Façade Focus explores The Forum, Gloucester

Last week’s Façade Focus event took us on a fascinating deep dive into The Forum, Gloucester – an impressive mixed-use development in the heart of the city and recently shortlisted for the Mixed-Use Project Award at the AJ Architecture Awards 2026.

Matt Borland of Whittam Cox Architects and Anri Doda of PRA shared the architectural vision behind the project, drawing inspiration from Gloucester’s rich Roman heritage, its historic Cathedral and the development’s prominent position as a gateway to the city centre.

The presentation offered a fascinating insight into the technically complex façade design, demonstrating how architectural quality, environmental performance, buildability, and cost efficiency were carefully balanced.

We took a closer look at the building envelope, which combines prefabricated unitised façade panels, aluminium cladding, and insulated spandrels. Particular highlights include the radial-patterned, laser-cut aluminium panels, designed with high open areas to maximise daylight, and vertical fins providing solar shading and glare reduction. Cleverly integrated LED lighting also remains discreet during the day before transforming the façade after dark.

Our Façade Focus events are all about exploring real-world façade challenges, sharing project knowledge and, of course, enjoying some valuable face-to-face time with industry colleagues. A big thank you to Matt and Anri for sharing their expertise, to the team at theMapei World Specification Centre London for hosting us and to everyone who joined us for another engaging session!

And if you find yourself in Gloucester anytime soon, The Forum is well worth a visit! It's a fantastic example of urban regeneration, particularly impressive at night when its illuminated façade becomes a dynamic civic feature, bringing together performance, placemaking and architectural identity.