Granite cladding:
The Silver Fin Building
Aberdeen · 2017
The Silver Fin Building is a new office development on Union Street, Aberdeen's principal street, built by Sir Robert McAlpine. Its street elevation is clad in granite, in keeping with the city's building tradition. We were appointed to design, supply and install the granite package: the Union Street front, its returns to the east and west gables, the feature columns and the parapet copings. The completed building won Best Commercial Workplace at the British Council for Offices Scotland Awards 2018.
The challenge
The cladding had to be fixed to a secondary steel frame designed by others, so our fixing details, stone sizes and weights had to be coordinated with the structural engineer, the architect and the main contractor before stone could be installed. The elevation is tall and sits directly on a busy city centre street, with the gables reached only from scaffold and hoist. Each stone had to be lifted, positioned and fixed accurately from the scaffold, while the weatherproofing layers behind the stone were completed in sequence. Cutting and raking out also had to be carried out with dust suppression in a public setting.
Our solution
We designed and supplied the granite cladding with stainless steel carrier fixings, bracketed back to the secondary steel. Behind the stone, we installed cement particle board, insulation and a breather membrane, with blockwork backing at lower levels. Stones were set out from agreed levels, hoisted to each scaffold lift and fixed with the carrier system, with fluted and finished faces formed to the architect's details. The granite columns and parapet copings were set with brackets and backing to suit the roof edge. On the lane and west elevations we used reclaimed granite panels, laid to match the new work. Cutting was carried out with water suppression, and joints were hand raked out where required, under an agreed method statement. The gable work was planned around the steel, sealing and scaffold sequence, with each gable clad as soon as access and the backing layers were in place.
Outcomes
A granite Union Street front
The street elevation, returns and columns clad in granite to the architect's design.
Durable, accessible fixings
Stainless steel carrier fixings allow stones to be positioned accurately and supported independently.
Reclaimed stone reused
Reclaimed granite panels incorporated to the lane and west elevations.
An award-winning building
The Silver Fin Building won Best Commercial Workplace at the British Council for Offices Scotland Awards 2018, with its granite Union Street front designed, supplied and installed by LTM.
Have a similar building?
Tell us about it and we’ll come back to you with how we’d approach it.
One of 1,000+ projects
More schools, libraries & commercial
- 163 High Street, ElginCase study →
- 186 Argyle Street, GlasgowCase study →
- 96 Academy Street, InvernessCase study →
- Ardconnel Street, InvernessCase study →
- Bank of Scotland, AberfoyleCase study →
- Castle Street, Forfar (consultancy)Case study →
- Cromwell Tower, AberdeenCase study →
- Eastern Residences, Broughty FerryCase study →
- Georgian Steps, George SquareCase study →
- Golf Tavern, EdinburghCase study →
- Hillside SchoolCase study →
- King's College, AberdeenCase study →
Next project
St Athernase Church
Leuchars