Wicona Curtain Walling for Glasgow Velodrome

Curtain walling from Wicona was specified for this fantastic venue, which will be the showpiece for the 2014 Glasgow Commonwealth Games.Designed by architects 3DReid and built by Sir Robert McAlpine for Glasgow City Council, this £116m development is one of the largest indoor sports facilities in Europe and Scotland’s first indoor velodrome.  It is set to attract sporting competitions of the highest standards to Glasgow and will provide an outstanding community facility and a lasting legacy for the people of Scotland.The complex is one of the most versatile, flexible and innovative structures of its type in Europe.  It houses two stadia – a 5,000-seat indoor arena and a 2,000-seat velodrome for key 2014 events such as cycling and badminton.  Between the twin halls is a connecting circulation space, the ‘hub’, which accommodates ancillary facilities and the headquarters of the national sport federation.The Wicona aluminium Wictec 50 curtain walling solution was specified by 3DReid to accommodate large unsupported spans of glass of up to 4m long.  Special connections for the transoms and mullions were engineered to take the heavier loads for the spans.The system also offered slim sections and consistent profile sizes across the project.

Fabricated and installed by Dane Architectural Systems in a £1m façade contract, the curtain walling was faceted for the velodrome to follow the curve of this striking building and was used with curved bull nose caps to add interest to the façade by accentuating the horizontal profiles. 

The system spans four storeys on the hub that links the two venues, and 77m long screens of grid curtain walling were constructed to enclose the arena. Other areas of glazing include the atria roof and the level 2 entrance. 

Commenting on the specification of Wicona curtain walling for this high profile project, Rolf Basler, architect for the building envelope at 3DReid said “The Wictec system could accommodate all the technical complexities of this project in terms of spans, loads and uniformity of appearance for the grid and faceted elements.”

He added, “The system was well fabricated and the project was supported by valuable technical input from the Wicona team.”

The Wicona Wictec curtain walling suite has been used extensively both in the UK and internationally.  It features a wide range of structural aluminium profiles to accommodate vertical, angled, sloped and faceted situations for optimum creative freedom.  There are options for additional security, fire protection and bullet resistance without altering the appearance of the façade.

The Wictec 50 system uses a 50mm profile which has an extra-narrow face width, both internally and externally.

State-of-the-art facilities at the Emirates Arena and Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome include a 200m long hydraulic running track, telescopic seating to allow good sightlines for spectators, and a 250m high-banked indoor cycle track with a multi-use in-field area. The scheme also incorporates a community sports centre, four flood-lit five-a-side pitches, a 1km outdoor cycle track, gym, spa, dance studio and indoor roller sports facility.

Wicona offers a range of technically advanced glazing systems for complex and bespoke aluminium façades.  Its products include unitised and stick curtain walling, structural and roof glazing, highly insulated window systems and heavy duty doors.

The project team for the Emirates Arena and Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome includes:

• Client:   Glasgow City Council

• Project managers:  Davis Langdon

• Architects:   3D Reid

• Main contractor:  Sir Robert McAlpine

• Façade system:  Wicona

• Façade contractor: Dane Architectural