Slate is a natural, « vibrant» material with shades and colours that change throughout the day
Present in the roof and, in the facade thanks to CUPACLAD®, CUPA PIZARRAS natural slate is a key factor in this innovative project.
The architect emphasizes the features of slate and explains why it was chosen for these buildings located in Trélazé (France).
Pierre de Coquereaumont
Why choose natural slate in The Quantinière residence roof?
The choice of natural slate is guided by four essential factors:
First of all, the search of technical excellence led us to design a high-performance building envelope. It is a trademark of De Coquereaumont – Lebreton since its creation and, at the same time, a requirement of modern architectural design. In this case, the cladding system chosen makes possible to meet the necessary regulations for thermal efficiency in France (TR 2012).
In The Quantinière lodgment, energy efficiency is achieved by combining exterior insulation with electric heating.
The second factor concerns building design. By lowering the roof level as much as possible, we were able to optimize the living space while also ensuring a perfect integration within the landscape, as well as observing urban planning regulations.
The curved natural slate roof extends the cover towards the facade and makes the building look shorter than it really is. The presence of a dark roof and facades allows a better integration of the building in its environment.
Indeed, contrary to popular belief, in nature, black is less visible. Look at a mountain landscape, the shape of a village, a forest: it is the white that stands out, not the black.
In addition, the local factor is very important in the choice of slate, a material intrinsically linked to Trélazé’s industrial and social history. The extraction of slate has unfortunately stopped in the Angevin basin, nevertheless, it remains and will remain well present in the local architecture and landscape.
Finally, the random arrangement of several slate formats contributes to an unprecedented aesthetic harmony, which renews the image of slate.
Natural slate is not just black, as we usually think. It is a natural “vibrant” material with shades and colours that change throughout the day.
In conclusion, the CUPACLAD 101 RANDOM system has allowed us to reinterpret slate cladding by giving it a modern touch when compared to traditional designs.
Find out here more about CUPA PIZARRAS natural slate in this project.
