Case Studies

Architect: HLM Architects

Following the unfortunate Grenfell Tower incident, it was discovered that external cladding installed on the 3 Lydstep Tower Blocks in Cardiff was not fit for purpose. Resultantly, the local council quickly sought a solution to upgrade the facade of these three blocks of flats. Delta was chosen by the Tier 1 main contractor primarily for our ability to consistently deliver a compliant, high-quality solution, as well as our capacity to efficiently handle large volumes within tight timeframes.

Delta’s role in the Lydstep Tower project involved the supply and install of Stainless Steel flat bar balustrade to 120 balconies and our ORBIS proprietary product to the internal lift lobbies of all 3 buildings. With extensive specification requirements to consider, notably fire regulations and the coastal environment, a bespoke sub-product was devised from our typical ZETA V-Bar railing system using high specification 316-grade stainless steel.

A significant technical challenge was integrating a soffit and stainless-steel trims along the edge of an existing concrete balcony to conceal the rough concrete edge and stubs left after the removal of the previous balustrade system. Our solution involved implementing a custom clamp system with fixings that bolted directly through the concrete deck, ensuring a secure and aesthetically clean finish.

Another challenge was designing a system that allowed for a two-part installation. This approach ensured that other remedial work on the balcony could be completed after the main balustrade framework was installed but before the panels were fitted—preventing premature closure of access. Since the flats remained occupied throughout the project, maintaining external access to the balcony was crucial

Our role in the project involved supplying and fitting:

• 60 metres of powder coated ORBIS OS200 with a vertical bar infill and tubular handrail as AOV guards in the lift lobbies.
• Over 500 metres of a bespoke stainless steel vertical bar balustrade based on ZETA to the balconies.

It would be fair to say that Delta’s stainless steel vertical bar balcony design at 1.4m high makes a bold statement. See a close up in the video below:

Image/Video Credits: Murphy Abraham