Material Finish: Recon. Acid Etched

3 Pancras Square (B6)

3 Pancras Square, Kings Cross, London N1C 4AG

3 Pancras Square Headline facts:

593 reconstructed stone panels covering 7,725 square meters.

Contractor : BAM

Architect : Porphyros Architects

The Finer Details:

Techrete were awarded the contract for the design, manufacture and installation of the pre-cast elements of number 3 Pancras Square. The building comprises of an architecturally complex precast concrete facade which attaches to a steel-work frame over 10 floors. The building blends effortlessly with the other projects in the Kings Cross area, complementing the other Techrete buildings surrounding it. Production began at our facility in January 2015, with the first panels arriving on-site in July 2015. The project completed in December of that year.

Chiswick Point

Chiswick Point, 1 Bollo Lane, Colonial Drive, London

Chiswick Point Headline Facts:

803 reconstructed stone panels, covering 7,332 square meters.

Contractor : Graham Construction

Architects : John Robertson Architects

Lombard Wharf

Lombard Wharf, 12 Lombard Rd, Battersea, London SW11 3AY

Lombard Wharf Headline Facts:

1,239 reconstructed stone panels, covering 6,413 square meters.

Contractor : Barrett Homes

Architect : Patel Taylor

The Finer Details:

Situated on Lombard Road in Battersea, London, this 299-foot residential building was designed by Patel Taylor Architects and the construction of this exceptional build was led by Barratt Homes.  With stunning views over the Thames and London City, Lombard Wharf was one of the last remaining river front sites in Wandsworth, so it was important that the building made both a positive and dynamic contribution to the capital’s skyline.

The building appears to twist as it rises, which was achieved with very subtle changes to the positioning of the white precast concrete balconies. These subtle twists were to portray an appearance of carved stone and in order to achieve both this extraordinary shape and carved stone impression, Techrete were subcontracted to design, manufacture and deliver the architectural precast concrete cladding for the façade of Lombard Wharf.

It was understood that Techrete would not only deliver this desired stone effect, but also equip the project with their extensive experience and efficiency and provide quality control for each and every balcony, resulting in both cost and time effectiveness.

As the carved stone effect was an intricate and vital element of the build, the mix selection was crucial.  Selected was the creamy and light C317 mix with Mica, which added a sparkle. Finally, finished with a light acid etched finish which exposed the natural aggregate and gives the balconies a more realistic stone feel. It was cast in a two-stage process ensuring a quality finish on all faces. 

The resulting building went on to win awards in the Evening Standard New Home Awards, The Irish Concrete Society Awards and the What House Awards.  Additionally, Lombard Wharf was shortlisted for the Architects Journal Housing Project of the Year (over 10m) 2018. 

Visual Control Tower

Visual Control Tower, Dublin Airport

Visual Control Tower Headline Facts:

115 reconstructed stone panels, covering 2,375 square meters.

Contractor: BAM

Architect: Scott Tallon Walker

The Finer Details :

The Visual Control Tower at Dublin Airport is one of the tallest structures in Ireland and it is Ireland’s tallest occupied building. Contracted by BAM and standing at 87.7 metres high, the tower provides clear views for current and future runways at Dublin Airport. Designed by Scott Tallon Walker Architects, the building comprises a 17-storey shaft with a 4 storey control room sitting on top and to help achieve the design brief of an elegant, modern structure, it was essential that the tower shaft displayed no cold joints and that the surface was of an excellent finish.

Techrete were involved on the project with Scott Tallon Walker from the initial concept and design stage of the tower to ensure that their design intent of this unusual project could be achieved. Techrete were engaged to provide and install the curved precast panels for the shaft with feature knuckles arranged in a triangular shape.

Future maintenance was a key consideration for the project and as such, the shaft facade was designed as a rain screen with open drained joggle joints, allowing rain water to funnel behind the panels and drain out at the bottom of the structure, fulfilling the ‘self-cleaning’ intent of the design.

The unusual shape of the shaft and panels required Techrete to design bespoke structural hanging brackets to support the heavy loads of the panels. Multiple curved timber moulds of varying shapes and radii were designed and manufactured to produce the unusual and varying shapes of the panels. The mix chosen for the panels was our popular C190, white mix and panels were given an acid etched finish. A key challenge for Techrete on this project was the limited time to install the panels before the Control Room steel frame was due to arrive on site and be installed.

