---
title: Maple’s aluminium fins give Whalebridge car park a new lease of life
description: After the previous terracotta baguettes began to show cracks, John Sisk & Son Ltd appointed Maple to step in and replace them with aluminium fins.
---

[Latest News & Insights | Maple ](https://maplefacades.co.uk/news-and-insights)

# [Maple’s aluminium fins give Whalebridge car park a new lease of life](https://maplefacades.co.uk/news-and-insights/whalebridge-mscp)

 Written by [Amy Bradbury](https://maplefacades.co.uk/news-and-insights/author/amy-bradbury) | 15/12/23 10:00

We have stepped in and eased the fears of the Swindon community by replacing the failing façade on Whalebridge multi-storey.

Five years after the car park's initial completion, cracks in the large terracotta baguettes masking the building began to form, which caused concern for public safety. This damage is believed to have been caused by cold weather conditions and stems from an ‘initial design error’ according to Swindon Borough Council.

Maple were appointed by John Sisk & Son Ltd to help ease safety fears and give the car park a rejuvenated look. Large [aluminium fins](https://maplefacades.co.uk/architectural-facades-systems#vector%C2%AE) reaching lengths of 8,000m now mask the exterior building and have been designed to match the look and feel of the previous façade

Along with visual appeal, the powder coating will provide the aluminium with a robust and protective layer meaning the likelihood of the façade failing again is dramatically reduced. More details about the benefits of power-coating can be found in our Knowledge Centre article: [What guarantee does powder-coating have?](https://maplefacades.co.uk/brochure-downloads-maple)

### Knowledge centre<https://www.maplesunscreening.co.uk/_hcms/analytics/search/conversion?redirect=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubWFwbGVzdW5zY3JlZW5pbmcuY28udWsva25vd2xlZGdlL2Vudmlyb25tZW50YWwtYmVuZWZpdHMtb2YtbGl2aW5nLXdhbGxz&ct=SEARCH&pid=3489653&cid=90939019625&t=bGl2aW5nIHdhbGxz&d=www.maplesunscreening.co.uk&c=5&rp=1&ab=false&opcid=&rs=UNKNOWN&hs-expires=1727184935&hs-version=1&hs-signature=APUk-v417nKUBxfGWUnSMvlzZcL_LFRBrw>

- [What are the main types of architectural facades?](https://maplefacades.co.uk/knowledge/types-of-architectural-facades)  
  <https://www.maplesunscreening.co.uk/knowledge/how-long-does-brise-soleil-last>
- [How much do architectural façades cost?](https://maplefacades.co.uk/knowledge/how-much-do-architectural-facades-cost)
- [What colour options are there for architectural façades?](https://maplefacades.co.uk/knowledge/what-colour-options-are-there-for-architectural-facades)
- [How long does it take to install an architectural façade?](https://maplefacades.co.uk/knowledge/how-long-to-install-architectural-facades)<https://www.maplesunscreening.co.uk/knowledge/rainscreen-systems-fire-spread>

 

[View full post](https://maplefacades.co.uk/news-and-insights/whalebridge-mscp)

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