Project Overview
The Ashbee at Brent Cross Town is a residential development forming part of Related Argent’s major regeneration programme in North London. Plot 203 provides 107 new homes and forms part of the first phase of residential delivery at Brent Cross Town. The façade combines mechanically fixed MS1 brick cladding with GRC, aluminium cassette panels, glazing and metal detailing, creating a varied building envelope with a high level of coordination between materials and interfaces.
The Challenge
The project required detailed coordination across a façade containing multiple material changes, window interfaces, balcony zones, brick piers, soldier courses and changes in brick orientation.
The MS1 system had to maintain consistent brick coursing while interfacing with GRC elements, aluminium cassette panels, glazing and associated flashings. The design also incorporated transitions between horizontal and vertical brick slips, requiring accurate setting out to maintain the architectural intent.
Balcony locations introduced further coordination requirements. The support system, insulation, cavity barriers, membranes, flashings and structural balcony brackets all had to be accommodated within confined façade zones while maintaining the required cavity and brick face alignment.
The project detailing also required varying support depths across the elevation, with different helping hand bracket arrangements used to accommodate changes in the façade build up.
The Solution
Aquarian Cladding Systems supplied the MS1 mechanically fixed brick cladding system, manufactured in the UK by Ash & Lacy.
Pistol corner slips helped maintain the brick appearance at returns, while the adjustable support system accommodated changing cavity depths and complex interfaces across the elevations.
The façade used 28 mm thick Vandersanden Majestic brick slips, predominantly installed in stretcher bond, with soldier courses incorporated around selected façade features and openings.
A detailed sample panel package was developed during the project’s early stages. This included window heads and jambs, GRC interfaces, aluminium panel transitions, brick piers, movement joints, capping details and changes in brick orientation.
The sample panel drawings were issued for approval in May 2023, establishing key installation and coordination principles before the main façade works progressed.
Installation and Coordination
Midgard delivered the construction of Plot 203, with the MS1 package forming part of a coordinated façade system.
Aquarian supported the delivery phase, coordinating component supply as the façade progressed. Installation required close coordination between brackets, rails, brick slips and adjacent façade elements.
Window openings incorporated MS1 starter rails, intermediate rails and top rails alongside GRC and aluminium detailing. Soldier courses and horizontal to vertical transitions required controlled setting out to maintain coursing and joint alignment.
Brick piers and stepped interfaces brought MS1 together with GRC, aluminium flashings and deep helping hand brackets. The Ash & Lacy AxiAL bracket system provided a range of bracket depths to accommodate the stepped building geometry while maintaining the required façade line.
Materials were supplied through phased orders, allowing components, brick slips and ancillary items to follow progress on site rather than relying on a single bulk delivery.
Commercial Impact
The mechanically fixed MS1 system reduced reliance on wet trades and supported installation across a wider range of weather conditions.
Its lower system weight also reduced the load compared with traditional masonry while retaining the appearance of a brick façade.
Factory produced components and controlled rail positions supported consistent installation and helped the façade programme progress alongside other packages.
Phased deliveries allowed materials to follow progress on site, reducing the need to store the full façade package at once.
The Result
The completed façade delivers a consistent brick appearance across a technically varied building envelope, with Vandersanden Majestic brick slips sitting alongside GRC, dark metalwork and aluminium façade elements.
Soldier courses, brick piers and changes in brick orientation add depth across the elevations, while MS1 maintains consistent coursing through the different façade conditions.
The project demonstrates how early detailing, coordinated interfaces and a flexible support system can deliver a traditional brick appearance across a large residential development.
