The through-coloured fibre cement facade range is designed by and for architects. Panels can be transformed into any size and shape for unbeatable design flexibility
Equitone is a fibre cement facade material - a cement composite made from cement, cellulose and minerals, reinforced by a visible matrix.
It comes in panels and can be perforated, milled and printed for a wide range of uses. Equitone is available in five designs: Linea, Natura, Tectiva, Materia and Pictura. Two case studies reveal how architects have used Equitone to harness texture in very different buildings.
Case study 1: Public toilets, Cahir, Co Tipperary, Ireland
Deaton Lysaght Architects has designed what could be Ireland’s most stylish public toilets. Equitone Linea was specified because it could be cut to facilitate and complement the original building's complex geometry.
Its unique 3D shape plays with light and shadow, altering the facade’s appearance as daylight changes and providing a modern contrast to the heritage town’s traditional buildings, including the medieval Cahir Castle.
For the walls, architect John Deaton chose Equitone Linea in Pebble to reflect the local limestone. The orthogonal and diagonal joints in Linea help establish lines of force and break up the scale of the building into manageable planes.
Case study 2: Corstorphine Nursery, Edinburgh
Anderson Bell + Christie architects used two Equitone materials - Linea and Natura - to provide a haptic learning environment in a new state-of-the-art nursery.
More than 50 children attend the nursery and the new building sits within the site of an existing primary school, replacing an old prefabricated facility. The free-flowing use of space is designed to foster curious and imaginative play.
Architect Jonathan McQuillan wanted something that provided texture at the right height for pre-school children; something that was tactile and interactive. Equitone Natura and Linea were specified.
Natura interplays with the Linea characteristics and was cut to relatively small sizes for the small end users to enjoy more easily. Natura provides a tactile smooth surface, allowing the textures of the fibre cement to show through the facade.
The scale and rhythm of the ridges on the cladding is pleasant to the touch. The material allowed the architects to articulate the building using texture and create surfaces that generated tactile interest on a child's scale while being low on visual 'noise'.
Equitone fibre-cement materials are easy to work with and low maintenance, with a minimum life expectancy of 50 years. All Equitone materials are non-combustible and have a A2-S1, d0 classification, ideal for public use buildings, properties over 11 metres high and high-risk buildings.
For more information and technical support, visit: equitone.com
Contact:
01283 501555