Franks-Icecream-Exterior-Crop-scaled
Franks-Icecream-Full-Building-scaled
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Franks-Icecream-Interior-scaled
Overview
Franks Ice Cream is a long-established wholesale ice cream manufacturer supplying specialist ice cream products to supermarkets and the NHS. As the company continued to expand its product development capabilities, it required a dedicated facility where new formulations could be tested without interrupting the production capacity of its main manufacturing lines.
To support this requirement, a new Gelateria and Innovation Centre was developed in West Wales. The facility was designed to enable small-batch production, research and development, and client demonstrations within a purpose-built manufacturing environment.
The building also needed to perform several critical functions simultaneously. It had to provide a high-quality architectural environment suitable for hosting high-value clients while maintaining strict environmental control required for food production and product testing.
Structura was appointed to design and deliver the building’s façade and glazing systems. The project included curtain walling, specialist entrance systems, and a complex daylighting solution designed to control solar gain and overheating within the production environment.
Through the integration of advanced façade systems and daylight modelling, the project demonstrates how carefully engineered glazing solutions can enhance both building performance and user experience in modern manufacturing facilities.
Details
Client:
Frank’s Ice Cream
Location:
Ammanford, Wales
Architect:
Sauro Architectural Design Ltd
Main Contractor:
Structura UK Ltd
Grid:
Shoji
The Challenge
Designing glazing systems for food production facilities requires careful consideration of several environmental and operational factors. In this case, the client required a building that would deliver strong architectural impact while maintaining stable internal conditions for product development. Several key challenges had to be addressed.
Controlling Solar Gain in a Production Environment
Ice cream manufacturing and testing environments require carefully managed temperatures to maintain product quality and consistency. Traditional glazed façades can introduce excessive solar heat gain, which can lead to rising internal temperatures, increased cooling loads, localised hotspots within the production area, and reduced comfort for staff and visitors. The client wanted the building to incorporate large glazed areas for architectural quality and natural daylight. However, the design also needed to prevent excessive heat build-up within the facility. Balancing daylight access with temperature control was therefore a key design requirement.
Preventing Glare & Maintaining Visual Comfort
The innovation centre was designed not only as a production environment but also as a facility where clients could visit, view product demonstrations, and participate in development discussions. Large areas of glazing can create significant glare, particularly within meeting rooms and working areas. Without proper control measures, glare can affect visual comfort, productivity, usability of meeting spaces, and visibility within production areas. The design therefore required a façade system capable of delivering consistent natural light without harsh glare conditions.
Delivering a Landmark Building Within an Industrial Setting
The new Gelateria and Innovation Centre was intended to stand out within a small industrial estate in West Wales. The client wanted a building that would represent the brand and create a positive impression for visiting clients and partners. This meant the façade system had to deliver both technical performance and strong architectural impact. The building needed to appear modern and distinctive while remaining practical for long-term industrial use.
Integrating Multiple Glazing Technologies
The design called for several façade components to work together within the same building envelope. Each element required careful coordination to ensure the façade delivered consistent performance while maintaining architectural coherence. These included:
- Curtain wall glazing
- Translucent daylight panels
- Entrance systems
- A complex first-floor meeting room “lightbox”
Structura’s Solution
Structura worked closely with the project team to design a façade system that addressed the environmental challenges while delivering the desired architectural quality. The final solution integrated multiple specialist systems to balance daylight performance, solar control, and façade design.
Daylight Modelling & Solar Analysis
A key part of Structura’s consultation was the development of daylight modelling and glare analysis for the building. Using specialist modelling tools, the team analysed how natural light would enter the building at different times of day and throughout the year.
This analysis helped identify areas prone to excessive solar gain, potential glare patterns, opportunities to maximise natural daylight, and optimal placement of glazing and translucent panels. The modelling process allowed the design team to make informed decisions about material selection and façade layout. As a result, the glazing strategy was developed to optimise daylight penetration while preventing overheating within the building.
