Perforated panels and expanded mesh combine to make a striking visual statement on a new multi-storey in Birmingham.
Designed and manufactured with a precise 70mm return on one side, the panels create a subtle ‘wave’ profile on the façade, with light and shadow creating an ever-changing look throughout the day.
As well as transforming the look of the 550-space car park, the architectural façade also allows natural light into the building and provides ventilation. However, the biggest success story is perhaps the way Maple overcame the practical challenges of working in a hospital environment, with noise constraints, busy roads and difficult access.
“Maple handled logistical and practical challenges between all parties very well,” said Ewan Forsyth, Development Director at estates developer Prime. “The result of this team effort is a hugely improved parking experience for staff, patients and visitors.”
The City Hospital project was Maple’s 30th car park project and was completed less than a decade after the company’s first – at another hospital, Addenbrookes in Cambridge. Technology and our in-house capability has advanced significantly since then. Specialist brackets fix the 745 anodised panels to all four elevations, achieving the exact ‘free space area’ required by the architect.
The car park was developed by the Sandwell and West Birmingham NHS Trust in conjunction with its car parking operator, Q-Park, Prime and contractor VINCI Construction UK.