Distinctive Facades Create Liverpool Landmark
For the new South Liverpool NHS Treatment Centre, MBLA Architects + Urbanists specified bespoke Aperam Uginox Bright stainless steel shingles on the external facades to provide a distinctive contemporary landmark. The building contains two doctors surgeries, a dental surgery and a walk-in centre, as well as facilities for a wide range of care services.The design concept is based on individual clinical clusters arranged around a central hub to enable each to operate independently.
The stainless steel is just 0.5 mm thick, a gauge which other metals are unable to support, says the company, with overall facade weight correspondingly reduced. High corrosion resistance helps protect it against urban pollutants and with compact roofing systems it does not require any protective underside coating if used without ventilation. It is claimed that the surface requires very little maintenance. With strength, affordability, extended design life and re-usability all becoming significant factors in healthcare projects, it is claimed this facade will invariably outlast the buildings on which it is used, after which it can be fully recycled.