Southern New Hampshire is one of the fastest-growing universities in the United States. To reinforce the notion of a 21st century institution, the design of the new College of Engineering, Technology and Aeronautics (CETA) needed to be ground-breaking.
Designing a university building has its own requirements: with students coming and going all day, the need for different types of spaces including big classrooms, offices and libraries, and above all, the need optimise natural light. The architecture studio Wilson HGA, selected by Skanska construction group, oversaw the design,
“The look of slate was something we really liked, so we started out by looking for it via online searching”, states Christianne Peschard, Project Manager of the firm. After some brief research they found a solution that fit the brief perfectly: CUPACLAD 101 Random.
Our natural slate rainscreen cladding system is the perfect answer to New England weather, where summers are warm and winters are freezing. “The overall design pays homage to the surrounding New Hampshire architecture. We wanted a ‘vernacular look,’ so we looked at old covered bridges to get inspiration for the building’s roofing”, recalls, Christianne Peschard.
When choosing CUPACLAD you can select from a variety of systems. For this project, the dynamism created by the different sizes of the Random slates is irresistible. Vertical, floor-to-ceiling windows and its wooden frames create the complement in texture, colour and materials.
“My favourite part of this project was that we were able to work the slate into the interior of the building,” states Peschard. “The look of this slate ‘coming into the building’ is very pleasing to the eye.” Natural slate is visible from the interior and from the outside of the university.
CUPACLAD has been designed to guarantee an easy installation, even in the most difficult circumstances. According to Barry Hamilton, Operations Manager of T.J. McCartney, Inc. the firm which installed the slate rainscreen system: “This was our first time working with CUPACLAD. We were anticipating quite a bit of labour and time when mounting these slate materials. But to our surprise, that was not the case at all!”
“Installation directions and drawings were accurate and perfect. Easy to read, easy to follow. We did not need to purchase any special tools to install the system”, acknowledges Barry Hamilton. CUPA PIZARRAS technical team is always available to the customer to answer any questions or personalised requests that may arise during the process,
“We would definitely recommend and not hesitate to work with CUPACLAD again, especially due to its ease of installation,” summarizes Hamilton.
The rainscreen cladding systems are one of the main features of the new architecture because of its energy efficiency. CUPACLAD is already a popular solution in Europe and it’s starting to cross the ocean. “Due to its performance, ‘look’ and surprisingly affordable pricing, we have been very successful with CUPACLAD systems already”, explains Matt Berk, co-owner of EcoSupply Center, the specifier on this project.
“The new CETA building continues SNHU’s trend of innovative improvements to our higher education system. In all my years here, I think I am most excited about this building; what it represents and the possibilities it opens up for our students and faculty”, assures Patricia A. Lynott, president of SNHU’s university college.
Life at the campus has never been the same after the construction of this impressive building. The future of cutting-edge engineering research is safe behind the beautiful walls of CUPACLAD.
PRODUCT USED: CUPACLAD®
Our CUPACLAD® 101 RANDOM is synonymous with creativity and gives any facade an original design that makes the most of the flexibility and natural durability of our slate.
Other case studies
More than 250 roofs are installed per day around the world with our slate.
Natural slate CUPA PIZARRAS has been highly valued by architects and has been selected for important projects within many cultural and historic buildings of interest, modern architecture or the construction or renovation of traditional housing.
Other case studies
More than 250 roofs are installed per day around the world with our slate.
Natural slate CUPA PIZARRAS has been highly valued by architects and has been selected for important projects within many cultural and historic buildings of interest, modern architecture or the construction or renovation of traditional housing.
If you have any questions, our experienced team on slate is at your disposal.
