Creating and Protecting a Retail Masterpiece
What happens when you wrap the exterior of the new 70,000 square foot Primark development at The Centre in Livingston, Scotland, in ROCKPANEL® Woods, and the beams and soffits in ROCKWOOL® insulation? The answer is that you provide the UK’s largest commercial property owner with a striking landmark that is environmentally sound and completely fire safe.
The Centre, which nestles between Edinburgh and Glasgow, is a Land Securities shopping and leisure destination that has undergone three phases of expansion since the 1970s. Threesixty Architecture was appointed by the property giant to create an eye-catching extension to the original building.
To meet this brief, Rockwool Rockpanel was asked to provide ROCKPANEL Woods for the new exterior in three different shades – mahogany, cherry and merbau. The innovative production process used to create these panels ensures that the grain pattern on each one is unique and can barely be distinguished from real wood. They are resistant to the elements, including fire and extreme temperatures and weather.
Architect Stefano Faiella said: “We tried to achieve a simple but elegant form so the building would look like a well-crafted piece of furniture, and this is reflected in the use of ROCKPANEL Woods.” Stefano added: “There is such a wide variety of colours and textures to choose from. The boards look as beautiful as wood and they have the added benefit of being far more durable and dimensionally stable. Very little maintenance is required as a result.”
Long-lasting fire protection
Stefano’s team was faced with a number of challenges, one of which was that the new building had to be suspended over an existing and live road. This meant that fire protection was of utmost importance, as were the aesthetics of the underside of the structure that can be seen by vehicles passing underneath. ROCKWOOL technical experts worked with Threesixty Architecture to produce fire calculations to meet their fire engineering strategy requirements.
As a result, 4550m² of BeamClad insulation was used on the internal structure and 2300m² of 160mm Hi-Impact Soffit Slab was fitted to the underside of the building. Stefano said: “Hi-Impact Soffit Slab provides vital protection and durability, including against fire. It has the added benefit of having a stylish off-white decorative coating so the building is neatly finished.” Hi-Impact Soffit Slab is produced from volcanic rock and so is exceptionally resistant to fire, withstanding temperatures of up to 1000ºC. It has an A1 fire classification and a 6mm rigid Promat PROMATECT® HD board facing, combining two noncombustible products for increased impact resistance.
Exceeding the brief
In addition, the boards offer excellent acoustic performance, particularly in large buildings such as the Primark development. BeamClad was ideal for this project as it is suited to a diverse range of modern steel constructions. It also offers outstanding fire protection, is quick and simple to apply and requires no maintenance.
Stefano said: “Effective product performance, ease of installation and cost-effectiveness were key in this project and all of the ROCKWOOL and ROCKPANEL products met this brief. The BeamClad and Hi-Impact Soffit Slab boards were also lightweight and we had additional support from the factory. The ROCKPANEL Woods were cut off site, requiring very little cutting our end.
The construction area was exposed to high winds and a great deal of detailing and fixing was needed. The ROCKPANEL team fully supported us with this.”
Sustainability is key
All ROCKWOOL and ROCKPANEL solutions are highly renewable, given their natural source, and the production and building waste is recycled to make new raw material. Hi-Impact Soffit Slab and BeamClad are also highly energy efficient as they offer excellent thermal protection.
Stefano concluded: “It was very important for us to use sustainable materials, inside and out. The ROCKWOOL products we used have zero ozone depleting and global warming potential and will ensure that we achieve a high BREEAM rating for the building.” BRE Global’s A+ and A ratings for ROCKPANEL products will also contribute to that. “In addition to all of these practical benefits, ROCKPANEL Woods were fun to use and provide endless creative opportunities!”
Ends
ROCKWOOL BV / ROCKPANEL group
Tel: 01656 863210
Email: info@rockpanel.co.uk
Web: http://www.rockpanel.co.uk
Original of this article here