Blurring Boundaries: Designed to blend in with a tree-lined landscape
This striking steel frame structure with a brick plinth and timber-framed walls was designed by the owner of Smarttrams building firm in Suffolk, to serve as their workshop and storage facility.
While the business primarily focuses on carpentry, the team enjoys taking on projects that are creatively engaging. With that in mind, the decision was made to design and build a bespoke workshop.
Newly installed cladding sits clean and sharp against the landscape.
A material that ages with the landscape
Cladding played a major role in the external aesthetic of the building. Surrounded by well-established trees, the aim was to choose a material that would blend seamlessly into the environment.
The idea of a product that could weather naturally while maintaining its performance was particularly appealing. The goal was to avoid the need for regular upkeep, such as applying protective oil every eighteen months, just to preserve the integrity of the cladding.
Gently aged by the elements, the cladding has settled into its surroundings.
Stable and stylish
After exploring several alternatives, our thermally modified Brimstone ash was selected, not just because of the way it weathers, but also because it allows for fine detailing, such as gluing corner profiles and rebating head details.
Our client needed a product that was dimensionally stable and would not shift or warp once installed. Brimstone, with its low moisture content, met these needs perfectly, allowing the cladding to be approached more like a joinery project, which suited the vision for the build.
During the research phase for suitable cladding materials, our client found our website and discovered that we were offering exactly what was required. With no initial oiling needed and minimal ongoing maintenance, combined with a stability that other suppliers couldn’t guarantee, any other differences were negligible.
The cladding has now been in place for three years and has weathered gradually and relatively evenly, with slightly different tones in the more sunny or shady areas.
