Technal specified for University Healthcare Building

The University of Lincoln has invested £19m in the construction of the Sarah Swift Building, which is now home to the Schools of Health and Social Care and Psychology. Working with BAM Construction North East and Glasshus, Technal supplied its MX Visible Grid curtain walling, PY 55 doors and FY 65 windows to the project, specified due to their versatility and aesthetic qualities.

Named in honour of South Lincolnshire-born Dame Sarah Ann Swift GBE RRC, the founder of the Royal College of Nursing, the new five-storey academic building houses a broad range of flexible learning spaces for students and staff – including new teaching areas, offices, clinical simulation facilities for the School’s healthcare programmes and psychology laboratories for extensive research.

Furthermore, the building also includes the Professional Development Centre, a facility that provides ongoing training for professionals who require skills-based training.

The two separate schools are architecturally divided by a glass atrium, allowing them to retain their separate identities. Technal’s MX Visible Grid curtain walling with multi-shade glass spandrels have been used, to stunning effect.

With such a diverse range of learning and research spaces, the brief for the specialist building was to create spaces that have the right environmental conditions. One of the highest considerations was to minimise and reduce external noise pollution, and internally, from room to room and from floor to floor. Technal’s MX Visible Grid, through a combination of acoustic glazing, acoustic dampers and cleaver detailing provides a range of solutions.

MX Visible Grid curtain walling also offers design flexibility. Available in a choice of glazing gaskets, it achieves superior load distribution and is suitable for flat or faceted facades.

Technal’s PY 55 doors and FY 65 windows were also used throughout the building. The PY 55 doors are ideal for high traffic applications and offer exceptional levels of security and thermal performance. The doors were also chosen as they meet the requirements of Part Q of the Building Standards, having achieved PAS 24:2016.

The FY 65 windows are the latest innovation in Technal’s window suites, in an on-going drive to provide practical, economical solutions to the market place. In addition, the FY 65 window offers advantages in the speed and efficiency of manufacturing, making the FY 65 windows a modern and intelligent window solution.

Steven Henderson, Design Director at Glasshus said: “One of the Technal’s main advantages is the versatility of the system, as MX Visible Grid is suitable for most applications. I’m really impressed with the finished look of the building – with the different variants of green in the glass atrium, it has a really stunning and unique outer appearance.”

Jason Pink, Construction Director at BAM commented: “We often use Technal products because they are of a high quality and good value for money. We’ve had exceptional feedback from everyone since the project was completed. The building is very impressive both externally and internally.”