Wienerberger Case Study: Nevada Buff Criminal Justice Centre

Wall Solutions - Case Study

Nevada Buff Client: Northants Police Authority Architect: Archial Group Brickwork Contractor: Bliss Brickwork

Wall Solutions - Case Study

The use of multistory narrow strips of external brickwork to frame large, dark windows emphasises the police’s safeguarding of society.

Wienerberger Ltd Wienerberger House Brooks Drive Cheadle Royal Business Park Cheadle, Cheshire SK8 3SA T 0161 491 8200 F 0161 491 6529 office@wienerberger.co.uk www.wienerberger.co.uk

Nevada Buff adds authority to new Criminal Justice Centre After receiving a brief to design the new Criminal Justice Centre in Northampton, architects from Archial Group had a taxing project ahead of them to create a structure that served a dual purpose of flexible working space and shortterm penal facility. Now complete, the project has balanced these criteria into a versatile yet commanding building.

To ensure that the building was welcoming for staff, whilst remaining suitable for confining those subject to the legal process, the project had to balance the internal availability of natural light with an interesting exterior that didn’t detract from the building’s austere purpose. To achieve this equilibrium, the centre’s exterior makes efficient use of colour and scale, as opposed to the intricate textural details seen in modern domestic architecture.

To secure this requirement, the architects selected Wienerberger’s Nevada Buff brick, which is monochromatic in tone yet almost peach in colour.

The use of multistory narrow strips of external brickwork to frame large, dark windows emphasises the police’s safeguarding of society. The office areas overlook the roof of the ground floor custody facilities, which boasts interesting geometric patterns through the design of roof-lights that allow light into the whole building. Furthermore, this allowed

the architect to manifest a more imposing exterior when seen from street level.

With all the prerequisite demands considered, the final project successfully married the dichotomy of the brief, and whilst the building retains it’s authoritative purpose, it is also a welcoming and bright place to work.