Vibrantly Tiled Exterior Design Revamps London's Urban Landscape
Project: Central Saint Giles Court
Location: London, England
Architects: Renzo Piano Building Workshop
Collaborators: Fletcher Priest Architects
Completion: May 2010
NON-ALPOLIC
In an area once plagued by poverty and violence, stands a vibrant mix-use development designed by Renzo Piano in collaboration with Fletcher Priest Architects. Completed in 2010, the two buildings are separated for residential and commercial use, with roughly 30% of the project area featuring a publicly accessible courtyard. The complex is made primarily of low-iron glass, steel, concrete and ceramic.
In hopes of rejuvenating the urban landscape, and with a clear contrast to the surrounding architecture, the prefabricated exteriors feature exceptionally vivid colors in a brick-like design. The unique façades utilize 134,000 glazed ceramic tiles in shades of green, orange and yellow and differ in height, orientation, light reflection and absorption. The tiles themselves, which were produced by NBK of Emmerich am Rhein, are not only self-cleaning but also weathering resistant.
Another contrasting element of the brightly colored exterior was to differentiate the shades of grey featured inside.
photos © Nick Weall + Maurits van der Staay + Michel Denancé
information © Renzo Piano + Fletcher Priest Architects courtesy of Designalmic
DISCLAIMER: This project does not feature ALPOLIC Materials. The Architecture, Design and Sustainability sections of our blog are for global projects that we find remarkable.
