The regeneration of a historic industrial building in Wakefield is anything but ‘run of the mill’ thanks to an inspired design by Hawkins/Brown and a high-performance fenestration package supplied by Senior Architectural Systems. Part of the group of buildings formerly known as Rutland Mills, which are located close to The Hepworth art gallery, the once derelict property has been given a new lease of life and a new name, with Gradient Mill now providing five-storeys of modern commercial office space.
The new Gradient Mill office building in Wakefield is the latest addition to the ambitious Tileyard North regeneration scheme which has created the UK’s largest creative industries hub outside of London. The new building has been delivered by Morgan Sindall Construction, with Wakefield based specialist contractor Neu-Glass fabricating and installing Senior’s SF52 aluminium curtain wall system, alongside the manufacturer’s patented PURe® aluminium windows and doors.
Combining a slim frame with strength and thermal efficiency, Senior’s popular SF52 aluminium curtain wall system has been installed to the ground floor level alongside robust PURe® Commercial Doors that provide safe and secure access to the building. On the upper floors, large glazed openings have been created using Senior’s low U-value PURe® aluminium windows which help to minimise heat loss and flood the offices with natural light to create a more comfortable interior space. Smaller window units have been installed to the top floor, which is open to the underside of the steel truss roof, echoing the character of the adjacent mill buildings and providing a dramatic, light-filled workspace.
The project team, led by Hawkins/Brown, has worked hard to repair and retain as much of the fabric of the original buildings as possible. It was vital that the new glazing units complemented the nineteenth century architecture and a provided an efficient interface with the existing structure.
As a Yorkshire based business, Senior was well placed to meet the demands of such a large and complex contract as all of the company’s products were manufactured in nearby Rotherham and Doncaster, for timely transportation to the site in Wakefield.
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