Bouygues UK has hooked up with Belgian precast supplier Prefaxis for its £300m Oriel contract in Camden.
Prefaxis is supplying and installing its Uniwall panels as well as regular Twin Wall panels.
The Uniwall panels have been used to form the basement in what Bouygues described as a groundbreaking innovation.
Oriel is a joint partnership between Moorfields Eye Hospital, UCL Institute of Ophthalmology and Moorfields Eye Charity.
Bouygues posted on social media: “Prefaxis are renowned for their innovative products and together, we're pioneering a new approach to construction with Prefaxis' groundbreaking Uniwall product in the basement build stages at our project in Camden.
“Uniwalls revolutionise basement wall construction, offering a semi-prefab technique that's both watertight and load bearing. By eliminating the need for traditional formwork that is used to contain and shape wet concrete until it is self-supporting, the Uniwall streamlines the construction process, saving time, costs, and minimising the need for concrete repairs.” It added: “This innovative solution not only simplifies formwork but also enhances placement and execution efficiency.”
Prefaxis project advisor Bert Bekaert said: "We have a longstanding partnership with Bouygues UK, predating our Uniwall product, having supplied them with Twin Walls in the UK as well as ceramic precast walls to the wider Bouygues Construction Group in France. When I explained what Uniwalls could do, immediate interest sparked."
Uniwall is described as semi-prefab because the space between the soil retaining technology and the Uniwall still needs to be concreted. After the core concrete is poured between the shoring and the prefabricated shell, a watertight whole is created.
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