Project data
Size: Two residential towers of 30 and 26 storeys, containing a total of 482 apartments
Mace (Main Contractor) and AT Plastering (Sub Contractor)
Products: Knauf Fill & Finish, Knauf Joint Filler Premium, Knauf Airless Finish and Knauf Plasterboards
Project detail
A full Knauf system specification has been used on an award-winning housing development at East Village, Stratford that was a centrepiece for the 2012 London Olympics. Two residential towers of 30 and 26 storeys, containing a total of 482 apartments, are currently being constructed at the site.
Construction giant Mace, the main contractor appointed to work on the project, scooped two prizes at the 2018 Construction News Awards, held in London on 12 July 2018. The firm won ‘Best Innovation’ and the new ‘Sir Michael Latham Award’, sponsored by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) and the Infrastructure and Projects Authority for their unique new Rising Factory method.
The self-contained factory is constructed around the outside of the new building. Inside, the residential tower is constructed floor by floor and when one is completed, the factory is ‘jumped’ up 3.3m to the floor above to repeat the process, revealing the completed building below.
Mace appointed subcontractor AT Plastering who chose to use Knauf Fill & Finish, new Knauf Joint Filler Premium, Knauf Airless Finish and Knauf Plasterboards as a full system specification in this high-profile project where speed was of the essence.
Andrew Mansfield from AT Plastering said: “Normally for a project this size you’d need 30-40 plasterers, but using the Knauf system we only need 15 spray plasterers. There is also no need to have the typical 6-8 labourers to clear up wastage as using Knauf Airless Finish means there is almost zero waste”.
He added: “It’s also much easier to use compared to traditional plastering methods. The fact it is pre-mixed is a big plus for us as normally you’d have to wait for around two weeks after plastering before painters can come on site.”
Manufactured from crushed and milled marble together with polymer and organic binders, Knauf Readymixed Finishing Solutions eliminate the need for a direct water supply on site. The significant reduction in product wastage is achieved through the ability to recycle any excess plaster back into the hopper to be used again.
“It’s definitely the way forward,” says Andrew.
East Village is also at the centrepiece of a new report from Mace which has found widespread adoption of modern methods of construction (MMC) could create a £40billion export market for the UK. The rapid working times offered through using Knauf’s Readymixed Finishing Solutions can boost productivity for contractors by using a modern and efficient method for plastering.
East Village is due for completion in 2019.
To discover more on how the Knauf Technical Services Team can assist with your next project, call 0800 030 4135 or alternatively email [email protected].
