Archetech Issue 72 2024 | Page 14

EDITOR ’ S CHOICE

STANDARD AND BESPOKE ISOKORBS FOR ARNOLD ROAD SCHEME

A 100 % affordable housing scheme at Arnold Road , in Bow , East London , will create 62 homes in two mid-rise buildings of six and eight storeys . Designed by architects Henley Halebrown , the scheme – which was shortlisted for the 2020 Housing Design Awards – is cleverly woven into a compact triangular site . The architectural concept breaks what might have been one long building block into two separate buildings , permitting morning and afternoon light to penetrate between the buildings . This reduces their impact and improves the microclimate for residents and neighbours as well as increasing the surface area of the new buildings to achieve 80 % dual aspect homes . Together the buildings frame an entrance courtyard designed to encourage residents to meet and talk , and children to play together .
Thermally broken recessed balcony terraces
The heavy masonry façades incorporate recessed balcony terraces and Schöck have supplied Isokorb structural thermal breaks for both the in-situ concrete balconies and the precast concrete façade banding . On the eight-storey South Block the inset balconies are supported on two sides using the Schöck Isokorb T type Q . This is a load bearing thermal break element for transferring shear forces on supported balconies , recessed balconies and for occasional peak shear forces . The six-storey North Block features typical internal corner balconies with external corner column support and again features the Schöck Isokorb T type
Arnold Road images Images courtesy of Henley Halebrown
Q , along with the T type H for the transmission of planned horizontal forces parallel and / or perpendicular to the insulation level .
Two Isokorb types for the stone bandings
For the precast stone bandings on the project two Isokorb products were utilised . The T type F , which is a load-bearing thermal insulation element for curtain parapets and balustrades , which transfers normal forces , moments and shear forces .
The T type K is also used and is a load bearing thermal break element for free cantilevered balcony construction and transfers negative moments and positive shear forces . For Arnold Road the product had to be specially adapted and required a bespoke design 500mm in length – but supplied in 1m lengths . The precaster , Barnsley-based Con-Tech Services Ltd , then cut the Isokorb in half on site for the required detail . To avoid any clash of reinforcement , the two covers were designed and detailed with 50mm cover required on the north and south elevation and 30mm cover required on the east and west elevation .
The widest range in Europe
The fully compliant and dependable Schöck Isokorb range offers the widest selection of structural thermal break solutions from any European supplier ; and in the UK enables projects to meet full compliance with the necessary Building Regulations ( and the impending Future Homes Standard criteria where relevant ). In addition to the Isokorb types used on this project , there are also solutions for concrete-to-steel , steel-to-steel , renovation projects – and even a maintenance free alternative to wrapped parapets . All products have the security of independent BBA Certification , which provides NHBC approval . The temperature factor requirement ( fRSI ) used to indicate condensation risk , which must be equal to , or greater than 0.75 for residential buildings , is also easily met by incorporating the Isokorb .
Some of the bespoke Isokorbs supplied by Con-Tech Services Ltd
Contact Schöck on 01865 290 890 ; or for full details of the Isokorb range of solutions visit : www . schoeck . com / en-gb / isokorb
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