CUPACLAD brings aesthetic excellence to Exeter student accommodation

CUPACLAD 101 Logic was recently specified by student accommodation provider Study Inn for a large-scale building at Walnut Gardens, Exeter. The natural slate cladding system was chosen for its durability as well as its premium aesthetic.

The project involved the demolishment of an empty office building on the land at Walnut Gardens and construction of a high-quality student accommodation block, which would house up to 166 students. Located in an affluent part of the city, the design would need to match the high-end, visually attractive buildings that surround the site. Furthermore, it was crucial that the materials used were highly durable and weather resistant, to ensure that the accommodation could endure for a significant amount of time with minimal maintenance required.

CUPACLAD 101 Logic, a rainscreen cladding system, was specified to help achieve this. Installation was simple. First, the insulation material was fixed to the building’s exterior using metal brackets. CUPACLAD 101 horizontal profiles were installed followed by the 40x20cm natural slates, in a 7.65mm thickness. These were fixed horizontally using self-drilling screws, which are invisible post-application to ensure that the overall design and aesthetic is not impacted.

Installation was a straightforward process, partly due to the lightweight of the system, with each natural slate weighing less than 30kg/m². The slates were easy to cut and work around openings and features, while the self-drilling screws help to secure each slate to the substructure.

Now complete, the dark cladding provides an effective contrast with the glass and render sections of the building to deliver a strong overall aesthetic with striking impact. As a natural product, the slate elements of the façade also complement the building’s leafy surroundings, as well as other local buildings made from similar materials.

Simon Hope, Product Manager at CUPA PIZARRAS said:

Finally, as with all of our products, the natural slates used in the cladding system at Walnut Gardens are classified as A1 non-combustible in accordance with current building legislation.

They are also highly durable, weather resistant and waterproof ensuring a performance life of over 100 years, with no noticeable colour fading. As such, our natural slates offer the ideal material for high-rise, exposed applications like this one.