Flax Place – High-Rise Residential Façade and SFS Package

Flax Place is a high-rise residential development in Leeds, delivered for Torsion Construction.

The project involves a complex façade and structural framing scope, requiring close coordination, stringent fire safety compliance, and careful programme management across a constrained city-centre site.

Advanced Glass was appointed to deliver both the SFS and glazing packages, providing the client with a single point of responsibility for critical façade elements and reducing interface risk across the building envelope. This also ensured the facade became weather-tight as much as possible during the SFS and window installation, minimising water ingress into the building. This approach enables internal trades to start earlier, reducing the overall construction program.

Scope of Works

Advanced Glass has been responsible for the design, supply, and installation of a comprehensive façade and SFS package, including:

• Ayrshire structural framing system
• 12 mm Y-wall sheathing board
• Technal SOLEAL NEXT SZ75 aluminium windows
• Technal TITANE aluminium doors
• Technal Tental 50TT visible tap zone-drained curtain walling

A key architectural feature of the project is the use of dual-colour aluminium profiles across the windows, doors, and curtain walling, requiring careful coordination to achieve consistent detailing and finish quality.

Design and Technical Challenges

One of the primary challenges on Flax Place was the compressed design programme. Advanced Glass was given just four weeks from instruction to complete the full design of both the SFS and window systems.

Fire safety is also a critical consideration. The SFS package was required to achieve a 60-minute fire performance, and through-wall fire safety requirements defined by the fire engineer had to be demonstrated using verified test data.

By delivering multiple packages, façade interfaces were simplified, significantly reducing coordination and logistics challenges that are typically associated with multi-trade façades. There can be no claims for structural opening positions not being at the correct level or in the correct location when a single contractor has sole responsibility.

Installation and Programme Management

The project operates under strict logistical constraints, with no dedicated laydown area. All materials are delivered on a just-in-time basis, requiring careful coordination to avoid clashes with other trades.

Installation is managed on a floor-by-floor basis, with targets to complete both SFS and façade installation within three weeks per floor. At peak periods, up to 25 Advanced Glass operatives have been deployed on site.

As part of its commitment to innovation and quality, Advanced Glass utilised robotic setting-out technology to mark floor plates, gridlines, and datum points to an accuracy of plus or minus 2 mm. This reduced workload for site engineers and improved productivity for follow-on trades.

Performance Requirements

The façade systems are designed to meet demanding performance criteria, including:

• Thermal performance achieving a 1.2 U-value
• Acoustic performance of 36 dB plus Ctr
• 60-minute fire performance to the SFS package

These requirements were integrated into the design from an early stage to ensure compliance without compromising programme delivery.

Outcome and Current Status

Flax Place is an ongoing project, approximately three quarters complete as of January 2026.

To date, all installed façade elements have met their required performance standards.

Feedback from the project team has been highly positive, with the project director commenting on the outstanding service, proactive approach, and overall performance of Advanced Glass.

What next?

From luxury restaurants to hotels, city centre offices, heritage buildings, and rural schools, Advanced Glass delivers tailored curtain walling and glazing solutions to meet the demanding performance and aesthetic needs of our clients and their customers.

To discuss this project or to discover how we can help you, please contact one of our experienced team members today by calling 01455 856028, or [click here] to send us a message.