Luxury apartments in London equipped with aquatherm products – Kensington is a special place to live. In the immediate vicinity of the famous Kensington Palace and the Royal Albert Hall, the district is regarded as the aristocratic district of London.
The well-maintained residential landscape with its buildings and facades from the Victorian era comprises of numerous luxury properties, including the newly built apartment complex „21 Young Street“ (21youngstreet.com), the construction of which was designed to the highest quality.
The demolition of a former multi-story 1960s parking garage on 21 Young Street provided a rare opportunity for the builder, British residential property company Grainger plc, to build a new building on the edge of one of London’s oldest squares. The complex was designed to accommodate the Grade II listed homes around Kensington Square. Inspired by the traditional mansions of Kensington Court, the architects at Assael Architecture Ltd created an elegant brick building that extends from five to eight floors along Young Street.
A total of 53 luxurious apartments and penthouses were created over an area of 80,000 square meters, complemented by a gym, a library and a private cinema. Only the highest quality materials such as Carrara marble in the baths, special woods or exquisite Fortuny fabrics were used. In collaboration with the jewelry designer Shaun Leane, who is best known for his sculptures designed for fashion designer Alexander McQueen, filigree metalwork was created on the balustrades and gates: bronze leaves that seem to blow in the wind. A special feature is the courtyard, which can be used for relaxation or business meetings. An underground car park completes the facility.
Plastic instead of metal: connection technology is crucial
The building technology should also meet the highest demands of the client. Hoare Lea’s specialist planners originally planned steel and copper systems for the pipelines. But after a recommendation from Greenside Integrated Services Limited, who had had very good experience with aquatherm systems in a previous project, the decision was made to use aquatherm products made from the high-quality plastic polypropylene, instead of copper and steel. In particular, the connection technology learned in a training course offered by aquatherm convinced the installers: In “fusion welding”, the pipe and fitting are briefly warmed up and then joined together. As a result, the plastic melts into a homogeneous, cohesive unit and is extremely stable at the – in other systems critical – connection point. This minimizes the risk of leaks, which can lead to expensive renovations. A quick installation is guaranteed.
Thanks to the special material properties of the material polypropylene, neither inside nor outside of the pipe corrosion can form. This makes the systems extremely durable and saves energy even after decades, as the water flow is not affected by deposits.
25,000 meters of aquatherm piping laid
In total, around 25,000 meters of aquatherm piping in the dimensions of 20 to 125 mm were laid from the plant room to the apartments. aquatherm green was installed in order to transport drinking water in hygienically perfect quality for decades. In contrast to metal piping systems, which can release harmful heavy metals to the drinking water over their lifetime, the quality of the drinking water remains intact with this odorless and tasteless piping system. Thanks to its special material properties, polypropylene prevents microbiological growth, which provides a breeding ground for germs and bacteria.
aquatherm blue was installed for the heating, cooling and condenser pipes. The physical properties of the plastic are tailored to the specific needs of the heating and cooling sector. It is characterised by its high temperature and pressure resistance. A special service ensured a quick installation: Thanks to prefabricated manifolds, which were already manufactured in the aquatherm factory and then delivered to the construction site ready for installation, the installation team saved a lot of time on-site.
