EQUITONE [linea] and
[natura] fibre cement facade materials have helped provide a tactile exterior
to a state-of-the-art nursery in Edinburgh.
The Corstorphine
Nursery, which provides pre-school education for more than 50 pupils, has been
given a crisp aesthetic by the EQUITONE facade materials to create a modern,
free flowing facility that maximises the space available.
The new build facility
was designed by Glasgow-based architects Anderson Bell Christie and has
replaced a prefabricated setting on the site of an existing primary school.
Jonathan McQuillan, of
Anderson Bell Christie, said: “We chose EQUITONE materials for this project as
we wanted something that provided a lot of texture at the right height for
pre-school children. It was important for the overall project that we created
something that was tactile and interactive for the pupils. The scale and rhythm
of the ridges on the cladding is particularly pleasant for children to run
their hands along.
“The material allowed
us to articulate the building using texture. This meant that we could create
surfaces that generated interest using tactility on a child scale, but that
were low on visual noise.”
EQUITONE [linea] is a
through-coloured facade material that displays a linear surface which
highlights the raw inner texture of the core fibre cement material,
guaranteeing crisp, monolithic details.
EQUITONE [natura]
offers a tactile smooth surface which allows the textures of the fibre cement
to show through the facade.
As well as the
aesthetic qualities, Anderson Bell Christie chose EQUITONE because of its
durability and A2-s1, d0 fire classification.
Jonathan added: “We
have used EQUITONE materials for quite a few projects over the years – the
material is really easy to work with. It can be cut down into different sizes
and formats, giving us flexibility in our design. It’s low maintenance and has
a minimum life expectancy of at least 50 years, which will allow the nursery to
minimise ongoing operational costs.”
All EQUITONE materials
are available in a range of colours, finishes and fixing options, giving full
creative scope.
