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solving geometric challenges in timber for more than 25 years...
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Castle Mall, Norwich
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Castle Mall is one of Europe's most innovative city centre shopping developments, in the heart of historic Norwich.
 
Project
 
Cowley has been responsible, to management contractors Bovis, for the timber construction of some 48 separate roofs, over half featuring exposed glulam structures. The company has also handled roof tiling and slatework, steelwork, second fixings, fascias and some ceilings for 75 shops, 5 major stores, restaurants and cafes within the 1 million sq. ft built area offering 380,000 sq. ft of shopping on a 7-acres site adjacent to Norwich Castle.

 

 

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A dominant feature has been the use of Glulam in exposed areas of structure, which provides an ideal interface with the existing streetscape in this ancient part of the city and the ultra-modern development.

This is not the predictable rectangular structure associated with many shopping centres. Castle Mall, developed by and for Friends' Provident Life Office, makes full use of the different levels of the site and a variety of striking forms in a diversity of materials and textures - instead of a conventional roof there is a landscaped park fully planted with trees, shrubs and flowers.

 
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Some of the most impressive timber features include the atrium and the entrance at Castle Meadow Gate together with the Gallery and its larger of two domes.
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The spacious day-lit malls feature one of the most striking atrium spaces in the country. The 15m main span comprises 182, 90 x 270mm exposed Glulam pieces connected by powder blue coated saddle hangers and 20mm thick steelwork with tie rods in high grade steel. Bolted through the structure are 140 abseiling clips to allow access for maintainence crews some 60 metres from the ground.
 
The timbered Gallery, extending to almost 100 metres in length, comprises 56 half portal columns pitched at 75 degrees to the vertical and two rows of laminated purlins with fixed green powder-coated mild steel saddle hangers.
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Site
Castle Mall Shopping Centre, Norwich
 
Architect
Lambert, Scott and Innes
 
Engineer
Ove Arup & Partners of London