One Blackfriars opened its doors in 2018 as a 50 storey mixed-use tower reaching 170 meters into the London Skyline, taking inspiration from the sculptures of Brâncuși, Henry Moore, and 1950s Finnish glassware design.
Access to the building’s exterior was to occur on the 44th floor and required internally opening doors. Limited space between the façade, supporting steelwork, and maintenance equipment however provided a unique engineering challenge.
ARX designed, manufactured, tested and installed the two access doors that complement the building’s distinctive curved outline and complete glass exterior, delivering a bespoke access solution that enables maintenance crews to service the building’s exterior.
These comprise of a glass façade mounted on a carrier frame that tilts backwards inside the tower by 12° upon a pivoting frame. The lightweight build and compact operating dimensions solved a significant packaging challenge posed by the proximity of the maintenance equipment.