Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP (SOM), one of the largest and most influential architecture, interior design, engineering, and urban planning firms in the world, has specified Axalta Coating Systems for its Manhattan Loft Gardens project. The unique structure coated in Axalta Alesta products will be a prominent addition to the famous London skyline, offering a new take on London garden squares by creating an environment suited to neighbourhood life and the development of urban biodiversity.

Kyotec Group, which offers installation of high-quality curtain walls, is also renowned for maintaining very close relationships with developers, contractors and architects. In December of 2014, Kyotec chose to reach out to Axalta after their successful partnership on one of the tallest residential skyscrapers in Poland and the European Union, Zlota 44. Kyotec and Axalta worked together to carefully select samples that would best fulfil SOM’s unique vision for Manhattan Loft Gardens.

SOM ultimately chose Anodic Natura from Axalta’s Anodic Collection, a range of powder finishes offering a viable alternative to the anodising look. The collection is designed to give specifiers a flawless aesthetic appearance at a competitive price, with all the technical and environmental benefits of a powder coating. Alesta AP was applied on the internal portion of the façade; on exposed elements, SOM chose Axalta’s super durable powder coating Alesta SD. The products will be delivered to Reynaers Polska, the coater of aluminium profiles for the Manhattan Loft Gardens project.

“This iconic project demonstrates Axalta’s capabilities to handle international projects as a united global team by supporting the architect in London, the fabricator and the system house in Belgium and the applicator in Poland,” says Michael Cash, Axalta’s President of Industrial coatings. “It also shows our determination in fully understanding our customer’s projects and designing to achieve their vision. That level of partnership and co-creation is Axalta’s competitive advantage, and the success of our customers and end-users is our ultimate goal.”

Manhattan Loft Gardens will be located next to Stratford International Station and High Speed 1, the Channel Tunnel rail link. The 42-storey tower will include 248 apartments above a 150-room hotel, a spa, a triple-height lobby and two restaurants. The unique structure of the building will feature two cantilevers, which support three sky gardens giving unobstructed views across London. Work is due to be completed in the Spring of 2018.