An array of Maple's perforated vertical fins and solid horizontal blades create an elegant gold façade.
Maple’s products have once again created an architectural statement in the heart of our home city of Manchester. The new science and engineering facility features a combination of vertical perforated fins and horizontal fins and is the latest addition to the MMU campus.
The 3mm thick blades effectively offer both aesthetic and practical benefits as their placement on the façade provides shading from direct sun and reduces solar gain. In order for the fins to retain their integrity, they have also been designed to incorporate internal stiffening frames.
The arrangement of perforated and solid fins creates a sleek geometric style façade that complements the scientific nature of the building. The architecture of the façade incorporates various geometry throughout its design, from the trapezoidal shape of the facility to the intricate perforated shapes on the vertical fins.
Furthermore, to add more visual intrigue, the perforated fins were installed at various angles to manipulate sun rays. The design was the brainchild of BDP and was successfully brought to life through close collaboration with Bowmer and Kirkland.
The facility, named ‘The Dalton Building’, provides a hub for budding new scientists and engineers to use state-of-the-art amenities for their studies. It's not the first time Maple have collaborated on a project for Manchester Metropolitan University either, our façade installation for their SODA building won a RIBA North West Award in 2023.