TIMELESS CHARACTER WITH NORDIC BRASS WEATHERED

A new commercial building in Stockholm is defined by its carefully detailed facades of Nordic Brass Weathered pre-oxidised copper alloy from Aurubis. In the Nattugglan neighbourhood on the island of Södermalm, developer Vasakronan has replaced an inefficient and outdated office block with a new, ‘LEED Platinum’ certified modern building.

The new Folkungagatan 44 project provides 22,000 m2 of space, largely for offices but also including conference spaces, plus retail outlets and a restaurant on the open, street-facing ground floor. Equator Stockholm Architects’ design for the new building reinvigorates its pivotal location with clearly announced entrances, better connectivity and interaction with the Catholic Cathedral and other surrounding community buildings.

Its massing comprises a five-storey block with two further storeys, each stepping back to generate ‘living roof’ gardens. The building’s strong presence in the city is defined by its almost classically structured facades of fenestration and Nordic Brass Weathered cladding with a natural colour that complements its surroundings. Carefully detailed and executed flat panels, ‘fluted’ mullions and horizontal mouldings between windows, copings and other details align clearly expressed vertical joints throughout.

Subtle varied surface - The Nordic Brass Weathered copper alloy provides a rich, naturally varied brown surface with a high quality, timeless character. The surface is created by burnishing at the Aurubis copper mill, providing straightaway the same oxidised brown surface that otherwise develops over time in the environment. Lead architect Louise von Bahr said: ‘We wanted the cladding to have a contrasting mix of qualities. It should have personality but at the same time be subtle. And we wanted to create a modern look but also matching the Cathedral next door. We decided to use Nordic Brass Weathered cladding designed in a way that picks up on the historical context – but in a refined and minimalistic way. In the end we are very happy with the results.’

Extensive Range - The Nordic Copper range of architectural copper and alloy products is available from Aurubis, part of the world’s leading integrated copper group and largest copper recycler. It includes Nordic Standard ‘mill finish’ and Nordic Brown preoxidised copper offering lighter (Nordic Brown Light) or darker shades of brown determined by the thickness of the oxide layer.

The extensive Nordic Blue, Nordic Green and Nordic Turquoise ranges have been developed with properties and colours based on the same brochantite mineralogy found in natural patinas all over the world. As well as the solid patina colours, ‘Living’ surfaces are available for each with other intensities of patina flecks revealing some of the dark oxidised background material.

Sustainability Agenda - The Nordic Copper alloy cladding also adds to the building’s ‘LEED Platinum’ certified sustainability agenda. Nordic Copper architectural products and alloys are manufactured using 100% recycled raw-material, and copper’s ability to be recycled repeatedly – without any loss in performance – is an important sustainability benefit.

Copper is a natural element within the earth’s crust which has been incorporated into living organisms throughout the evolutionary process. It requires no decoration, maintenance or cleaning, saving resources, cleaning chemicals and cost, and its lifespan can be regarded conservatively as 200 years, subject to substrate and structure.

Copper alloys include Nordic Bronze, Nordic Brass and the innovative Nordic Royal – an alloy of copper with aluminium and zinc, giving it a rich golden through-colour and making it very stable. A wide choice of Nordic Decor mechanically applied surface treatments is also available for various surfaces and alloys, particularly suited to interior applications.

Safety and Sustainability - Copper and its alloys enjoy unique characteristics particularly in terms of safety, sustainability and long-term performance. With an ‘A1 (non-combustible material)’ fire classification to EN 13501-1, copper is inherently firesafe and suitable for cladding tall buildings, using appropriate constructions. It is also, therefore, rated ‘Class 0’ surface spread of flame, making it suitable for internal wall and ceiling surfaces.

Copper is non-toxic and its inherent antimicrobial qualities make it ideal for touch surfaces. A growing series of on-line ‘copper stories’ exemplify the best in contemporary architecture and showcase the diversity of surfaces, forms and applications available with Nordic Copper. Visit: www.nordiccopper.com or email: NordicCopper@aurubis.com

Procheck A2, the high-performance fire-resistant vapour control layer system from the A. Proctor Group has been selected as part of a £6bn regeneration project that will createover 10,000 homes in Enfield, London, over the next 20 years. Procheck A2 has an A2-s1,d0 fire classification to BS EN 13501-1, is considered limited combustibility and minimal contribution to fire, and therefore, conforms with therequirements for high rise construction (18m). The superior performance of Procheck A2 from the A. Proctor Group is the perfect solution, delivering significant benefits to the combination of in-factory manufacture and on-site housing construction.

