UCL, East Marshgate
MASS Concrete’s expertise was called upon by Morrisroe for the design and manufacture of two sets of U C L letters and portico emblems for the external building signage for UCL’s innovative new campus development in East Marshgate.
The new campus in East London, designed by Stanton Williams and constructed by Mace Group, with delivery architects Sheppard Robson, prioritizes sustainability and collaboration. The campus, featuring state-of-the-art facilities, aims to foster interdisciplinary research, education, and community engagement, promising to be a transformative addition to London’s landscape.
Appointed to construct the nine-storey concrete frame, featuring exposed concrete walls, Morrisroe turned to MASS Concrete to deliver the two sets of external precast units.
MASS created rubber board-marked moulds, to match with those used on site, and each precast unit incorporated cast-in inserts to enable an efficient and effective site-installation.
We supplied Morrisroe’s site team with water-jet cut extruded polystyrene ‘knockouts’ to form the shaped openings within the face of the site poured concrete walls. This ensured the perfect fit between the precast units and the site-formed openings.
2-sets of units were precast at our Building 101 works (Bournemouth Airport) using the same blended concrete mix specified for the site, which contained a 40% GGBS/cement replacement.
Concept Architect: Stanton Williams
Delivery Architect: Sheppard Robson
Client: UCL
Main Contractor: MACE
Samples Used:
MPGC6
Q6663
The Challenge
Morrisroe, appointed to construct the nine-storey concrete frame, required specialist expertise for the external building signage. They needed two sets of UCL letters and portico emblems that would seamlessly integrate with the site’s exposed concrete walls, matching both aesthetic and material specifications.
The critical requirement was ensuring a perfect fit between the factory-precast units and the site-poured concrete openings.
The broader UCL East Marshgate campus integrates numerous sustainable elements, including rainwater harvesting, underground cycle storage, low-energy LED lighting, and efficient mechanical ventilation. These measures collectively contributed to the project achieving BREEAM Outstanding certification.
Project Success & Recognition
The UCL East Marshgate campus was awarded Building Magazine’s Project of the Year 2024, recognised for its excellent use of materials, strong sustainability focus, and successful completion within both timely and budgetary constraints.
MASS Concrete’s contribution played a vital role in the seamless execution and aesthetic success of the external signage, demonstrating our ability to deliver high-quality, sustainable solutions for complex architectural projects.
MASS Concrete’s Solution
Morrisroe turned to MASS Concrete to deliver these crucial precast units. Our team’s approach ensured both visual consistency and efficient installation:
- Custom Moulds: We crafted rubber board-marked moulds that precisely matched those used on-site, ensuring a uniform texture and appearance.
- Integrated Inserts: Each precast unit was designed with cast-in inserts, facilitating a straightforward and effective site installation process.
- Precision Knockouts: To guarantee a perfect fit, we supplied Morrisroe’s site team with water-jet cut extruded polystyrene ‘knockouts’. These were used to form the exact shaped openings within the face of the site-poured concrete walls, creating a seamless interface for the precast elements.
- Consistent Materiality: Both sets of units were precast at our Building 101 works (Bournemouth Airport), using the identical blended concrete mix specified for the site. This mix notably incorporated a 40% GGBS/cement replacement, aligning with the project’s sustainability goals.