the developer and architects from the early stages right through to the build process and the finished install.
Newbury Racecourse Case Study – Architect Assistance of balcony specification – 28-09-2018
