IG Masonry Support has provided a series of innovative brickwork solutions at the award-winning Borough Yards development in London.

Built by Wates Group for developer MARK and designed by London-based architect SPPARC, Borough Yards features a number of transformed and re-purposed railway arches, viaducts and warehouses along with five new buildings, that weave their way from London’s Borough Market to Clink Street. This new shopping and dining district also includes a cinema, art gallery and two new office buildings. IG Masonry Support worked with brickwork contractor Lesterose, designing and supplying a number of complex prefabricated brickwork elements including Welded Masonry Support (WMS), Brick Slip Masonry Support and its renowned B.O.S.S.+ (Brick on Soffit System).

The Challenge
In this landmark conservation area, the brickwork for the new buildings needed to complement the existing brickwork on the repurposed viaducts and warehouses but also present its own unique character. IG Masonry Support manufactured and supplied a range of prefabricated components that met both the wider considerations around planning in this conservation area and all fire and building regulations.

As part of the complex design for building four, the architect and design team required a bespoke ‘floating’ brick feature presenting a jagged design. The utilisation of IG Masonry Support’s brick slips helped achieve the distinctive angled soffit design, offering a flawless and historic aesthetic in a modern, easy-to-install solution.

The distinctive spearheads featuring on building two were a separate hurdle but thanks to IG Masonry Support’s close collaboration with the contractors and the architect, it enabled an accurate and sufficient design. Installed over four level points of the building, these innovative spearheads, never seen before, were manufactured with glass reinforced concrete in between.

Customisable to the architect’s design wishes, the Brick Slip Systems and Masonry Support are prefabricated units manufactured offsite and delivered complete with bricks mechanically-fixed and bonded to them.

Trevor Morriss, Principal at SPPARC explained, “The use of masonry to realise our vision was a fundamental part of our design ethos. It was essential that the new buildings successfully cohabited with the heritage fabric. We wanted to ensure that each of the buildings had its own unique character whilst also harmonising with the surrounding area. Working wih IG Masonry Support and their range of products allowed us to realise these features. The detailing around the masonry is the fundamental part of this scheme. Working with IG Masonry Support was an absolute pleasure. We found their technical advice and can-do attitude essential to realising our ultimate vision.”

The Solution
The bespoke elements for building four pushed the boundaries of IG Masonry Support and its products but through technical collaboration the jagged design features were achieved with angled soffits, ensuring a solution that met the architect’s specific requirements.

IG Masonry Support exceeded expectations with its Welded Masonry Support system and versatile B.O.S.S.+ (Brick on Soffit System), creating a seamless match with the surrounding brickwork.

The B.O.S.S.+ is a lightweight prefabricated system that is faster to install than traditional hanging brick systems. Installed to a pre-fitted Masonry Support System, B.O.S.S.+ allows increased adjustability along three axes. Produced offsite, B.O.S.S. offers 90 per cent time saving onsite and negates the need for mechanical lifting. B.O.S.S.+ also removes the need for brick-cutting onsite, resulting in a quality system that is checked before it arrives onsite. This ‘A’ Fire Rated, BBA-certified and mechanically-fixed unit is suitable for use on residential buildings over 18-metres above ground level and complies with the Building Regulations 2010* Approved Document B: Fire Safety.

Not only is the system versatile, it offers ease-of-installation and enables time-savings onsite. The bespoke solution offers a 70 per cent weight-saving against an equivalent concrete product, negating the need for mechanical handling and onsite labour. These were significant benefits on this mixed-used development in particular.

An integral part of the street scene and conservation area, these stunning new buildings sit side-by-side with the historic viaducts and warehouses. The presence of IG Masonry Support’s systems and the company’s technical prowess has ensured this landmark Southwark development is thoughtfully planned, well-built and a sought-after attraction in South London.

Contact Details
IG Masonry Support has created a detailed brochure to showcase this project. Click here to find out more or watch the project video here.