Contrast between old and new in the heart of Bruges
The external facade of Hotel Academie, located in the heart of Bruges, looks pretty different since it was renovated thoroughly. The Rockpanel Stones Mineral Chalk facade panels give the hotel a beautiful light and modern look. The hotel owner fell for the combination of aesthetics, the easy processing and the low maintenance of this material. He’s not the only one who’s happy with the result: hotel guests really like it too, and more and more tourists find their way to this charming family hotel.
Used products:
Rockpanel Stones - Mineral Chalk
Brick wall with poor insulation
Over the years, the hotel has continued to expand. Adjacent buildings were added to the property, resulting in today's hotel, which has 90 rooms. When Peter Van Severen and his family took over the hotel, they concluded that the hotel needed a thorough makeover. “Old buildings in Bruges' city centre, such as ours, are usually equipped with a brick wall on the outside in the courtyard. External wall insulation is only limited or not available at all. As a result, the buildings can heat up strongly in the summer months. This was also the case with us, even though the building was well insulated on the inside and we had a good EPC.”
A user-friendly, aesthetic facade material
After all rooms had been renovated five years before, Van Severen decided to also give the exterior a makeover. One thing was for sure: he wanted something else than a brick wall. Key requirements for the facade cladding were that it needed to be user-friendly and aesthetic at the same time. In the end it was his regular carpenter, Luc Martens of Schrijnwerkerij Martens & Zoon, who recommended Rockpanel Mineral Stones. “We have been working closely together for years, and I trust him blindly,” explains Van Severen. “Moreover, the material immediately appealed to me. The wide colour palette in particular convinced me: the options in terms of colour and design were virtually unlimited.”
Stone-look facade cladding in a light, modern colour
Van Severen opted for the Mineral Chalk design, which was a good match to the white window frames and the frequently used zinc. Another advantage was the simple processing. “The panels were installed fairly quickly, which meant I could save on working hours. The finish is also impressive: there are no screws to be seen, the appearance is simple and sleek”, says Van Severen.
Facade boards that still look like new
Ease of maintenance was also an important criterion for Van Severen. “A hotel has to deal with particularly intensive use and should always look beautiful. Up until now, we have never had to clean the panels, as they still look like new, even though they are on the sunny side of the building.”
Contrast
In the meantime, Van Severen is delighted with the new facade cladding: “I particularly like the combination of the classic architecture of the historic building and the modern look of the facade panels. The reactions from our guests are also unanimously positive. Several tourists have even inquired about the material we used. I am even considering using Rockpanel Stones for my own home as well.”
