Shackerley provides feature entrance for Loughborough STEMLab
Shackerley has helped to create a dramatic feature entrance for the next generation of scientists at Loughborough University’s new £17 million STEMLab project.
Developed as part of a major investment in a ‘Student Learning Zone’ on the west side of Loughborough University’s campus, the STEMLab scheme has been constructed by main contractor, Henry Brothers, and will provide 3,500m2 of contemporary, co-located and shared science and engineering laboratories, design studios and workshops.
Approached from a hard landscaped feature entrance, the three-storey building features a glazed front section and a double height reception area with a mezzanine café and a scale model aeroplane to highlight the aeronautical engineering capabilities.
Shackerley’s SureClad® ceramic granite ventilated cladding system has been used to frame this section of the building. Architect CPMG selected the system in polished, highly reflective ‘Arctic White’ to contrast with the glazed orthogonal shape that forms the front elevations and create visual synergy with the paved external approach.
Explains Dawn Briggs from CPMG: “The ethos of the building’s design is to communicate that the STEMLab is accessible and exciting so the front elevation at the entrance creates a forward-focused arrow shape.”
“The use of Shackerley’s SureClad® system with their Arctic White ceramic granite provides a clear demarcation of that space, helping to create impact as students enter the building and articulating a social, welcoming entrance to the facility.”
The SureClad® system was delivered to site fully prefabricated by Shackerley at their ISO 9001 quality controlled factory and ready to install by cladding specialist, HKL. Facade panels were supplied in the popular and economical 1200 x600mm format with fixing straps securely anchored to the rear for installation using Shackerley’s Queen’s Award winning SureClad® Access System.
More information on ceramic facades can be obtained here
Shackerley SureClad® ceramic cladding
Shackerley’s SureClad® ceramic cladding is the ideal ceramic rainscreen solution for any facade. The lightweight ceramic cladding system uses mechanically fixed large format cladding panels to create a ceramic facade that looks great on any building. Robust and hardwearing, the mechanical fixed cladding delivers a UV stable facade that will not fade or discolour over time. The SureClad® ceramic cladding system is UV resistant and creates a facade that is resistant to algae and graffiti. The large format
Ceramic cladding panels manufactured by Shackerley for our ceramic rainscreen system provide an installation-ready lightweight cladding, with undercut anchors for a mechanical fixed cladding solution that is secure and suitable for any porcelain facade design requirement.
Mechanical fixed facades mean each panel is secured with secret fix undercut anchors and produced under factory conditions to achieve the project facade windload requirements
Shackerley’s SureClad® ceramic cladding answers the non-combustible cladding requirements of BS EN13501-1. Our ceramic facade system is an A1 rated rainscreen. We offer a choice of A1 rated or A2 rated anti-fragmentation backing, resulting in an A1 rated ceramic facade or A2 S1 D0 cladding system.
