design build facades are pleased to announce that it has been awarded the contract to overclad Hexagon Tower, Blackley, Manchester.

Click to view video of recently completed mockup

A brutalist masterpiece with the two gables rising to create a tall V-shaped opening that lights the principal staircases, Hexagon Tower was designed by one of Britain’s foremost modernist architects, Richard Seifert. It is a striking ten-floor life science incubator, one of 10 owned and managed by Pioneer Group, a leading vertically-integrated platform curating innovation-focused ecosystems that increase the chance of business success.

Originally commissioned by ICI in 1969 as a research, development and production centre, over time the mosaic-tiled facade has been subject to deterioration with areas of tiles falling giving rise to health and safety concerns. The solution is overcladding with design build facades’ inert anodised aluminium rainscreen to restrain and protect the existing building fabric and which will be integrated with replacement high-performance windows.

The building has been identified as a non-designated heritage asset by Manchester City Council creating significant technical delivery challenges in order that the new building envelope does not substantially alter the complicated geometric features of the original building. Recognised industry-wide for technical innovation, design build facades has designed and installed a full-sized mock-up showing the proposed treatment of the building. Once complete, the transformation will be truly stunning.