Contour North and South is located just off of Chircombe Lane near the River Torridge in Bideford, Devon. The land, bought by developer Grenco Limited, proved to be the perfect setting for the contemporary buildings. Designed by Fearnley Lott Architects, the team wanted a roofing system that could provide a modern aesthetic to juxtapose with the surrounding environment. In addition, it was crucial that the chosen roofing material could help to achieve the curved roof.
Therefore Catnic’s pre-coated metal standing seam Urban Roofing & Cladding system was specified. A cost-effective alternative to traditional copper and zinc systems and seven times lighter than a clay or slate equivalent, Catnic Urban is lightweight, durable and easy to install.
“Catnic Urban roof provided the exact aesthetic that we required. With such a variety of colours available we had a number of options however we selected Anthracite Grey to give the buildings a sharp distinctive outline. Furthermore we colour matched the window frames and balcony railings, which elevated the appearance of the properties to the high-end contemporary standard we wanted to achieve. In terms of the curved roof design – we could have used zinc. However Catnic's Urban system provided numerous advantages in comparison. For instance, due to the system’s simple locking design we were able to employ a local building firm for the install. If it had been zinc, we would have had to bring in a specialist team, which would have taken extra time and delayed the project.”
Whilst the Catnic Urban Roofing & Cladding system is easy to use, the curved design of the roof added an extra challenge in the installation of the product.
“The Urban system is extremely flexible in its design however we had to ensure that the panels fitted the curvature of the buildings without distorting them. Therefore we worked closely with the Catnic team to achieve the correct calculations when it came to the design of the bespoke curved panels. My employees and myself have attended two Catnic Urban training sessions in Caerphilly and also onsite training on a live project, all of which proved invaluable. The sessions meant we all had prior hands on experience with the system before working with it onsite. Catnic also provide us with ongoing support on any specific detailing via the internet and phone."
Recognised by independent BBA certificate that the material used to manufacture Urban will have durability for a period in excess of 40 years in normal urban, suburban and rural environments. Urban system helps to meet requirements for sustainability as the panels are 100% recyclable, with a carbon footprint that is three times lower than some of the leading eco-designed urban roofing products.
Additionally, the system is manufactured from Tata Steel’s Colorcoat HPS200 Ultra® pre-finished steel and is designed to meet all relevant legislation, including load bearing for wind speed in accordance with EN 1991-4 and weather tightness in accordance with BS 5534 Parts 1 and 2.
