Deceuninck fabricator, Fastframe, completes £2m first phase of Grand Union development

Deceuninck fabricator, Fastframe, has supplied a total of 1,385 windows and doors for Affinity House, the first of six phases scheduled for the Grand Union development in Alperton, Northwest London.  

Working with Deceuninck approved installer, APW Glazing, supply and installation was completed over an 18-month period at a total cost in excess of £2million.

Designed by architect, Building Design Partnership, for main developer, St George – a member of the Berkeley Group – Affinty House is located within 11-acres of landscaped gardens, meadows and waterside pathways and overlooks the historic, 137-mile Grand Union Canal.

The Grand Union Development, which is set to transform a previously derelict 22-acre site, will deliver over 3,000 new homes, providing residents with close transport links to Central London, a mix of community facilities and 135,000ft² of flexible workspace.

For Affinity House, which comprises 146 1,2 and 3 bed apartments, Fastframe manufactured a combination of Deceuninck’s contemporary 5000 Series Linktrusion doors and Fully Reversible Windows (FRW), finished in Decoroc Balmoral Grey on white.

Designed for medium to high rise developments, Deceuninck’s Fully Reversible Window comes as standard with PAS24 accreditation and achieves Class A4, 600Pa Air Permeability; Class E1050 water tightness and Class AE2400 PA wind resistance. An ideal solution for modern buildings that demand large apertures, the FRW can be manufactured as a single opening window to a maximum size of 1,400mm x 1,400mm and delivers U values of 1.3 double glazed and 0.96 triple glazed.

The 5000 Series is Deceuninck’s flagship commercial system, available in a suite of Tilt and Turn, residential door and French Door options. Compatible with Linktrusion technology, the 5000 Series offers maximum door frame sizes of 2,500mm x 2,200mm.

The use of Deceuninck’s Linktrusion technology and the Decoroc coating system, which delivers an extremely durable, micro-sprayed finish that is designed specifically to match the aesthetics and performance of aluminium powder coating, was a key element of the specification for Affinity House.

Linktrusion, which is suitable for commercial and residential applications, combines glass fibre reinforced PVC profiles and an extruded reinforcement profile with embedded steel wires in a low density insulating foam core. As a result, windows manufactured using Linktrusion are as strong as steel reinforced windows but are 30% more thermally efficient with 40% savings on materials and weight. They are also 100% recyclable.

Decoroc, which is applied by Fastframe in-house on its £150,000 paint line, produces a tough, matt finish in a comprehensive range of RAL colours and comes with a 10-year guarantee.

“The door heights at Affinity House were 2,400mm, which would normally have required a steel reinforced PVC product or a more expensive aluminium solution,” commented Fast Frame’s Commercial Director, Paul Moody. “With Deceuninck’s Linktrusion technology we were able to manufacture the 5000 Series system to the required sizes without the need for traditional steel reinforcement.

“Combined with the flush finish Fully Reversible Windows, and the Decoroc coating system, the finished result delivered all the aesthetics of aluminium, at a lower cost, and with all the performance advantages typically associated with PVC.”

“We have a well-established working relationship with the Berkeley Group,” he continued. “Being able to successfully demonstrate the aesthetic and technical advantages of Linktrusion and Decoroc combined with Deceuninck’s world class recycling facilities and our strength as a UK manufacturer, played an important part in securing the contract for the Grand Union development.”

John Duckworth, Head of Commercial Sales, Deceuninck, concluded: “Grand Union is a landmark project for London and one of the highest profile developments in the country. As phase one, Affinity House presented a number of complex technical specifications with additional on-site challenges due to Covid.

“Fastframe, which has a deserved reputation as one of the UK’s leading commercial fabricators, has done an outstanding job of overcoming those challenges and is now in an ideal position to tender for the next phases of the development as a result.”

Call 01249 816 969 or visit www.deceuninck.co.uk for more about Deceuninck’s commercial range and commercial work. You can also download Deceuninck’s full product portfolio from the NBS National BIM Library at www.nationalbimlibrary.com/deceuninck-ltd.