This charming expansion won the Stirling Prize in the study Alison Brooks Architects hidden beneath the level of the road behind a house in North London 1860 the structure stands out not only for its creative vision, but also for the use of techno-surface DuPont ™ Corian®, To form a surprising ventilated façade.
Puzzle of geometric elements, these stylish panels in DuPont ™ Corian® cover the outer surface of enlargement, while providing a lasting aesthetic appeal and functionality. The new structure is designed to improve and increase the space of the property: a kitchen / dining room open space accessible from the garden through sliding glass doors, and, upstairs, a widening of the outstanding common space opening onto the terrace on which rests partially the large office located at garden level. The office also has its own entrance from the patio to the front of the house.
The coating was originally thought in zinc, but at the request of the customer and the owner of the house, was chosen instead DuPont ™ Corian®, the material with a lot of potential that is used more and more frequently to create high-performance ventilated facades. Ensures durability, versatility, good response to the fire, UV resistance for some colors and ease of maintenance, DuPont ™ Corian® is a lightweight and easy to work and, in case of any damage, easily repairable. Solid throughout the thickness, non-porous and homogeneous, DuPont ™ Corian® addresses with a wide spectrum of security climatic conditions and is compatible with a wide variety of fasteners.
In 2007, after having bought the abandoned building, the customer immediately identified the potential in the renewal of space through lademolizione a previous expansion and reconstruction of a completely new structure, designed to meet all the needs of the family and add considerable value to the property.
The customer says, "The architects had white paper about the project: we provided them with a volume and a budget, and asked to replace an old extension on the back with an amazing new extension on the side. The biggest challenge was to maintain the position of a walnut tree of 150 years protected by Tree Preservation Order and a Victorian sewer running through the back garden, but other than that the design phase is easy to manage. Alison Brooks Architects has done a great job of research and development for the design, which was accepted with only a minor change. "
Were used in total 260 square meters of DuPont ™ Corian® in the color Blackberry Ice which was first shaped and then cut into individual panels in place (in the wider sections, whole slabs standard 760 3658 x mm have been used), installed using an adhesive system specifically formulated for fixing systems in aluminum, to create the structure waterproof. The remains of the material were used later for training activities, sponsorships or other creative projects such as the donation of material for the construction of a new sign of the Center for Multiple Sclerosis.
The customer has had an active role in decisions and enthusiastic about the project, and the decision to create a facade in DuPont ™ Corian® has come after a personal search, "The original design was meant for a zinc coating against rain, but this material is vulnerable if hit, and saw that the coating is mostly level ground, I thought it could have been accidentally damaged very easily. When I saw the Seeko'o Hotel Bordeaux on the site of DuPont ™ Corian®, I realized that this solid material would be perfect for the strong geometric and texture that Alison Brooks Architects had created, while the color that we have chosen matches the Gray d'ardesiazincato previously selected. I could not be happier with the result ... bold, strong line and a solid look and elegant. "
Alison Brooks comments, "This project was a fantastic opportunity, a highly sculptural approach to the conversion of a dwelling and the expansion of a London residence which has now become the home of a family and working space. In addition to the complete renewal of the structure and the opening of the semi-basement to create a kitchen / dining room open plan double height, extensions have been designed in order to capture the light from the sky, look to the garden and get a precise view of the massive walnut tree near the house.
The trapezoidal shape with eight sides enlargement side keeps a low profile from the street, leaning lightly on the ground through walls to prevent the roots of the tree, and radiates light in the study. The two-dimensional geometry of enlargement finds continuity in the large first-floor window that frames directly the walnut tree. Where the windows of the side and rear extensions converge, seven surfaces come together at one point. Each floor trapezoidal scheme is fully glazed or entirely solid. The plans of the roof and walls are both in the same material. This approach creates an architecture without mass weight they seem almost the surfaces of a folded origami.
The complexity of the geometry of this building required a coating material very flat, the size stable and able to be cut into precise shapes. Our original scheme proposed zinc coated hard, but our client has identified a more suitable and durable DuPont ™ Corian®. The panels are absolutely flat, and can be cut with other objects with edges cut at an angle where different floors meet. The color is stable and durable, and requires minimal maintenance. The smooth panels of DuPont ™ Corian® make faceted sides of the building light reflectors in different shades, from silver-white to black, depending on the climate. The system allows convogliodell'acqua rain gutters and downspouts to be hidden under the cover, producing a sculptural architectural form and clean. "
