 |
 |
||||||
[April 2003]
Major Hotel Extension Heralds Ceramic Architectural First in UK
The new £26 million extension at the Hilton London Gatwick Hotel is the first major development in the UK to boast a rain screen cladding system made from ceramic granito panels. Although tried and tested in mainland Europe, this product has never before been used as a rain screen cladding material on a major development in the UK.Over 4,000 square metres of light stone coloured, polished and fully vitrified granito slabs in a subtle 'salt and pepper' finish adorn and protect the 233-bedroom hotel wing, providing a new aesthetic which the suppliers say could soon become as popular in the UK as elsewhere on the Continent.
Over 550 slabs - each measuring 1200mm by 600mm - have been supplied by Shackerley (Holdings) Group of Lancashire. Shackerley has exclusive rights in the UK to distribute the premium quality ceramic granito range from Italian manufacturer Mirage, said to be the world's largest producer of unglazed ceramic granite floor and wall coverings.
Until now, this material, which can be supplied in an extensive range of sizes, has been used predominantly in the UK in smaller formats to provide heavy duty floor finishes, worktops and vanity units. Now Shackerley is bringing the thermal and acoustic insulation properties and aesthetic benefits of exterior ceramic granito rain screen cladding to the attention of Britain's architects and specifiers.
The product is renowned for its incredible hard wearing properties and strength. Manufactured from a blend of selected and refined clays, quartz feldspars and metal oxides, it is formed into tiles and slabs at pressures from 4,000 to 12,000 tonnes and is fired at 1260°C with no use of bonding agents or organic resins.
The resulting slabs reproduce all the natural beauty and variation of quarried materials such as granite or marble, but are free from the fissures, flaws and other weak points which can reduce strength and versatility. Exceptionally strong and durable slabs of just 12mm thickness can be created - comparatively lightweight and fully resistant to frost, heat, pollution, acid and alkali erosion, light and UV radiation - all of which makes the material ideal for use in rain screen systems.
ENDS