Another Olympic Metal: Aluminum

As London gears up for the 2012 Summer Olympic Games (london2012.com), massive construction is underway. For example, the Olympic Park is being built on 618 acres that had previously been industrial land—and contaminated, to boot.

Just outside the Olympic Park there is a residential construction project underway. Six buildings are being constructed on what had been a “light-industrial site.”

One of those buildings is the Halo Tower, a 43-story building, which will make it one of the tallest residential buildings in London.

The exterior of the building will be sheathed in aluminum. Specifically, AA201 curtain walling from Kawneer U.K.—an Alcoa (alcoa.com) business—will be used on the outside of the fourth through the 43rd floors. From ground level to the third floor there will be traditional AA 110 curtain walling.

According to KDS Associates of London (kdsassociates.uk.co), the delivery architect, “The façade is designed to express verticality and provide interest by the introduction of colored spandrels which fade from dark to light blues to the ear and upwards. To reduce the appearance of distinct horizontal bands, four transition zones are introduced to soften colors where they change vertically.”

Of course, there are three colors of keen interest among many who will be in London from July through September*: gold, silver, bronze.