Client: Museum of Science and Industry
Project: Museum of Science and Industry, Manchester
Architect: Austin Smith Lord, Warrington
Contractor: Keir Group North West
Products: FineLineTM, SwinglineTM, SlimLineTM
Key Issues
The project comprises the major conversion of railway arches and warehouses built around 1800’s in the Deansgate area of Manchester to form an extension to the Science Museum in Manchester. The works have taken a number of phases and involving upgrading external and internal elements of the building.
Due to the fire strategy of this public building, extensive fire resistance was required to form escape routes and separation. Being a museum ‘vision’ was paramount to the internal spaces, therefore extensive areas of fire resistant glass were required. The existing structure along with the timber floors and ceiling were to remain so the periods of fire resistance and integration of the system into the building fabric had to be carefully considered and detailed so as not to compromise the overall performance of the firescreens.
Fendor Solution
Fendor worked closely with the design team on all aspects of the design of this project to achieve the functional and aesthetic demands of the major conversion programme. SlimLine mild steel glazing system was selected for the external façade, the profiles was concealed at the perimeter of the workshop units. Large timber clad sliding doors ‘punch’ the fully glazed façade to provide access of the large exhibits.
FineLine was used for the internal fire screens. We incorporated manual and automatic bi parting SwingLine doors to provide access and escape routes around the internal exhibition areas. Where periods of fire resistance were deemed necessary to the external façade, fire resistance secondary glazing was installed behind the existing W20 mild steel windows. This eliminated any unnecessary modification work to the external walls.
Fendor have found that early design involvement in a project can ease the design compromises sometimes made by the Architect when wanting to use glass in refurbishment works.