Glasgow’s Cadder Primary School has specified VIVIX by Formica Group for a commissioned façade renovation project, helping frame a backdrop to the school’s playground.
With reports showing that 91% of school teachers in the UK believe better designed schools correlate with better grades and pupil behaviour, for the architects, creating a visually stimulating entrance and environment for the school was a priority.
The extensive range of VIVIX decors meant there were no confines to the design concept and permitted the specification of vertical panels in five complimentary shades to create a façade that was modern, quirky and striking for the front of the school building. In this instance, Ocean Grey and Baikal were specified alongside the blue and green tones of Maui, Terril and Tornado as accent colours.
The façade not only created an inspiring multi-coloured aesthetic for the pupils and teachers, but with the sustainable panels being reversible they also help reduce maintenance and upkeep costs making them suitable for school budgets. With the recent RIBA Better Space for Learning report stating: “good design is about creating cost-effective environments that help enhance teacher-and-pupil-wellbeing, while limiting future running and maintenance costs”; the properties and cost of VIVIX panels proved to be ideal for the project.
According to the RIBA report, an “upwards of £150 million is being wasted on the running and maintenance of these buildings each year” which stems from “substandard” schools that have neglected the impact architectural design can have on its students.
Since the cladding was placed on top of an existing brick façade, it was vital to have ease of application, a quality afforded by VIVIX. As installation of the rainscreen cladding was taking place on both the entrance and the back of the building, a robust, sustainable and impact resistant product was necessary to provide a framework to the relating high traffic areas. VIVIX panels met all of the aforementioned design requirements without neglecting the pressing issue of future maintenance costs.
By taking simple steps towards enhancing the school’s exterior façade, the Cadder Primary School building now offers a location to inspire its young minds, boost teacher and pupil productivity, and reduce conservation expenditure for the local council.