Shortlist Gallery

Best use of a rainscreen system using aluminium

Bishopsgate Preston
The Heaton Group with Proteus Facades

Bishopsgate Gardens is a new residential development in Preston City Centre featuring 13 units and an impressive range of communal facilities, including a rooftop garden, residents' lounges, co-working spaces, and independent retail outlets.

The building's striking façade combines two signature products of Proteus Facades: Proteus HR and Proteus SP spandrel panels. Proteus HR is an integrated modular rainscreen panel system that provides large-format optically flat panels with structural supports capable of spanning floor-to-floor, while Proteus SP spandrel panels were specified for their superior fire rating and excellent thermal performance.

The combination of these two systems resulted in a striking and functional façade that perfectly complements the building's contemporary design. The project was completed on schedule and within the allocated budget, with the cladding panels manufactured and installed by Proteus Facades and The Heaton Group, respectively.

The project's designers and developers expressed their satisfaction with the professionalism exhibited by both teams, and the facade's overall appearance earned appreciation from locals.


Buchanan Wharf, Building 6
Graham Construction with Titan Facades

Following on from Building 5 Titan were engaged by Graham Construction to look at ‘something different’. A collaboration of numerous different cladding and glazing systems combined to create the finishing touch to the multi-million pound Buchanan Wharf development on the banks of the Clyde.

The choice of the cladding systems combined numerous colours, finishes and materials to create a stunning collage of what can be done by a single façade contractor – eliminating the need for high level co-ordination the build up of layers, all working seamlessly together, was achieved in one office rather than five!

Add to those the high-performance glazing systems, bringing natural light into the building whilst being thermally efficient, this becomes a truly exceptional office space.

Coupled with the challenges of a modern-day building site, the flexibility offered by a single façade contractor, allowed easy of co-ordination with other trades and seamless collaboration ensuring the project was delivered on time and to the clients satisfactory.

A truly stunning high-quality office space completed within a year from start to finish! Soon to be occupied by the Student Loans company as their new long-term home.

Clarke Facades HQ – Raceview
Clarke Facades with MSP Facades


Clarke's newly refurbished headquarters in Country Antrim is a remarkable showcase for the aluminium façades industry. Demonstrating the complete range of MSP's capabilities - including hook-on cassettes, flange panels, perforated profile panels and flashings - this project also shows how ageing buildings can be completely rejuvenated to last for decades to come.

Lode Cottage, Fen Ditton
SSC Roofing & Cladding with 3a

ALUCOBOND NATURAL REFLECT was used on this project because of the extraordinary aesthetics. The products were bonded to aluminium sub frame.

One Ashley Road
CCS Facades with Sotech

The Sotech Optima TFC+ Rainscreen Cassette System was detailed with custom flanges and rakes to suit project requirements to the main “Internal Courtyard” elevations of Blocks 1 & 2, spanning between floors broken by a custom horizontal feature band flashing.

Additional flat TFC+ rainscreen cassettes were also provided to the main “external” elevations adjoining fenestrations, as well as within Inset Balcony Walls and Soffits, “Double-Height” Colonnade Walling, Trapezoidal shaped Colonnade & Main Entrance Soffits, to Internal Parapets and to the L00 North & West Elevations.

A highly bespoke TFC+ variant was profiled and perforated along the mezzanine plant room across the North and West elevations, and fixed back to Brise Soliel brackets over the Main Entrance Curtain Walling at first floor. The profiled panels were perforated with a 20mm diameter hole on a 29mm pitch, to allow for ventilation of the louvres behind the cladding. To provide a flat edge for cavity barriers to interface against, a rear cover plate was introduced to give a flat surface for detailing.

The internal facing brickwork columns at L00/M01 were installed with a bespoke Sotech Cladding system, combining the features of the Sotech Edge and FC+ systems. 5mm flat sheet aluminium had vertical rails installed to the back face to create a secret fix hook on system, with the vertical rails having their back face machined to provide a slot for the FC+ hook engagement. The FC+ system vertical rails & hooks were installed back to an aluminium substructure, so as to allow the 5mm flat sheet to be hooked in place.

Parliament Square
Legacie Developments with RGB Facades

A striking new presence in the Liverpool skyline, Parliament Square is an 18-storey luxury residential complex situated in the Baltic Triangle, a developing city centre area. Built in a contemporary style with strong angular lines contrasting with curved sections and rounded corners. The project reflects the surrounding context of materials within the Baltic Triangle, continuing the regeneration of this historic area with a quality scheme that enhances the district’s reputation as a thriving creative and leisure hub.

The genius rainscreen façade system was chosen as it can meet the superior quality, aesthetic and safety standards required for the project whilst remaining a cost effective solution.

SoYo Leeds
Caddick Construction with RGB Facades

Nestled in the city’s cultural district alongside the West Yorkshire Playhouse and the Leeds College of Music, sits SoYo Leeds was designed by DLG Architects for Caddick Construction and Moda Living.

The Genius Prime rainscreen façade system was chosen for this project as it can meet superior quality, aesthetic and safety standards whilst remaining a cost effective solution. The Genius Prime system utilises a unique hook on fixing method that provides greater stability, ease of installation and allows for larger format panel use. The system has been fully CWCT tested for structural integrity and can achieve a A1 or A2s1d0 fire rating, making Genius Prime a non-combustible cladding system.

SoYo Leeds boasts a bold dynamic envelop design that has incorporated both fully concealed secret fixings and discrete fix colour matched fixings. This allows for individual panels to be removed in sections whilst also providing a seamless modern aesthetic.

Tobacco Warehouse
Cubic Facades with Aluminium flat sheet by APL

The project was in a courtyard which was also 2 stories higher than the entrance. As the project was built in 1901 and all brick build with low ceilings to accommodate more tobacco 100 years ago, the only way to get materials into the courtyard was via a crane during the six month programme.

The only access the contractor could install from was mast climbers which (with weight restrictions) proved very difficult.

Stripping the project took time also because we had to wait for the internal skip to be craned out and changed every time it was filled.

The client had only just finished the cladding when it was condemned due to the fire rating. Therefore, all the products chosen were A1 non-combustible.