The Killingworth Centre

ARCHITECT - W.C.E.C Architects

FABRICATOR - North Eastern Glass

CONTRACTOR - Kier Northern

LOCATION - Killingworth, Newcastle

This development for Wm Morrison Supermarkets PLC is a shopping mall with 35 retail units, a petrol filling station and car parking for 850 vehicles.

The T-shaped covered mall is a two-storey complex with the supermarket covering gross floor year of 83,185 sq ft. The 35 retail units cover a gross area of 100,00 sq ft on two floors.

The main elevation to the mall comprises of brickwork main panels with decorative parapet copings punctuated with powder-coated semi-circular pressed steel piers.

The use of aluminium and glazing was a major element of design. Due to their size mall entrances must be a focal point of the development, this ensures ease of access and identification for the potential retail customer. Internal to the mall, light and flow of movement will facilitate the repeated use of the complex.

The flexibility and integration of Comar aluminium systems can be appreciated within this project, profiles from 8 systems integrate to provide roof glazing, curtain walling, windows, door and ground floor treatment solutions.

Comar 6 is an integrated profile range that allows from one system a myriad of design options, with a range of standardised 50mm high span profiles, Comar 6 provided the solution to this demanding project.

Comar 6 curtain walling creates large duo-pitch mall roof-lights totalling 1710 sq metres, facetted barrel roof-lights with feature glazed gables, 182 sq metre pyramid roof-lights and over 790 sq metre of single glazed walkway canopy to the front elevation and transport interchange.

To the elevations over 1360 sq meters of vertical Comar 6 curtain walling, both double and single glazed is installed. The barrel vaulted roof glazing created both feature and a focal point to the entrance and 5 sets of automatic bi-parting Comar 7 doors and 5 sets of automatic Comar 7 swing doors were used throughout the complex.

The major feature of Comar 7 is it's robust profiles, anti-finger traps and it's unique auto-door beams that house all major manufacturer's bolt on automatic gearing, reducing the need for additional third party packing.

The 35 retail units were completed using Comar's extensive ground floor treatment range drawing from both Comar 1 single glazed and Comar 3 double glazed ground floor treatment systems.

Comar 5 was used to created opening lights throughout the project in a variety of configurations such as top, bottom and side hung.

The project was hose-pipe tested to British Standards and reported no leakage. The project ran to site deadlines and is now a focal element of the local community.