



This case study details GLRE's successful overhead glazing project for Buttermarket, a popular shopping center based in Ipswich, Suffolk. This covers the method in which GLRE carried out the works correctly and safely, as well as, referring to the client needs and how we made sure they were met.
GLRE was tasked with a significant glazing challenge: the Buttermarket Centre. This four-story, £65 million shopping complex, located in the heart of Ipswich, Suffolk, presented a substantial project scope. Opened in 1992, the Buttermarket boasts 270,000 square feet of retail space housing 32 stores and a vibrant food and beverage scene.
GLRE was the specialist glazing contractor selected for the intricate demolition of the St. Stephen’s Lane entrance façade at the Buttermarket Shopping Centre in Ipswich. This high-profile project was a critical phase in the centre’s extensive refurbishment, which aimed to introduce a contemporary food court and cinema complex. The complex façade, featuring a unique combination of glass and steel, presented significant technical challenges.
GLRE was tasked by our client to complete this precise demolition to a tight deadline, working through the night during the four-week project to minimise disruption to the general public and allow internal construction works to take place during the day.
For the work to be completed safely and efficiently, we deployed a range of specialist access cranes to assist with the removal of the large glazed panels and steel framework. Alongside this, IRATA trained abseil technicians allowed us to negotiate the difficult access sectors of the uniquely designed structure.
As depicted with the supporting images, the project commenced with the removal of the existing vertical curtain walling and the final phase was the controlled removal of the central steel ring. The successful demolition has now revealed the new-look food court and leisure complex which opened in Summer 2016.