DesignBuyBuild_16_2015

Patalab Architecture
a new façade material could be introduced, uniting what
was previously a patchwork arrangement into a balanced
composition. Responding to the courtyard setting a reflective
façade material was used that glistens in the direct sunlight and
give the development a jewel-like appearance. The shimmering
surface changes with the light conditions and injects an element
of surprise and nobility into the main courtyard.
The existing predominant material in the courtyard is brick,
used on the rear facades of the Victorian terrace. This is in stark
contrast to the ornate rendered front elevations, a treatment
that Victorians esteemed. Our intention was to connect the
development with its setting and pick up on this front : rear
material relationship. Therefore we opted for brickwork as
the courtyard facing material of the new residential units,
however, because these elevations are the front facades of the
new development we used the most elegant version of this
traditional material – coated with a metallic bronze glazing.
Along the rear elevation facing the railway lines we used a dark
insulating render, inverting the Victorian strategy.
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