The Cube moves a step nearer to completion with the installation of 20,000 WICONA unitised panels to form a glistening metallic façade

2010-04-27

The final phase of Birmingham’s highly successful development, The Mailbox, has moved a step nearer to completion with the installation of the final Wicona unitised panels that form a dramatic façade. Designed by Make, The Cube is an exceptional £100m 23-storey mixed-use scheme, which is pushing the boundaries of design and construction. It is inspired by the jewellery and engineering heritage of the city, and is based on the concept of a jewellery box.

The final phase of Birmingham’s highly successful development, The Mailbox, has moved a step nearer to completion with the installation of the final Wicona unitised panels that form a dramatic façade.

Designed by Make, The Cube is an exceptional £100m 23-storey mixed-use scheme, which is pushing the boundaries of design and construction.  It is inspired by the jewellery and engineering heritage of the city, and is based on the concept of a jewellery box.

The bespoke façade has been constructed and installed by HAGA using Wicona unitised curtain walling to provide a geometric blend of projecting gold, silver and bronze anodised aluminium panels and glass.  This intricate design is complemented by a decorative metallic fretwork screen.

The 20,000 panels have three different depths, casting a variety of shadows to add texture to the external façade.  The internal elevations are different but no less dramatic, designed to emphasise the jewels within the box.  Glazed unitised panels twist up through a central courtyard and ‘explode’ at the top to crown the building with the city’s first rooftop restaurant.

The Wicona unitised façade was engineered to allow a higher degree of movement, and removed the need for scaffolding and material storage on this constrained city centre site.  Its off-site fabrication also allowed each floor to be clad ready for earlier fitting out as the building rose upwards.

Commenting on the façade design and specification, Frances Gannon, Partner at Make, said, “The Cube is a dramatic building on Birmingham’s skyline, emphasising its status as a world-class city. The specially-designed unitised cladding system has been an important part of the building’s identity and successfully echoes the city’s heavy engineering heritage.  The end result is very beautiful.”

Karlheinz Beck, Technical Manager for Wicona in the UK, said, “This is Wicona’s largest project in the UK to date and demonstrates how unitised façades can deliver an architect’s different aesthetic requirements for a single project and a demanding specification, as well as site-related advantages, such as minimising work on site, and removing the need for material storage space and scaffolding.

“This project is very different to any other Wicona application – both in the UK and internationally – and its striking, elegant and intricate appearance is testament to the vision and creativity of the design and development team.”

The Cube is a high profile regeneration project, which has a low energy design.  The modular cladding gave the architects the flexibility to tailor the glazing on the external and internal elevations in response to potential solar gain, and provide a high degree of insulation and a low U value façade.

Due for completion this summer, The Cube will form a spectacular new ‘entrance’ to the canal network and city centre beyond, accommodating a boutique hotel, waterside retail and restaurants, 244 luxury apartments, Grade A offices, rooftop restaurant, and sky bar.