Marlon Clickfix1040 Brings Light, Colour And Vision To Belfast Waterfront Extension

For the stunning new £29.5 million extension of Belfast Waterfront, Brett Martin Daylight Systems’s Marlon Clickfix1040 polycarbonate glazing panels have been used to create a semi-transparent and colourful façade which is now a key architectural feature of what is set to be a world class international conference facility.

Designed by TODD Architects and built by McLaughin and Harvey in collaboration with McAdams Design, the new extension to Belfast Waterfront doubles the venue’s event space, integrating the new purpose built facilities with the existing building. The new building features an additional 4000m² conference facility which includes a 2000m² major hall and a minor hall of 750m². One of the key design considerations for this riverfront project was the seamless integration between the existing building and extension, with Brett Martin’s innovative and thermally efficient glazing system playing a vital role in achieving this aim whilst at the same helping the extension establish its own identity.

As part of the design, the buildings 150m long riverfront façade was wrapped with over 1750m² of multiwall polycarbonate with many panels approximately 14m in length. For a glazing system which would not only maximise daylight but also offer exceptional air tightness, durability and UV stability, Marlon Clickfix1040 from Brett Martin proved the most adaptable solution and ensured a fast and straightforward installation for roofing and cladding contractor, Thornton Roofing.

Another key consideration for this project was the colour of the glazing panels, with Brett Martin creating a palate of seven colour samples in a range of tint variations. These were installed at a high level on-site to allow the design team to decide on three completely new colours – petrol, viola and glass green - which were each extruded in two different intensities, creating a graduated flow of colour along the elevation.

Peter Minnis, Director at TODD Architects commented, “The use of Marlon Clickfix1040 polycarbonate glazing panels enabled us to create a stunning variation in colour and transparency, so that the façade almost changes during the day, depending on how the light hits the building. Combine this with the fact that Marlon Clickfix1040offered us a full height 14 metre panel and is manufactured locally, this made it an ideal choice for the prominent riverfront façade.”

Offering high levels of light transmission, the polycarbonate panels provide a naturally diffused daylight.

Brett Martin worked with the specialist contractor Thornton Roofing and came up with a system for labelling individual panels which were then cut to size, taped and packed onto pallets in the order of installation sequence.

Commenting on the project Peter Hanvey of Brett Martin said: “The Belfast Waterfront site is constrained by the abutting River Lagan restricting material storage space. This factor, along with the number of contractors working in the same confined area at any one time made the storage of pallets onsite impossible. Brett Martin worked with the contractors to come up with a system that ensured the pallets of Marlon Clickfix1040 material were delivered to site in the correct sequence as and when the sheets were required for installation.”

Central to the Marlon Clickfix1040 system is the lightweight polycarbonate panel with integral interlocking connections that simply click into place forming glazed areas of unlimited size and shape. The 40mm structured polycarbonate glazing panel has 10 insulating walls to achieve a U-value of 0.99 W/m²K, for a high performing and thermally efficient glazing solution. It has a choice of thermally broken aluminium glazing bar systems depending on the application. The Marlon Clickfix VF glazing bar system has been specifically developed for vertical installations such as façades, partitioning, rain screens and vertically glazed northlights whilst Marlon Clickfix RL has been designed for use in low pitch rooflights and canopies.

Marlon Clickfix1040 provides high quality natural light, superior thermal insulation and UV protection. In addition to the impact resistance, resilience and structural strength that is inherent in all of Brett Martin’s high performance polycarbonate sheet products, it is also lightweight and easy to handle

With this world class conference centre now open, Brett Martin has played a significant part in the transformation of Belfast Waterfront at this important riverside location.