Market Town Shopping Centre – Green Facade

The Green Facade at the Market Town Shopping Centre in Newcastle encompasses more than 400m² across two separate areas. Tensile Design & Construct were engaged by the builder to provide the design, engineering and installation of the green facade. Tensile worked collaboratively with the consultant team, builder and stakeholders to ensure that the design took into account the difficult access with neighboring business’s, and an existing post and beam structure able to only take load at specific locations.

Jakob Webnet® stainless steel wire mesh was utilised as the infill for the facade, with its high strength to low material weight it was the ideal material given the likely installation methodology caused by the limited access. The Webnet spanned over 6m in height and came to site in various panels which were then stitch together by Tensile’s expert installation team. Jakob Inox line cables were used in junction with steel plates and posts to anchor the mesh around the perimeter. The steel sections were kept to a minimum in size with the clever use of stainless steel wires taking the main loads.

Completed in May 2011 we look forward to the coming spring and the growth of the climbing plants and the enlivening of the building facade.