Bendigo

Located within Nottingham’s East Side Regeneration Area, the Bendigo building transforms a former industrial site into a vibrant residential hub, delivering 661 apartments across a 13-storey development with ground-floor retail and leisure amenities. Its striking façade combines Blockleys Black Wired and Ludgate Red bricks, articulated with splayed units and large arches to create depth, rhythm, and a bold contemporary identity within the city.

IG Masonry Support worked alongside Caxton Builders to help realise KAA Architects’ vision, supplying a comprehensive package of masonry support and prefabricated brick slip systems. In total, the package included more than 732 m of B.O.S.S. A1 (Brick on Soffit Systems), over 100m of Brick Slip Arch Lintels, and 53 prefabricated Brick Slip Arches, and one large bespoke arch on the North Courtyard elevation. A further 3,617 bricks were precisely cut in IG’s specialist Brick Cutting Facility to ensure dimensional accuracy and seamless integration with the masonry support systems.

To support the complex façade geometry, the scope also incorporated 53.26 m of Welded Masonry Support Dropper units and 1,525 m of Cast-in Channel, providing reliable structural support across multiple elevations and opening configurations. A further 3,617 bricks were precision cut in IG’s specialist in-house brick cutting facility, ensuring dimensional accuracy and seamless integration with the masonry support systems.

The key technical challenge for IG Masonry Support centred on the design and integration of the vertical and splayed brickwork at the 9th, 11th, and 13th floors. The scale of the brick faces and the angles involved at these levels required exceptionally precise detailing to ensure accurate alignment and visual continuity with the contrasting brickwork.

A further challenge arose from the design and integration of 53 Brick Slip Arches across the development. Several arches incorporated cavities of up to 400 mm and featured varying radii, while many were required to achieve the appearance of a ‘double arch’, with one arch formed directly above another. The combination of differing arch dimensions, cavity depths, and interfaces with surrounding masonry created a highly complex structural and aesthetic condition, demanding meticulous engineering, careful planning, and close collaboration with the contractor.

To realise the vertical and splayed brickwork on the 9th, 11th, and 13th floors, IG Masonry Support developed a series of highly bespoke B.O.S.S. A1 units. Detailed elevation and plan drawings were produced for each splayed unit, with close collaboration throughout the design process to help the client visualise the finished façade and secure final approval. Some units projected up to 975 mm from the main façade, creating pronounced depth and shadow, while the largest units – located at roof level on the north elevation – spanned 5,860 mm.

To facilitate safe and efficient installation on site, each unit was divided into two interlocking sections. These were fixed to Welded Masonry Support, which was in turn restrained back to the primary structure using three restraining angles. Multiple design coordination meetings ensured the system was practical to install, with careful consideration given to sequencing, tolerances, and site conditions.

Each of the 53 Brick Slip Arches on the build were formed using Brick Slip Arch Lintels. Comprehensive elevation and plan drawings were produced for every arch to maintain consistent coursing and accurate alignment with the surrounding masonry, with client approval obtained prior to manufacture. To achieve the required ‘double arch’ appearance, each arch was manufactured and installed as separate elements. Several arches incorporated 400 mm cavities, necessitating extended restraining angles to securely fix back to the concrete upstand. The use of contrasting bricks ensured the ‘double arch’ aesthetic was delivered precisely as intended.

IG Masonry Support’s technical expertise and enhanced collaboration helped in the successful delivery of Bendigo’s complex brick façade, achieving the architect’s design intent with precision, structural integrity, and efficient installation, while enhancing the building’s bold contemporary presence within Nottingham’s urban fabric.