The Visual Control Tower won ‘Engineering Project of the Year’ at the Irish Building and Design Awards 2019.

Molesworth St

10 Molesworth Street, Dublin 2

10 Molesworth Street Headline Facts:

262 brick facing, natural stone facing and reconstructed stone panels, covering 3,515 square meters.

Contractor: PJ Hegarty & Son

Architect: Henry J Lyons

The Finer Details:

Techrete were engaged to design, manufacture and erect over 3,500 m² of architectural brick faced precast concrete cladding panels, as part of the façade of number 10 Molesworth Street. Chosen for our speed of erection and Techrete’s ability to provide for quality control of the brickwork and jointing, the architectural precast element consists of mullions, spandrels, parapets and stone-faced wall panels. The carefully chosen mix was Techrete’s timelessly elegant light, warm, off-white mix with an etched finish. To complement the mix, a natural stone-faced wall panel was chosen.

The brick wall panels offered a striking yet complementary contrast to the reconstructed stone mix. The chosen brick is a blended red colour range with off-white mortar joints. To keep with the Georgian tradition, the bricks were laid in a Flemish bond. The building combines both traditional and contemporary design and with careful selection of materials and modern construction methods, the symmetry and overall appearance of the building has managed to adopt the genre of prestige that is synonymous with this area of Dublin.

St. Vincent’s Hospital

St. Vincent’s Private Hospital, Merrion Rd, Dublin 4

St Vincent’s Hospital Headline Facts:

292 reconstructed stone panels, covering 3,020 square meters.

Contractor : John Paul Construction

Architect : Scott Tallon Walker

5 Hanover Quay

5 Hanover Quay, Grand Canal Dock, Dublin 2

5 Hanover Quay Headline Facts:

484 reconstructed stone panels, covering 5,574 square meters.

Contractor : Bennett Construction

Architect : RKD Architects

The Finer Details :

5 Hanover Quay stands in an enviable position in the heart of the prestigious South Dublin Docklands, in an area dubbed “silicon docks”.  Situated at the impressive waterfront of the Grand Canal Basin and on its northern boundary, it boasts high-tech neighbours such as Google, Facebook and LinkedIn.  The aim of this building is to be an instrumental component of Dublin’s Dockland Regeneration.

RKD architects were appointed by APTIV Global Operations Ltd. to design this 161,300 sq ft, impressively, unique building.  One of the main elements of the design brief of this seven storey building, was a strong emphasis on quality.   One of the design elements decided on was to feature, high quality, reconstructed stone outer frame.  With concrete being such an integral part of the design, the façade had to demonstrate an iconic design element.  RKD worked closely with Techrete as they deemed Techrete to possess the specialist skill and experience of working with concrete to the highest quality.

With such a strong design element placed on the use of concrete, the mix chosen had to be mindful of the projects location, to ensure it was placed appropriately within the surrounding architecture of this dense urban docklands area.  The mix chosen was Techrete’s C190.  This light, timelessly sophisticated mix, when lightly acid etched post production, resembles natural limestone. Due to the nature of the columns a steel column mould was used to guarantee a blemish free finish to the three exposed faces. The architectural precast element consisted of reconstructed stone columns, beams, wall panels and mullions .

The installation of the façade was undertaken with two tower cranes was a typical installation operation one would expect from such a project.  Due to the nature of the columns which spanned across two floors the mullions were engineered so that they could be rotated on site without the use of any mechanical tilting equipment. The eastern elevation, which is opposite an adjacent site and over an underground car park raised significant challenges including the application of mastic. Techrete’s site team overcame these challenges using a spider MEWP, which allowed the application of mastic to areas that otherwise may have proven inaccessible.

Opus, 6 Hanover Quay

Opus, 6 Hanover Quay, Grand Canal Dock, Dublin 2

Opus, 6 Hanover Quay Headline Facts:

Award Winner : ‘Highly Commended’ – Irish Concrete Society Awards 2020

850 reconstructed stone panels, covering 6,700 square meters.

