Lanchester Medical Centre has been finished in CUPA STONE innovative cladding system STONEPANEL™ to provide a traditional aesthetic for this new development in Lanchester (UK). A modern and sustainable building that meets the needs of the requirements of the smaller surgery that was located in the village. Edwards Architecture designed the project using BIM (Building Information Modelling).
Completed in 2014, the building has been designed with the local environment in mind and finished in STONEPANEL™ Sahara to give a traditional finish which fits in with this protected area. Natural stone panels STONEPANEL™ Sahara are composed by multicolor quartzite with brown and grey tones, creating an elegant and bright look to this development. Natural wood carpets and solid timber furniture complete the decoration of the interiors.
Taylor Maxwell, exclusive distributor of STONEPANEL™ in the UK, provided this innovative cladding system. STONEPANEL™ was the perfect solution to the restrictions of building in a conservation area, one of the most challenging requirements of the project. One of the major advantages of this natural stone panels is the simple and quick installation: 10 times faster than traditional masonry (placing rate average 20 m²/day).
The incorporated mechanical anchor of STONEPANEL™, made of stainless stell, enables the installation of natural stone panels on the surfaces higher than two meters. The strong and uniform cement base ensures adherence and allows piece cutting without risk of detachment. In fact, STONEPANEL™ has been certified by the most prestigious European Organizations such as BBA-Agrément Certificates in the UK.
The construction has been sensitively designed to complement the conservation area status of its location in a County Durham village. Lanchester Medical Centre has been constructed to meet the Code for Sustainable Homes Level 3 with 10% of the energy generated to run the building to be sourced from sustainable sources. Internally the accommodation provides a range of modern consulting and treatment rooms and a minor surgery suite together with meeting, office and training rooms for staff. The new centre incorporates a GP practice and offers services such as minor surgery, physiotherapy and an ante natal clinic.
By utilising the versatility of STONEPANEL™ for both internal feature walls and as an external facade, the architects managed to deliver on their brief and achieve an aesthetic that has delighted both the local community and their clients.
