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Ensuring a safe and compliant future for The Exchange

BTP is working in close collaboration with Urbanise Construction to deliver cladding remediation at The Exchange in central Croydon, a seven-storey residential development comprising 66 privately owned apartments and ground floor retail units.

Built in the 1900s as a telephone exchange, the site has since been extended and later converted into apartments in the early 2000s. The project involves replacing flammable aluminium cladding panels with a fully non-combustible alternative in line with current fire safety legislation.

Though this kind of work may not be visible when complete, often involving like-for-like replacement of materials, it presents unique design challenges that call for a collaborative approach and creative problem solving. A key complexity was developing reliable ways to fix new cavity barriers to different existing materials while staying within fire?testing requirements, which required close work with our Fire Engineer consultant. We also had to navigate limited access around retained elements, making coordination with the Urbanise team essential to delivering a robust solution.

As Lead Designer, BTP coordinated the design team and sub-consultants’ information to produce a coherent and compliant set of design proposals, placing residents’ safety at the centre. As the works progress, we continue to undertake regular site visits, supporting the contractors to ensure the scheme is delivered in accordance with our designs.

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