Contractor : Cairn Homes

Architect : McCauley Daye O’Connell

The Finer Details :

Opus 6, Hanover Quay, is a landmark residential development of 120 apartments over 2,600 sqm, located in the heart of Dublin’s Grand Canal Square district. Having gained the nickname “Silicon Docks”, this area has been regenerated from a working industrial dock to become Dublin’s premier business and technology district. The design was developed as a response to the context of the site taking influence from the maritime history, evoked in the dynamic curvilinear form defined by the fluid black horizontal precast bands stretching across glazed façade.

The building cantilevers over the footpath at the front and rear, floating above the tall glass walls. This horizontal band and loop design extends from the waterfront around elegant curved corners at Hanover and Chocolate Park and into and around the ground level and individual lobby entrance door of the inner courtyard. The curtain wall façade with continuous glazed balustrades and curvilinear polished reconstituted stone, reinforces the maritime aesthetic that was key to the scheme. The heavy black, curved panels appear to float over-head, giving the building an exciting and distinctive dynamic.

Techrete were engaged by Carin Homes to design, manufacture and install the precast elements of the striking facade of this McCauley Daye O’Connell designed project. Techrete were chosen for our efficiency in terms of material use, time and quality control that this highly engineered building required, which would otherwise be difficult to achieve.

Techrete’s black mix with a polished finish consists of black basalt, sands and aggregates. Additionally, white cement was used to guarantee consistency of colour and finish between the panels. The elegant tight curved panels were all hand polished. Specially designed moulds were created to overcome the complex geometry of the black precast facade and contrasting white balcony designs. In addition, the panels could only be installed after the glazing which required precision handling. The panels were erected with tight tolerances as any slight movement could have caused breakages to the glazed curtain wall elements.

The concrete floors above ground level consist of post-tensioned slabs, which allows for slabs which use over 20% less RC concrete to be utilised throughout, representing a significant reduction in the overall carbon footprint. This highly engineered construction further allowed the building to cantilever beyond the extent of the ground floor, while still supporting the dynamic precast stone loops providing views and forms, that would otherwise have been unachievable.

DCU Lettering

DCU Lettering, Dublin City University Glasnevin, Dublin 9

DCU Lettering Headline Facts:

12 reconstructed stone units.

Contractor : McKeon Group

Architect : Collins Maher Martin Architects / ZAP Architects

Blackrock Clinic

Blackrock Clinic, Rock Road, Blackrock, Co. Dublin

Blackrock Clinic Headline Facts:

1,557 square meters of reconstructed stone panels.

Contractor : John Sisk & Son

Architect : David Jordan Architects

Aviva Stadium

Aviva Stadium, Landsdowne Road, Dublin 4

Aviva Stadium Headline Facts:

450 reconstructed stone panels, covering 4,500 square meters.

Contractor : John Sisk & Son

Architect : Scott Tallon Walker

Two St. Peter’s Square

Two St. Peter’s Square, Manchester M2 3NQ

Two St. Peter’s Square Headline Facts:

546 reconstructed stone panels, covering 7,210 square meters.

Contractor : Laing O’Rourke

Architect : Simpson Haugh

Award : ‘Highly Commended’ – Concrete Society Awards 2018.

Judges comments :

“Visual appearance was a key driver in a very sensitive historic area of the city. The building does not look out of place at all, despite the time differences in construction. The decorative façades are very special and could only be done in precast concrete or an army of stone masons. Materials are standard but the complexity and quality of the finish is exceptional. The difficulty in forming these complex and varied units should not be underestimated. They are true three-dimensional concrete sculptures used as office window façades.


External column cladding was complex, multiply curved and feels appropriate for the location. The complexity, level of overall detail and quality is excellent. The joints of the units were lined up to show geometrical symmetry from vertical face to horizontal soffit. The judges were very impressed by this project. The decorative façades are superb and it would not be surprising if this level of decorative façade became more popular.“

The Finer Details:

2 St. Peters Square, is a truly distinguished building with its 12 floors rising majestically over the surrounding streetscape. The gable end faces onto Princess St and the building is adorned with delicate filigree tracery panels. Drawing inspiration from the Lancaster Rose which adorns the county flag and from the Cotton Bud fountain, the tracery panels were designed to incorporate these elements whilst drawing on further inspiration from the Town Hall extension stair turrets. The tracery panels are both decorative and functional and offer natural shading from the full height glazing which is situated behind them.

