04/09/2026
One from the archives
Some project stand out not just for how they look, but for the engineering challenges behind them.
Vermillion, Rathbone Market in Canning Town is a great example.
The 271-apartment mixed-use development sites alongside one of the East End's historic markets and features a striking façade using 2,000sqm of Sotech Optima FC in five contrasting shades of red alongside more than 6,000sqm of anodised aluminium to create contrast across the feature towers and plant rooms.
But it wasn’t just the façade design that made this project interesting.
To allow scaffolding to be removed as sections were completed — reducing the risk of damage to the finished façade — the Optima FC panels needed to be installed from the top of the building down, rather than the conventional bottom-up approach. To make this possible,
To make this possible, Sotech redesigned the FC hook system in-house to accommodate the alternative installation sequence. The completed system was also independently tested to ensure it met the required wind-load performance.
The project went on to receive highly commended recognition in the 2014 Landscape Institute Award and a bronze medal at the 2013 What House Awards.
Want to learn more about the project? Click the link here to read the case study - https://sotech-optima.co.uk/vermillion-rathbone-market/
Learn about the Optima FC+ Secret Fix Hook on Rainscreen System - https://sotech-optima.co.uk/category/case-studies/fc/