Draped metal masterpiece at Westfield London E15
Specially perforated aluminium panels create striking entrance for fashion retailer
Gooding Aluminium has once again demonstrated the transformative power of architectural metals in retail design, supplying a stunning installation of suspended perforated aluminium panels for a new fashion retail store at Westfield Stratford City, London E15.
This ambitious project showcases the potential of lightweight aluminium fabrication in creating visual drama, elegance, and precision within a high-traffic commercial environment. The effect is remarkable: panels so delicately shaped and refined they appear almost like draped fabric, defying the robust and industrial nature of their material.
At the heart of this project was GA’s 5-Star Service – a high-quality made-to-measure fabrication facility that brings together the full GA stock range of contemporary aluminium materials, patterns, and products. This service ensures top quality light gauge aluminium materials are rapidly and accurately made into bespoke solutions, tailored to precise design and delivery requirements. For this installation, custom-sized perforated panels were quickly fabricated with plain borders and return folds to meet the exacting brief.
Bespoke design with GA SP2 perforated panels
At the heart of the installation lies Gooding Aluminium’s GA SP2 specially perforated panel system, crafted to meet bespoke design requirements. This project features an alternating pattern using GA P1681 (6mm diameter round holes, staggered pitch) and GA P1688 (9mm diameter round holes, staggered pitch), delivering rhythm and texture across the expansive metal surface.
Following an in-depth design consultation with the project specifiers, Gooding Aluminium’s expert team refined the panel shapes to remove impractical sharp edges and pointed tips, enhancing both safety and production efficiency. The final result is a set of 2mm thick aluminium panels with shaped and rolled surfaces, precisely fabricated to elevate the architectural identity of the space.
Suspended system: floating elegance with structural integrity
The aluminium panels are suspended using a combination of curved Unistrut channels and discrete metal wire fixings. This multi-layered hanging technique gives depth and dimension to the entrance area, creating a fluid, almost textile-like flow of metal. The top panels are fixed directly to the curved ceiling infrastructure, while the mid and lower panels are wire-suspended from those above, allowing for seamless vertical integration without compromising visual lightness.
High-performance surface finishes
To match the retailer’s design vision, the perforated panels were powder coated in three complementary Pantone colours, ensuring a durable, fade-resistant finish suited to the demands of a busy commercial setting. Powder coating not only enhances visual appeal but also protects against wear, corrosion, and environmental damage – critical for public-facing architectural elements.
Gooding Aluminium offers a full spectrum of surface finishes for all perforated and plain panels, including mill finish, satin brushed, anodised, and a wide range of RAL and Pantone powder-coated colours. These finish options allow designers to tailor the aesthetic to brand, location, or application – whether for retail interiors, architectural façades, or decorative metal screens.
Intelligent fabrication with GA’s 5-star processing service
The panels used at Westfield Stratford were produced through Gooding Aluminium’s 5 Star Processing Service, a specialist in-house fabrication process designed to deliver bespoke perforated aluminium panels with speed, accuracy, and consistency.
As with all GA SP panels, the Westfield project benefitted from:
- Specially sized and shaped configurations
- Optional folded edges, fixing holes, and plain border margins
- Flatness control and minimal distortion
- Commercially acceptable tolerances and open area precision.
The fabrication team worked closely with the specifier throughout the design process to ensure performance and visual consistency, reducing material waste and ensuring feasibility across all manufacturing stages.
Considerations for Specifiers: function, form, and fabrication
Choosing perforated metal panels for architectural applications requires careful consideration. Panel flatness, hole diameter vs material thickness, and the overall perforation-to-solid ratio all play crucial roles in aesthetic quality and installation ease.
Gooding Aluminium recommends:
- Avoiding 1:1 hole size to material thickness ratios, which may lead to tooling issues
- Maintaining even side margins (preferably under 80mm) to reduce camber and distortion
- Choosing between symmetrical or asymmetrical layouts based on visibility and design priorities.
Designers can use GA’s free Build a Spec tool to explore available materials, perforation patterns, and finishes, streamlining the decision-making process. Free mill finish samples can also be requested for evaluation during the design development phase.
Retail design in motion
The use of suspended perforated aluminium panels at Westfield E15 is a powerful example of how technical material knowledge and design sensitivity can combine to produce impactful, future-facing retail environments. As brands continue to seek immersive, stand-out store entrances, the versatility of aluminium – particularly when custom perforated – positions it as a go-to material for progressive retail architecture.
Whether you are designing a fashion boutique, hospitality space, or architectural facade, Gooding Aluminium offers industry-leading expertise and a wide product portfolio to support your creative and commercial ambitions.
Project Summary
- Project: Fashion retail store entrance, Westfield London E15 (Stratford City)
- Product: GA SP2 specially perforated aluminium panels
- Material Thickness: 2mm
- Pattern: GA P1681 & GA P1688 (round holes, staggered pitch)
- Finish: Powder coated – 3 pantone colours
- Fixing Method: Suspended from curved Unistrut channels and wire systems
- Supplier: Gooding Aluminium
- Application: Retail entrance feature.
Interested in creating your own bespoke metal feature?
Visit www.goodingalum.com to explore our perforated aluminium panel range, use the Build a Spec tool, or contact our Technical Sales Team on 020 8692 2255 for expert advice.