Cupa Pizarras has been closely involved in the development of a new self-build house in north-west London. The manufacturer was initially approached due to its range of natural slate façade designs, with its CUPACLAD 201 Vanguard system eventually specified to create an impressive and striking appearance.
Located in Dollis Hill, the property is situated next to a housing estate and opposite an existing slate-clad façade. Views to the rear give the illusion of a peaceful woodland setting. The designers sought to create a family home with a high-end exterior finish that felt like an escape from London, while also working well with the surrounding structures.
Early on, natural slate was identified as a material that could help create an attractive contemporary façade around the rear, sides and the upper elevation of the front of the house. It was also crucial that the façade would a rainscreen cladding system, so the project team approached Cupa Pizarras about its CUPACLAD natural slate rainscreen cladding.
The project team visited Taylor Maxwell’s London Bridge showroom – a distributor of CUPACLAD in the UK – to discuss options with the Taylor Maxwell and Cupa Pizarras teams, as well as view a CUPACLAD sample wall. This session helped to establish that the CUPACLAD 201 Vanguard system was the ideal solution. A fully BBA-approved system, CUPACLAD 201 Vanguard is 100 per cent non-combustible and offers a lifespan of more than 100 years.
Following the initial consultation, Cupa Pizarras worked closely with the project team, including carrying out a number of site visits. The use of CUPACLAD 201 Vanguard was kept in mind throughout the design process, with the dimensions of the slate determining the placement of windows, vents and corners. This meant that when it came to construction, it was a simple installation process with minimal wastage and a clean finish.
The CUPACLAD 201 Vanguard system is constructed from horizontal aluminium profiles, mechanically fastened to an aluminium subframe support. Once fixed in place, the rows of natural slate are clipped on using visible fixings to create – in the case of the Dollis Hill house – an attractive pinstripe effect.
“The product looks fantastic insitu on this project,” commented Tom Ward, Cladding Product Advisor at Taylor Maxwell. “The dark grey slate rainscreen cladding provides a striking colour contrast with the refurbished light-brown timber fencing, and complements the property’s black aluminium windows and glazing.”
“Natural slate is a great cladding product. Not only is it easy to install, but, as it’s natural, you don’t have to handle cost sheets for working with a dangerous material,” commented Ronan Glynn, developer at Talina Builders. “We carry out a lot of demolition and see a lot of old building products go to waste; so it’s also reassuring that slate offers such longevity and when it might eventually be sent to landfill, you know it will not harm the environment.”
Simon Hope, Business Development Manager at Cupa Pizarras concluded, “On a project like this we can be involved as much, or as little, as the project team demands. We can offer support from conception to completion, and we always encourage architects and contractors to get in touch as early as possible, so like in the case of Dollis Hill, we can work closely to ensure a meticulous finish.”
For more information about Cupa Pizarras’ range of products, including its CUPACLAD rainscreen cladding systems, please visit the Cupa Pizarras website.
Source: Architecture Today