A
custom-built detached home situated on a peninsula in a secluded lagoon, and
featuring JB Western Red Cedar Shingles from Marley has scooped a
number of leading industry awards.
Located
in the Norfolk broads, Britain’s largest protected wetland, Backwater, which
was created by, Platform 5 Architects, is made up of three self-contained
modules.
Each
individual module is further complemented by the cedar-clad pitched roofs found
at the front of the property.
The
unique home, which is surrounded on three sides by water, was awarded a RIBA
East Award 2017, which celebrates the building’s regional importance as a piece
of architecture. Further testament to the property’s striking design, Backwater
was also crowned Custom and Self Build Project of the Year at the 2017
Structural Timber Awards, which celebrates expertise in timber and its
continued contribution to the built environment.
The
usual location of the property meant the project’s architects required a
roofing solution which not only delivered a stand-out design, but one which is
also sympathetic to the surrounding trees and water. The bespoke brief,
together with structural requirements which required all materials used to
offer lightweight properties, meant Marley’s JB Western Red Cedar
Shingles were the obvious choice to create a textured roofscape which
seamlessly blends in with the natural surroundings.
Externally,
both the roof and side walls have been clad in treated shingles, offering a
darker aesthetic, while the front and rear elevations of the property used
untreated shingles, which will naturally weather to deliver a warm textured
appearance.
Patrick
Michell, practice partner at Platform 5 Architects, who is also homeowner at
Backwater, comments: “Located within a national park made the site a
particularly sensitive location for new developments. This meant we needed to
carefully consider each individual element to ensure it not only delivered
striking aesthetics suitable for the surroundings, but also was lightweight
enough to be used on the timber framed structure.”
In
addition to the striking design of the property, Platform 5 was also keen to
deliver a property which placed sustainability at its heart, offering an energy
efficient family home. Cedar shingles offer a renewable and sustainable
roofing and cladding solution with one of the lowest carbon footprints of any
widely used building product. In addition, the shingles require low
maintenance, and the colour blend ensures the building fits seamlessly within
the type of natural environment the project sought to replicate.
Daniel
Redfern, Marketing Executive – Residential Roofing at Marley, comments:
“The use of JB Western Red Cedar Shingles really delivers a stand-out design on
the project, and we are delighted it has been recognised with a number of
industry awards.
“As
more and more projects are now looking to boost sustainability credentials,
cedar shingles are providing an ideal option which doesn’t compromise on
aesthetics, as shown at Backwater.”
The
JB Shingles, which are Certi-grade accredited as ‘Blue Label’ by the CSSB
(Cedar Shake and Shingle Bureau) were specified as they guarantee the highest
quality shingles and are PEFC accredited. Furthermore, the majority of the
shingles specified were also treated with MicroPro®, a clear treatment which
not only protects against wood rooting fungi and insect attacks, but also lets
the shingle weather naturally without any staining sometimes associated with
other treatments, and can deliver an extended life span of 40 years.
