When Newport-based building experts Midas Construction were chosen to remodel the Queen's Arcade, one of Cardiff’s busiest shopping arcades, they chose the experience of Solaglas Contracting South to bring architect's Holder Mathias' impressive glazed façade to life.

Queen's Arcade has recently undergone multi-million pound re-development to enlarge and improve the popular retail centre.  Solaglas Contracting South was commissioned to create the feature 15m high all-glass atrium frontage with a 12m long dual pitched roof at the Queen Street entrance.

The roof and façade were designed using the frameless SGG Spider Glass bolted system, single glazed with 21.5mm SGG Stadip Securit HST glass: the largest panes were up to 2m wide x 4.8m tall, each weighing 450kg.  In the two new retail units built flanking the revised entrance, Contracting South installed fixed pane Technal curtain walling glazed with 8mm thermally enhanced SGG Climaplus XLT double glazed units. To the shopping centre's interior, fire rated steel framed curtain walling was installed with 18mm single glazed panes of SGG Contraflam clear providing separation between the shops and the mall.

Despite being carried out within a compact phased five month programme providing challenging installation periods, a close working relationship with the Contractors site team ensured that the overall programme was finished on time and within budget.

John Watson, Project Manager for Solaglas Contracting South, reports that the project was one of their most technically challenging, in terms of health and safety as well as logistically.  Whilst the team operated a variety of lifting equipment within the very small site, access from Queen Street had to be maintained throughout the installation and the shopping centre kept open to avoid disruption to retailers and shoppers.  In particular, the restrictions regarding encroachment on the neighbouring airspace rights were tough on the team, considering that glass had to be craned up to 14m into the air from within a compact site boundary!