BATTERSEA REACH

St George’s Battersea Reach residential development by Wandsworth Bridge in London, includes over 1500 precast concrete cladding panels and 500 structural balcony units, designed and provided by The Marble Mosaic Co.

Their reconstructed stone finish has been produced by wet-casting using a grade 45 concrete mix which included a blend of fine aggregates to obtain its “York stone” colour without the need for cement pigment. The lightly textured surface finish achieves its consistent appearance as the result of a controlled etching process.

The balcony units, weighing up to 5T each, were delivered to site complete with waterproofed and tiled top faces for incorporation into the insitu concrete structure by the frame contractor as his work proceeded.

The cladding panels, typically as storey-height units, were however provided on a supply and fix basis by The Marble Mosaic Co Ltd. The opportunity was taken to frame the window apertures within the precast panels before delivery to site. Stainless steel fittings were used for their vertical support and lateral restraint of each panel to the structural frame. The panel-to-panel joints were pointed using a silicone-based sealant. The precast cladding panels were installed without the need for an external scaffold. The subsequent two-stage pointing of the panel joints was undertaken by abseilers.

Similar wall precast concrete wall cladding panels and balcony units were concurrently being provided for other Thames-side residential developments at St George Wharf and Imperial Wharf for St George Group companies.