Almost exactly 50 years after the landmark Europa House opened in Hull – complete with curved façade and distinctive 1970s gold mirrored glazing – it has been transformed into the contemporary new Monocle workspace, with a brand new façade in AluK’s SL52 curtain walling system.
AluK partnered with Hull-based EYG Commercial on the £6.5m project for local developers Allenby Commercial. Prior to the redevelopment, the six-storey building had been empty for several years, but it is now the city’s most modern and desirable workspace, with a mix of expansive office HQs, creative spaces, studios and an onsite coffee house, garden space and gym.
EYG undertook both the fabrication and installation of 400 individual glazing units on the project in AluK’s capped, thermally broken SL52 system, fitted with neutral solar control glass. The old, mirrored glazing has been recycled, with some even being used for the mirrors in the gym, but there are deliberate echoes of the original 1970s aesthetic in the smooth bronze powder-coated finish chosen for the frames and panels.
Allenby Commercial awarded the contract to EYG on the basis of several successful projects in the past. EYG chose the SL52 system in consultation with the team at AluK, who put together a package of technical, pricing and logistical support.
SL52 is a 52mm CWCT Sequence B accredited system which offers all the functionality and thermal and weather performance required at Monocle. It is suitable for curved, angled or faceted installation and can accommodate glass sizes from 6mm to 50mm.
The curved Monocle building made the installation particularly challenging, but EYG’s team used all their expertise in surveying and planning to achieve impressive levels of precision. Richard Saunders, EYG’s Sales and Estimating Director is justifiably proud of the result. He said: “If we had been out by one degree at one end of the building, by the time we reached the other side, we could have been out by 300mm. We were within just 5mm in the end.”
That wasn’t the only challenge though. With limited space outside for fitting because of scaffolding, and the space between the aluminium curtain walling sections too small to be fitted conventionally from the inside, a robot had to be used. EYG’s Installation Manager Martin Shaw explained: “All 400 glazing units had to be brought up to each floor and then the robot used to pick them up, angle them out through the openings and then pull them back into position into the glazing rebate.”
Allenby Commercial are understandably pleased with the project, and with the curtain walling in particular. Paul Swallow, the company’s Contracts Director commented: “The new curtain walling and glazing at Monocle were central to our architectural vision - replacing the old reflective façade with clear, expansive glass not only revitalised the building’s appearance, but fundamentally reshaped how it connects with the city and the people within it. We couldn’t be more pleased with how Monocle has come together - stylish, functional, and already a vibrant hub in Hull.
