Radmat discusses how its state-of-the-art thermal insulation played a key role at Gasholders London, designed by WilkinsonEyre.

A landmark restored and repurposed
Located in the heart of London and originally constructed 160 years ago, the Gasholder frames have been injected with a new lease of life. The cast iron structures have been restored and re-homed north of Regent’s Canal, as part of the King’s Cross regeneration programme. The original triplet frames have been re-purposed around a series of 145 apartments and penthouses contained within the Grade II Listed structures.

WilkinsonEyre Architects won a design competition with its visionary concept, which integrates three distinct residential buildings within the historic cast iron frames. The architectural design pays homage to the dynamic nature of the original gasholders, where the structures would rise and fall depending on gas storage levels. By varying the heights of the accommodation, the new buildings capture the essence of the gasholders’ former functionality, while delivering a modern and refined aesthetic.

Shepley Engineers in Yorkshire spent two years restoring the Grade II listed structures, demanding the expertise and passion of a highly skilled team. But first, specialist contractors had to carefully dismantle the structures with 20-ton cranes and transport each section to the Shepley workshop, where they would slowly be brought back to life. The result is an amazing and most unique highly specified apartments.

Radmat’s role in the pioneering development
Radmat Building Products played a crucial role in supplying state-of-the-art thermal insulation solutions for the distinctive circular roof gardens and external walkways. Designed to enhance sustainability and urban greening, the landscaped roofs provide much-needed green spaces within the bustling city, softening the industrial presence of the cast iron structures, while offering breathtaking panoramic views of the redeveloped area.

The unique circular geometry of the apartments presented a significant engineering challenge, requiring an insulation system that could seamlessly adapt to the curved structure, while delivering superior thermal efficiency. Radmat’s ProTherm Quantum VIP insulation system was the ideal solution, offering a combination of high-performance insulation, reduced material depth, and tailored adaptability to fit the challenging design constraints.

Tailored insulation solutions for a complex structure
Radmat’s ProTherm Quantum VIP insulation was chosen for its ability to meet the intricate demands of the project, providing:

• Bespoke insulation design to accommodate the curved structure and overcome spatial limitations.
• Exceptional thermal efficiency while maintaining minimal insulation thickness.
• Optimised installation to ensure seamless integration with the architectural framework.

A bespoke design was meticulously specified to fit the difficult areas using Radmat’s ProTherm Quantum PURE Vacuum Insulation Panels (VIP) system. This was accompanied by ProTherm XPS Infill boards, which are designed to be cut and fitted around penetrations and curved upstands. The system was applied to the difficult curvature of the structure with ease.

The ProTherm Quantum system was supplied over hotmelt waterproofing to the external walkway at Level 1 to provide a level threshold detail. There was a limited upstand height which required a 0.2W/m²K U-value. In addition the roof shape was complex, with a high number of pitch pockets. Hence, the ProTherm Quantum and ProTherm Infill boards were carefully designed to fill the space economically, while still achieving the best thermal and level threshold performance.

Quantum was the only BBA certified VIP insulation on the market able to meet the required U-value and maintain a 75mm waterproofing upstand as per the NHBC requirements. Radmat also provided a full site survey, bespoke layout design and installation support on site. With a dramatic reduction in depth and no loss of thermal performance, ProTherm Quantum VIP System was the ideal choice to achieve exceptional thermal targets and dramatically reduce the depth of the finished build.

Architect: WilkinsonEyre Architects
Main contractor: Arup for Argent
Radmat products used:
ProTherm Quantum PURE VIP System
ProTherm Regupol RCM
ProTherm XPS Infill
ProTherm G XPS X 300 SL Insulation

Contact Details
To find out more about Radmat’s ProTherm Quantum Insulation, please click here.