Modular Balconies, Cherry Lane, Ashbourne

McMenamin Engineering’s involvement in the supply of 30no. modular cantilevered balconies to the Cherry Lane residential development in Ashbourne, Co. Meath began when the client visited the Mantis Cranes workshops with a view to buying a crane. While taking a tour of the factory, the client enquired if McMenamin Engineering, a sister company, would be interested in supplying balconies for an upcoming development.

McMenamin Engineering had manufactured and installed balconies on a project in the UK a few years earlier, and was therefore well placed to take on this new challenge to design, manufacture and fit 30 cantilevered balconies with glass balustrades on the Cherry Lane residential development in Ashbourne, Co. Meath.

This required a vision of creating contemporary, visually seamless balconies while maintaining the high standards of safety, style, and functionality that the client required. The brief called for a minimalist balcony system that would maximise views and bring light to the interior living spaces. In addition, the design of the balconies needed to complement and elevate the overall architecture of this residential development. All this needed to be delivered without compromising progress on site.

The main challenge on this project was to deliver the architect's vision of a floating balcony while meeting the engineering requirements for a safe and secure platform. The bespoke balconies were engineered to reflect the clean, sleek lines of the building, but with secure support connections, achieved through collaboration with O’Reilly’s Precast.

The development also incorporated three modular corner cantilevered balconies, presenting further complexities in both engineering design and installation. The corner balconies were fabricated within a workshop environment in two separate sections to facilitate manufacture, transportation, and installation. Once delivered to site, the two components were carefully aligned and joined together to form a seamless modular balcony. The completed balcony provides a striking architectural feature, enhancing the overall appearance of the building and complementing its design aesthetic. Its prominent corner position creates a strong visual impact, serving as the finishing touch to the project and truly acting as the "cherry on top" of the completed development.

The balcony system comprises a fully welded mild steel cassette frame, finished with hot-dip galvanisation, which slides onto hot-dip galvanised cantilever support arms bolted to structural support stubs within the precast panel. Exterior finishes are predominantly aluminium, including fascias, soffit trays, decking and glass support holders. The facias and soffit are all powder-coated and fixed with concealed or sliding tab fixings. The deck surface consists of fire-rated A2-s1, d0 A2fl-s1 Lightboard aluminium planks, secured with self-drilling screws and concealed clips, while the balustrade uses frameless, toughened laminated clear glass mounted in a Posi-glaze bottom face-mount aluminium holder hidden behind the fascia.

Balcony installation was coordinated between the main contractor and site engineers to ensure a safe and efficient erection process. Connection stubs, designed and manufactured by McMenamin Engineering, were installed by O'Reilly's Precast within the precast panels in accordance with the specified balcony support layout plans. The cantilevered support arms were installed, and the balconies glided seamlessly onto the arms and fixed into place. From the initial contact through to delivery and installation of the balconies, the client, architect, and structural engineers worked closely with us to deliver a finished modular balcony that met everyone's expectations.

This project played to McMenamin Engineering’s strengths with an internal design team, well-equipped manufacturing facilities and over 40 years of experience to draw from. Fabricating the balconies in controlled conditions off-site, and installing the glass balustrades before delivery to the development, allowed for rapid installation while minimising downtime for other trades already working on the residential development.