Northampton College (UK)

• Location: Northampton
• Architects : Pick Everard
• Type of construction: new
• Installation system : Bardage Avec Ossature (BAO)
• Product : VELVETTED SILK

For Northampton College’s stunning new campus, part of a £75 million-plus redevelopment program, the architects wanted the building’s social center entrance to be a striking focal point. To achieve this, they specified Carea cladding with a sub-frame system (grooved panels).

Designed by architects Pick Everard and built by SDC Construction Group, phase 1 of the new Booth Lane campus has been completed and is now occupied, with full completion scheduled for 2012. The main architectural feature is the building’s glazed rotunda, which features a horizontal band of cladding that wraps around the top of the building, as well as a series of vertical bands of cladding that create a framed effect. To achieve this aesthetic, Pick Everard recommended the use of Carea cladding.

Responsible for supplying the complete building envelope, specialist contractor Alumet Systems installed the curtain walling, terracotta, louvers and brise-soleil on the 30,000 m2 site. Carea cladding, made from an exclusive state-of-the-art composite developed over thirty years by the company’s expert technicians, was also installed by Alumet Systems as part of the complete exterior application.

Specified at the design stage by Pick Everard, Carea cladding was supplied in a textured finish and in the color Boreal to complement the building’s decorative curved glass façade. The high quality of each Carea cladding panel created a smooth, precise curve to match the architect’s vision.

Each panel was installed using innovative grooves on the top and bottom edges to create a seamless finish, before the panels were integrated into the glass curtain wall. In addition to an efficient hidden-fastening installation process, Carea panels offer several performance advantages when used in conjunction with high-quality insulation. The Carea system increases the thermal efficiency of the college’s building to reduce its heating requirements and promote sustainability – helping the college to achieve its goal of an excellent heating rating.

Carea panels can be installed quickly to minimize labor costs, and require very little maintenance. Highly climate-resistant, they can be easily cleaned to further extend their life cycle. Thanks to their non-porous composition, they are unaffected by graffiti, making them ideal for buildings accessible to the public, such as schools, colleges and universities.