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Rainscreen cladding panels from Steni UK were specified by
council architects to complement the lightweight
construction of a new sixth form block at Arden School and
Language College in Solihull. |
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than 350m² of Steni’s Stoneflex Class 0 fire rated glass
fibre reinforced polyester resin cladding panels, that are
built up to provide a surface finish of natural stone (for
Arden school in the colour Bermuda White) were specified by
the Building Design Group at Solihull Metropolitan Borough
Council. |
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Installed over 12 weeks in the
school’s 50th anniversary year by a two to three-man team
from joiners and carpenters MPD Projects for main contractor
GAJ Construction, the maintenance-free panels were fixed to
the two-storey lightweight steel frame building around brise
soleil using a steel omega and zed system. |
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The 1,800m² building replaces an
obsolete design and technology block and comprises sixth
form facilities on the ground floor that include two art
rooms, three design and technology rooms, two home economics
rooms and one for hair technology. These are complemented on
the first floor by five general classrooms, an ICT room and
two study rooms. |
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The 13-month, £3.5 million build
was funded primarily by a grant from the Learning Skills
Council which required the 450-student building to achieve a
“Very good” BREEAM rating of 57 points. |
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Project architect Marcus Russell
said: “This presented an interesting and fulfilling task for
the team to undertake to design and produce a technically
interesting, economic, energy-efficient building, over and
above the current Building Regulations requirement.” |
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The building is the third new
sixth form block to be erected at the school and was
required to offer more vocational courses and student
training such as hair design and home economics as well as
provide evening classes for the general public in subjects
as diverse as French, DIY, cookery and painting. |
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Marcus Russell added: “We
specified the Steni panels to form part of the lightweight
walling system which required a rainscreen cladding system
but also for their appearance. The existing school is made
up of a range of 1950s buildings with exposed aggregate
panels and I wanted something that tied in with that. |
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“I used a light coloured
aggregate because it follows the form of the building’s
lightweight walling system. I didn’t think a dark colour
would do that.” |
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Headteacher Ann Green said: “The
new sixth form facility will make a huge difference to
students living in the area and will also be a welcome boost
for the local economy.” |
