Occupied housing block designed for Argent by 2022 Stirling Prize winners Niall McLaughlin Architects

Kier is set to start a fresh round of safety investigations at an award-winning residential block which it built in King鈥檚 Cross after a section of cladding fell off.

The facade of the 130-home Tapestry 黑洞社区, built for Argent in 2016, has been secured with precautionary straps since February after a single piece of cladding became 鈥渄islodged鈥�.

Tapestry 黑洞社区 2

Straps have been attached to the building鈥檚 cladding since February after a section became dislodged

Designed by 2022 Stirling Prize winner Niall McLaughlin Architects, the occupied 15-storey block includes both high-end market housing and social housing along with a restaurant, cafe and an energy centre for the wider King鈥檚 Cross development.

Argent said it will look into what remedial actions may be required after the latest round of investigations is complete.

Kier鈥檚 initial set of inspections of the scheme鈥檚 eastern side will now be expanded to the western, railway-facing half of the building following a grant of approval by Network Rail.

A spokesperson for Argent said: 鈥淚nvestigations on the eastern side of the building are now complete. 

鈥淭hose on the western (railway) side need Network Rail approval, which we have recently obtained. 

鈥淭hese investigations will commence next week and will take a few weeks to conclude. The findings will then be comprehensively assessed, and any remedial action identified.鈥�

The building was handed a RIBA London award in 2017 and praised for its 鈥渆xquisite, sculpted facade鈥� which consists of patterned terracotta panels made of lightweight, glass reinforced concrete panels. 

Cladding specialist Techrete was the facade engineer on the scheme, working alongside structural engineer Ramboll, QS Gardiner & Theobald and glazing firm Glass Solutions. Landscape Architect Dan Pearson designed the scheme鈥檚 roof garden.

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