This choice of mix with a polished finish gives the building a timeless elegance appropriate to its prime location amongst such buildings of historical importance. The panels on the main façades embraced the ethos of off-site construction. The windows were installed at Techrete production facility and were delivered and installed as one complete unit . This resulted in a reduction in programme time and in the amount of trades required on site. This project won ‘Highly Commended’ at the Concrete Society Awards 2018.

One St. Peter’s Square

One St. peter’s Square, Manchester M2 3AE

One St. Peter’s Square Headline Facts :

584 reconstructed stone panels, covering 6,800 square meters

Contractor : Carillion PLC

Architect : Glenn Howells Architects

Two New Ludgate

Two New Ludgate, 26 Old Bailey, London EC4M 7HW

Two New Ludgate Headline Facts:

1,230 GRC panels covering 5,000 square meters.

Contractor : Skanska / Gartner

Architect : Sauerbruch Hutton

One New Ludgate

One New Ludgate, 60 Ludgate Hill, London EC4M 7AW

One New Ludgate Headline Facts:

1,850 reconstructed stone panels covering 5,900 square meters.

Contractor : Skanska / Scheldebouw

Architect : Fletcher Priest

The Finer Details :

1 New Ludgate, is a retail and commercial development located two blocks east of St. Paul’s Cathedral in London and was named the City of London Building of the Year 2016. The system was designed to be installed without the necessity of external access. The vertical fins were supported by a bespoke unitised curtain walling system and they were installed on-site with the glazing. The horizontal ledges are supported on the concrete fins, acting as the horizontal restraint for the cladding as a whole and without interfacing with the glass cladding weather line.

The ground level columns and upper face of the spandrels are polished, which allows for better weathering and lower maintenance. The vertical fins and bottom face of the spandrels are grit blasted for a homogeneous street view. The mix has been specifically designed using Spanish dolomite aggregates and pigments, to achieve this unique impact in the City of London. Awards for this project include RICS London Award 2016, ‘Best Commercial Building’ and ‘City of London Building of the Year’ 2016.

St Barts Hospital

St. Barts Hospital, W Smithfield, London EC1A 7BE

St. Barts Hospital Headline Facts :

680 natural stone faced panels, covering 6,100 square meters.

Contractor : Skanska

Architect : HOK

Regent’s Place

Regent’s Place, 338 Euston Rd, London NW1 3BT

Regent’s Place Headline Facts :

580 stone faced and reconstructed stone panels covering 6,100 square meters.

Contractor : Lendlease

Architect : Terry Farrell Architects

Paternoster Square

Paternoster Square, London

Paternoster Square Headline Facts:

630 natural stone faced and reconstructed stone panels, covering 6,100 square meters.

Contractor : Bovis Lendlease

Architect : McCormack Jamieson Prichard

Pan Peninsula

Pan Peninsula, Isle of Dogs, London

Pan Peninsula Headline Facts:

1,900 reconstructed stone panels, covering 18,000 square meters.

Contractor : Ballymore Properties LTD

Architect : Skidmore Owings and Merrill

Urbanest (T6)

Urbanest, Canal Reach, Kings Cross, London N1C 4BD

Urbanest, Kings Cross Headline Facts:

1,000 reconstructed stone panels, covering 8,000 square meters.

Contractor : Mansells (Balfour Beatty)

Architect : Glenn Howells

The Finer Details :

This 26 storey student accommodation dominates the Kings Cross skyline. Techrete designed, built and installed, 1,000 precast panels covering 8,000 sq m of the facade. The lower levels, in a dark acid etched grey, are complemented by the Portland look-a-like, with two varying depths of a grit blasted finish to the panels at the upper levels.

The installation of the precast took only 34 weeks. The overall construction time was reduced as the installation of the panels (using a telescopic crawler crane) allowed an earlier site start date, whilst the reinforced concrete frame was still under construction. The downgrading of cranage due to the proximity of the Channel Tunnel Railway Line (CTRL) on the northern boundary of the site was an added constraint for the project. A monorail was required for the installation of the panels on the north elevation immediately adjacent to the boundary fence of the CTRL. This was also undertaken whilst the frame was being constructed above.