The Silverton apartments: balcony glazing for 11-storey development

Situated in East London’s Royal Docks, The Silverton is a development of 1-, 2- and 3-bedroom luxury apartments from property developer Fairview New Homes. Located near the Tate & Lyle sugar refinery and London City Airport, the project required balcony glazing to create a sheltered outdoor living space, while also helping to reduce noise pollution and meet wind-loading requirements.

Solarlux worked closely with Fairview’s project team to design and manufacture balcony glazing for the 11-storey development. Using Proline Tand Proline T Mega systems, the glazing provided acoustic performance, structural integrity and regulatory compliance, while supporting Fairview’s quality and warranty obligations.

The main challenge at the Silverton Apartments was the noise levels. Aircraft noise from London City Airport, combined with background noise from the industrial area, meant acoustic performance was a critical design consideration for the balcony glazing.

Proline T and Proline T Mega are slide-and-turn glazing systems that offer aesthetics and ease of use. They can also provide up to 30dB of sound reduction in optimal conditions.

Jeevan Matharu, marketing manager at Solarlux, explains that for the Silverton project, the non-thermally broken balcony enclosures featured 12mm glazing and careful detailing to ensure acoustic performance. “The result was a 25 dB reduction in sound, which will help improve acoustic comfort for building occupants,” she says.

Because of the Silverton development’s height and exposed location, the balcony glazing needed to withstand high wind loads and potential deflection.

To overcome these challenges, Solarlux’s Proline T systems feature robust top-running profiles and reinforced aluminium frames. “They also include a height-adjustment profile that enables precise panel alignment, while compensating for building movement and wind deflection,” Jeevan adds.

The balcony glazing for the Silverton Apartments was also engineered to meet the project’s lateral and funnelled wind-loading requirements across all elevations.

In addition to the technical performance of the balcony glazing, appearance was a key consideration. The Proline T and Proline T Mega systems offer slim, elegant profiles and uninterrupted glass spans. These design features ensure the balconies integrate seamlessly with the building’s contemporary design, while providing outdoor spaces that residents can enjoy throughout the year.

The Silverton also required a mix of balcony treatments. Full-height glass enclosures were specified on upper levels to maximise protection from wind and weather, while half-height balcony enclosures were used at lower levels.

Solarlux designed and manufactured both configurations, ensuring a consistent design and regulatory compliance at all levels of the building. The resulting balconies provide residents with sheltered, enclosed spaces that extend living areas and improve overall residential quality.

Close collaboration between Solarlux and Fairview ensured that all building regulations were met and that the project fully satisfied NHBC compliance and warranty criteria. Solarlux provided comprehensive documentation and testing data for the Proline T and Proline T Mega systems, providing evidence of performance and regulatory compliance.

“The Silverton project is an excellent example of what our non-thermally broken balcony systems can achieve, meeting noise reduction demands, wind loading requirements and NHBC warranty criteria,” says Jeevan.

As this was one of Fairview’s first installations of Solarlux balcony systems, clear communication and technical support were critical throughout the project.

Solarlux provided product and installation training, as well as regular site visits, to ensure the project ran smoothly. And the Fairview team visited the Solarlux UK showroom in Welwyn Garden City, to learn more about the balcony glazing system in person.

Jeevan explains that the visit to the Solarlux showroom helped to give the Fairview team a sense of confidence about the glazing systems: “Coming to our showroom gave the team from Fairview a chance to meet our team and see our balcony glazing in person. Our products speak for themselves, and when you are in the same room with them – able to see and touch them – you can get a real feel for the quality and precision engineering that goes into each item.”

Ryan Dunn, project manager at Fairview Homes, says the experience working with Solarlux was positive and he would recommend Solarlux systems for future projects. “There was learning on both sides as the companies got to know each other, but once the relationship developed, it was a good overall experience,” he says. “Having their extensive technical support made a real difference on site,” he adds.

The completed balcony glazing at The Silverton demonstrates how non-thermally broken systems can deliver strong acoustic performance, structural reliability and regulatory compliance when correctly specified.

With enclosed balconies, residents are protected from airborne noise, wind and weather, allowing the outdoor spaces to be used comfortably throughout the year.

Commenting on the completed balcony glazing, Dunn praises their appearance and functionality: “The balconies give a nice, enclosed space for residents. They can be protected from winter weather, while enjoying panoramic views across East London.”

Solarlux offers a comprehensive range of balcony glazing systems designed to meet the demands of high-rise residential projects, including acoustic performance, wind loading, compliance and long-term durability.

To discuss a specific project, arrange a showroom visit or download technical documentation for Proline T and Proline T Mega systems, contact the Solarlux team today.

Photographer: Gavin Percy 

Partner: okoHaus

Products: Proline T