Shackerley® ceramic granite facelift at private hospital

As part of a multi million pound refurbishment at a Nuffield Health private hospital in Tunbridge Wells, architects at Kendall Kingscott in Bristol specified Shackerley’s Sureclad® ceramic granite ventilated façades to give the dated, red-brick exteriors a facelift.

“Our aim was to dramatically improve the facilities and patient experience at the hospital “, commented Mark Palmer, Project Architect. “Whilst the interior refurbishment was our priority, the exterior styling, dating back to 1968, was also in need of a radical makeover. We wanted to provide a new outer envelope that would present an upmarket contemporary image befitting the newly modernised healthcare facility. Overcladding was the obvious solution.”

After considering a wide range of different façade installation methods and materials the architects opted to use Shackerley’s Sureclad system in conjunction with a travertine effect ceramic granite façade panel. “We were impressed by the appearance and quality of the ceramic granite,” said Mark. “From a distance it looks slick and streamlined as you would expect from an engineered material, yet at close quarters it has a very natural stone look with real depth and texture.”

Specification of the Sureclad system also provided an opportunity to upgrade the environmental performance of the building, as Mark explained: “We used Kingspan K15 insulation in the cavity behind the ceramic granite to significantly improve the thermal efficiency.”

The new look Nuffield Health Tunbridge Wells Hospital now offers a wide range of leading edge clinical facilities in a first class patient environment and the exteriors have also received widespread acclaim.

“As a practice we’re very pleased indeed with the final results,” concluded Mark Palmer. “Shackerley’s Sureclad ceramic granite cladding system offers an attractive and extremely cost effective way to completely transform the appearance of a building and at the same time enhance its environmental performance. We will certainly consider proposing this approach again.”

For further information please contact Shackerley on 0800 783 0391 or visit www.shackerley.com

Shackerley® and Sureclad® are both registered trademarks of the Shackerley (Holdings) Group Limited