Award-winning architectural ironmonger Em-B Solutions has provided a full turnkey design and supply ironmongery package to the ICEPs Building – the part new build, part refurb University of Leeds flagship building for the schools of Computing and Physics & Astronomy. The project involved not only a full scheduling service for hundreds of doors across the whole site but a requirement to design hardware to suit both the old and new parts of the building, both of which would be subject to high levels of traffic once the building opened.
Design and build specialists BAM designed the new £96m Sir William Henry Bragg Building to create a 15,700m2 facility to support multi-disciplinary material research involving physicists, chemists, biologists, and engineers. As part of a wider investment in the University’s estate, this project is the largest single investment the University has ever made. It combines refurbishment of the existing Grade 2 listed Old Mining Building, with an additional rooftop extension, with a new build section to provide a total gross floor area of more than 16,000m2 over seven storeys. The new-build element will link directly to the university’s existing engineering and chemistry facilities.
Working to a brief from BAM, Em-B scheduled the door hardware for 460 fire doors, classroom and lab doors, office and backroom facilities, toilets, and catering facilities. In the older part of the building Em-B provided suites of aged bronze ironmongery including closers, lock cases, hinges handles, and levers all to match. In the new part of the project, the emphasis was on compliance and long-lasting functionality in hard-wearing satin stainless steel. Em-B also provided a package of access control and automatic doors.
“BAM has a strong and long-standing partnership with Em-B,” says Matthew Cooer from BAM. “We gave the team at Em-B the remit and knew we could trust them to design the right scheme for the project. The two halves of the building – the old and the new – were handled with skill and sensitivity to the building’s function and design. Having a great supplier nearby was a real asset, and the service levels were great – even dropping items on-site in an emergency.”
Em-B is a thriving, well-established architectural ironmonger and supplier of door solutions based in Leeds since 1966. The company regularly wins awards for its architectural ironmongery schemes on some of the UK’s most prestigious projects, working for household name architects and clients. Em-B’s success is built on working as a true partner within the construction process from drawing board to installed product and beyond.
