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COMMENT
CASE STUDY: WILKINSON PRIMARY, BILSTON
A second generation Passivhaus Primary School that addresses the future needs of a 21st century learning environment, including various improvements to performance and sustainability. The timber frame is partly clad in Corten steel and polished clay tiles.
Architect’s View: Project Architect Lee Fordham – Architype
Why were the materials and the construction method adopted? The construction is timber frame sourced from domestic FSC timber which is exposed internally. The industrial heritage of the site provided inspiration for the exterior cladding of Corten steel. Corten is a sustainable choice as no maintenance is required, as the surface develops to a stable rust-like appearance. Allowing the steel to rust makes the rust itself form a protective coating that slows the rate of future corrosion.
The smooth dark grey cladding of polished clay tiles provides a striking contrast to the Corten which weathers to a vivid orange patina while complementing the design aesthetic and also linking the school with the site’s industrial past.
What was the main challenge in meeting Passivhaus? Sharing the site with the occupied portacabins involved careful planning and logistics to ensure the utmost safety and compliance with the programme. Separate access was created, with the close proximity of the temporary accommodation cut off by a fire-rated site hoarding boundary wall. The site itself is the former Iron Works of John Wilkinson, the namesake of the school and a Black Country industrialist from the
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industrial revolution. Coincidently, an old forge was identified that restricted the location of the foundations and mine shafts were speculated on initial surveys but never discovered, however an archaeological watching brief was employed for the first stages to ensure site safety.
How ‘zero compromise’ was the design and were any aesthetic compromises made?
Passivhaus certification was a top priority of the design made very clear in the client’s brief. With this commitment from the client, we did not need to compromise the design. Clearly, aspects such as shading and solar-gain influenced the design in terms of form, but of equal importance was the school's requirement for space and layout.
CASE STUDY: LANSDOWNE DRIVE, EAST LONDON
A zinc-clad two-storey Passivhaus home located in a Conservation Area in east London was erected in a few days from pre-fabricated structural cross laminated timber (CLT) panels.
Architect’s View: Bernard Tulkens – Tectonics Architects
Why were the materials and the construction method adopted? Early on we chose to use a combination of CLT and wood fibre insulation. This was based on the ease of construction (prefabrica- tion) the sustainability of the natural materials, the good airtightness provided by the base CLT structure and the desire to use breathable construction.
The choice also helped provide a clear layering structure where ADF FEBRUARY 2017
Wilkinson Primary School ©DennisGilbert/VIEW
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