Rockpanel Woods gives extension ‘De Pijl’ a warm and homely character

Homely and warm appearance 

When designing the new building, the priority of the architect team was to create a homely and warm appearance. In addition, the way the different buildings were linked will also help the employees in their work. Chys: “If there’s a low occupancy during weekends or holidays, less staff is required thanks to the way the buildings are linked. For example: at night, one supervisor can now easily move through the buildings and thus assist the three living groups where necessary. Yet each living group retains its individuality and privacy because the office in the middle creates a certain distance. By connecting the buildings, we were also able to increase the fire safety of the existing buildings and update them to current regulations.” 

A wood look with the robustness of stone 

The architects specified Rockpanel Woods Teak for the cladding of the facade of the first floor and of the wide roof overhangs. The Rockpanel Woods facade boards are made from compressed stone wool from basalt, a volcanic rock abundant in nature, with a small amount of organic binding agent. The facade boards are recyclable and have an officially confirmed lifespan of 50 years. Rockpanel Woods combines the properties of wood and stone – it’s a product with the authentic appearance and workability of wood and with the durability, robustness and fire safety of stone. The boards do not rot or delaminate and standardly have European fire class B-s2,d0. For applications where strict fire safety requirements apply, there are A2 facade boards that comply with Euroclass A2-s1,d0. 

Modern look 

On the facade, the facade boards were placed via a weatherboarding system, which means they partly overlap each other. “We chose Rockpanel Woods Teak because the material provides a warm appearance that really matches the existing buildings and the surrounding forest. The building has a wood look that, unlike real timber, requires only a minimum of maintenance. The architecture of the new building is in line with the existing buildings, but still has a new and modern look," concludes architect Chys. 

*Disclaimer: Due to changes in our assortment, it is possible that the designs shown in this case study are no longer available. Feel free to contact us in case of doubt.