RAICO Curtain Wall System with Kalwall Panels
To achieve the required performance, Structura implemented a RAICO curtain wall system integrated with Kalwall translucent daylight panels. This hybrid façade system allowed the building to incorporate both vision glazing and daylight-diffusing panels within the same curtain wall structure. The RAICO curtain wall system provided the structural framework for the façade, delivering durability and design flexibility.
Within this system, two glazing solutions were used depending on performance requirements: Vision glazing was used in areas where direct visibility and external views were required. Kalwall translucent panels were installed in areas where solar control and diffused daylight were preferred. This approach allowed the façade to provide natural daylight across the building while preventing excessive solar heat gain.
Kalwall Daylighting System
Kalwall panels were selected because of their ability to transmit natural daylight while diffusing direct sunlight. Unlike traditional glazing, Kalwall systems scatter incoming daylight evenly throughout interior spaces. This offers several advantages for industrial and production environments, including reduction of glare, elimination of harsh sunlight, prevention of localised hotspots, and even distribution of natural light. By diffusing daylight deep into the building interior, Kalwall panels help create stable lighting conditions without direct solar exposure. This makes them particularly well suited for production environments where temperature stability and visual comfort are important.
First-Floor “Lightbox” Meeting Room
One of the most distinctive architectural features of the building is the first-floor meeting room, designed as a striking illuminated “lightbox”. Structura designed and installed the façade system for this space using the RAICO and Kalwall system. The translucent façade panels allow natural daylight to fill the meeting room during the day while creating a glowing architectural feature visible from outside the building. This feature helps reinforce the building’s identity as a modern innovation centre while maintaining comfortable lighting conditions within the space.
Schüco Entrance Doors
Structura also supplied and installed Schüco entrance doors as part of the façade package. Schüco systems are widely used in commercial buildings for their durability, performance, and architectural quality. These entrance systems provide secure and reliable access to the building while complementing the curtain wall façade design.
Project Results
The completed Gelateria and Innovation Centre successfully combines architectural quality with high-performance environmental design. The façade system allows the building to benefit from natural daylight while maintaining the stable internal conditions required for food production and research.
Balanced Daylight & Temperature Control
By combining vision glazing with Kalwall translucent panels, the façade delivers strong daylight performance without excessive solar gain. The Kalwall panels diffuse daylight across the interior spaces, preventing the formation of hotspots and reducing glare. This allows the building to maintain comfortable working conditions for staff and visitors while reducing the need for solar shading systems.
Reduced Energy Demand
The Kalwall system also contributes to the building’s overall energy performance. Because the panels allow daylight to penetrate deep into interior spaces, artificial lighting requirements are reduced during daytime hours. In addition, Kalwall’s insulating properties help improve the thermal performance of the building envelope. Together, these factors contribute to lower HVAC loads and improved energy efficiency across the facility.
Enhanced Architectural Presence
The completed building stands out as a landmark within the surrounding industrial estate. The combination of curtain wall glazing, translucent panels, and the illuminated meeting room creates a modern and distinctive architectural appearance. The facility now provides an impressive environment for hosting clients and showcasing new product innovations.
A Flexible Innovation Environment
The new Gelateria and Innovation Centre allows Franks Ice Cream to develop new products without disrupting existing production lines. By separating research and development from large-scale manufacturing operations, the company can test new recipes and processes more efficiently. The building therefore supports both product innovation and operational continuity.
Conclusion
The Frank’s Ice Cream Gelateria and Innovation Centre demonstrates how advanced façade engineering can help manufacturing facilities achieve both technical performance and architectural quality. Through the integration of RAICO curtain wall systems, Kalwall translucent daylight panels, and Schüco entrance systems, Structura delivered a façade solution that balances natural light, solar control, and visual impact.
The result is a purpose-built innovation centre that provides comfortable working conditions, improved energy efficiency, and a striking architectural presence within the industrial landscape. This project highlights the value of combining engineering expertise with daylight analysis and carefully selected façade technologies to create high-performance industrial buildings.