Is This the Future?

While the pyramids of Ancient Egypt once stood 147m tall and the Shell Tower is an impressive 106m tall, most modern natural stone buildings are limited to 10 to 12 storeys. The main reason for this is the cost of scaffolding beyond this height.

However, in recent years stone cladding contractors have been using mast climbers instead of traditional scaffolding to access higher levels. The most impressive example of this is Mount Anvil’s 27 storey Eagle House, which at 81 metres is the tallest stone clad tower since the Shell Tower was built 55 years ago.

Located in Old Street, Eagle House is an Art Deco inspired residential development designed by Farrell’s. It incorporates 206 private apartments along with offices, restaurants and artist’s studios/workshops.

Mount Anvil appointed Putney & Wood to design and install 4,500m2 of the Moleanos limestone cladding across the 6-storey podium and the entire 27-storey tower. To mitigate the cost of the scaffold, seven mast climbers were used to access the upper 13 floors, while traditional 5-board scaffold was used for the podium and lower floors.

After working on the facade for seven months, the stone contractor will be installing the final ashlar panels on 19th February with practical completion of the facade scheduled for 26th.

Few would argue that whether it’s limestone for cladding, sandstone for paving or marble for flooring, natural stone brings elegance and gravitas that other materials cannot match. Now that the prohibitive cost of scaffold has been overcome, is this the future for luxury high-rise residential developments?