Mclaren Group were main contractor for the development. The company commented, ‘Edward Street Quarter is a new, vibrant, mixed-use project partnership from McLaren Construction, First Base and Patron Capital.’ The new development will deliver 112,000ft2 of Grade A office space, alongside 34,000ft2 leisure and retail, including independent coffee shops and restaurants.
Comprising six buildings, ranging between six and nine storeys in height, the project will also include 168 new homes with a mixture of tenures, together with a diverse range of offices, co-working spaces and maker workshops.
Buckley Gray Yeoman Architects (BGY) were responsible for the design of the scheme. They said, ‘The development is located in the eastern part of the city, on the site of the now-demolished Amex House. A new pedestrianised street is the main axis through the new quarter, linking to external landscaped green spaces. A public square provides the stage for creative and leisure activities, with the adjacent cafes, retail spaces and market stalls arranged so they will cross-pollinate and support one another.’
Timescales for manufacture and delivery was just six weeks
Rockfon was approached to put forward an alternative to the original specification for a lay-in metal suspended ceiling which was considered too expensive as the project progressed. There were two additional major constraints. Firstly, the product needed to be physically delivered to site in just six weeks. Secondly, we needed a solution that would fit around the lighting that had already been ordered.
Rockfon Specification Manager, Steven Watters, advised the specification be switched to a series of some 2,500 bespoke-sized Rockfon Eclipse islands which:
- would provide an estimated saving of around 50% in supply and install costs
- looked great and provided Class A sound absorption
offered a relatively low carbon footprint of 6.13kg/m2 A1-A3 Cradle-to-Cradle, - Cradle-to-Cradle Certified® Silver
- perfectly fitted the space which also meant zero waste In the ceiling package.
Rockfon Eclipse® – versatility and performance
Rockfon® Eclipse Islands™ are installed throughout three blocks, which, as the images show, were fitted out as shell and core prior to being personalised to each tenant’s needs and tastes. East Sussex-based Medlock Dry Construction undertook installation. Medlock Director, Billy Medlock, “Rockfon attended the pre-commencement site meeting to run through the guidelines of installation and were always on hand to liaise with our project and contract managers throughout the process.”
The frameless acoustic islands can be specified in an almost unlimited range of formats and can also be custom colour matched. Quick and easy to install, hung directly from the ceiling soffit or from a grid, they are often used to subtly camouflage the services above or where installation of a traditional suspended ceiling is not appropriate.
Eclipse islands are perfect for thermal mass installations as both surfaces provide excellent heat and light reflection. The high light reflectance characteristics of those used for the project optimise natural light which aids wellbeing while saving on energy costs.
Commercial, technical and management teams working together
Rockfon Specification Manager, Steven Watters, spoke about the project which represents the largest installation of it’s type for the company, “It’s gratifying to be playing our part in creating healthy, beautiful interiors at Edward Street Quarter. It was a great example of the commercial, technical and management teams working together and signifies a resounding show of belief and trust in our product offering and customer service.”
Research shows that improved sound control can increase focus by 48% and reduce stress levels by 27%, so it not surprising that acoustic performance is a key reason why Rockfon is preferred by many specifiers.
Whatever the need, from elegant statement installations for a grand entrance or atrium through to specialist ranges for food preparation, leisure, education or healthcare environments, Rockfon has the solution, and all are made from a core of non-combustible, naturally replenishing stone wool, which is impervious to most environmental pressures, embodies very high humidity resistance and guards against the incidence of bacteria and harmful microorganisms.