Procheck A2 comprises a unique design consisting of a glass fibre backing with a purealuminium foil and clear lacquer coating. It is this clear surface which provides Procheck A2with the added benefit of a low emissivity surface, which, when used with a service cavity,can enhance the overall thermal performance of the building fabric, as well as ensure a highfire protection performance, with an A2s1,d0 fire classification. Procheck A2 is designedto protect the building fabric from the potential risks of condensation whilst providing the added benefit of serving as an effective airtight barrier.

www.proctorgroup.com

A specialist fire contractor is employing the Zeus Lite 90/30 flexible fire barrier and Collaroll wrap from the range of TBA FIREFLY ™ in undertaking a major fire protection programme in Sittingbourne. A phased scheme set to continue till its entire stock is upgraded. DC Fire Protection Ltd. works right across the country covering multiple sectors of the construction industry, installing active as well as passive fire protection systems. It is currently engaged in lining the roofspaces to dozens of terraced houses on an estate in Sittingbourne, Kent.

Director of DC Fire Protection Ltd,. Daniel Mabbott, commented: “We have been dealing with FIREFLY™ for a number of years, including buying large quantities of the Zeus Lite, which we use for commercial contracts as well as residential work such as this - where we are uprating the performance of pitched roofs right across a landlord’s portfolio of properties.” The Zeus Lite 90/30 has been developed for use in vertical separation or compartmentation situations, offering 90 minutes integrity and 30 minutes insulation and is straightforward to install for an experienced contractor. It is widely specified to form fire barriers within roof voids and floor voids in many different property types, including multi-storey flats and commercial premises. Also used throughout this project are fire-rated access panels to provide safe and continual secure access as required, installed within a simple frame built into the flexible barrier wall. www.tba-pt.com

A family owned fishing and holiday business in the heart of the Bedfordshire countryside is currently seeing a variety of new leisure and commercial facilities being created, with high performance Magply boards from the range of IPP Ltd. having been chosen for lining a large new caravan maintenance workshop. Henlow Bridge Lakes near Henlow, was established on land surrounding a former mineral workings at the time of the Millennium.. The current work is creating space for more customers to stay, along with staff accommodation and other improvements.

Magply boards carry Euroclass A1 and other internationally recognised certifications, confirming their suitability as a fire mitigating sheathing for timber or steel frame systems, as well as in rainscreen cladding, SIPs and other modular/ offsite constructions. The material also offers impact, racking and pull-out strength. Magply has been awarded a BBA Certificate following stringent assessments, including a six-month leaching test, producing a Zero score thanks to the production process which ensures stability and durability as a substrate in render backer and other applications. www.magply.co.uk

Bristol based architects Marshall & Kendon have sought technical advice from manufacturer Marmox, regarding the integration of its Thermoblocks into the exterior insulation ‘wrap’ of a bespoke, near-to- zero timber frame construction.

Dovetail Design & Build is building the highly insulated home on an elevated site in Kingsdown Parade once occupied by a 17th century summer house and where the existence of a historically significant cellar required the raft type foundation to permit future access for archaeologists. The founding partner of Marshall & Kendon, Jeremy Marshall, said: “It is our habit as a practice to always run insulation across the outside of the structure, wrapping them rather than putting it within the timber frame. In this instance, Thermoblock enables us to make the layer of insulation continuous as it passes through the loadbearing structure, while the airtightness membrane is continued up the outside of the sheathing boards.'

Marmox stockist, Eco Merchants of Swindon, supplied a total 170 of the 100 mm wide version for the versatile 600 mm long Thermoblocks, with Dovetail’s own operatives utilising an approved adhesive to not only seal the overlap joints, but also to bed the blocks across the OSB base which is covered by a ‘paintable’ membrane. The various lines of Thermoblocks then support the stick-built timber frame exterior and internal walls, with the main isocyanate floor insulation panels infilling the rest of the ground floor area. www.marmox.co.uk