The flexibility of the Sika Sarnafil single ply system lent itself to a bespoke and intricate roof crowning a landmark Exeter building.
With a 40,000sq ft footprint, Oxygen House is the impressive new headquarters for statistical research company, ATASS Group. Designed by Broadway Malyan architects, the building draws upon stadium and yacht design in reference to the work of ATASS Sports, and boasts a BREEAM ‘Excellent’ rating and an array of sustainable features.
A key part of the design was the complex geometry of the east and west wing roofs, which flank a tapering conical roof above the entrance – dubbed ‘the eyebrow’. Local Sika Sarnafil registered contractor Progressive Systems was tasked with installing the 2,970sq m of membrane to the roofs, overcoming a number of technical challenges to perform the intricate detailing.
A mixture of Sika Sarnafil S327-12EL and Sika Sarnafil G410-12EL single ply was used, with the roof build up comprising metal roof decking, insulation and single ply with composite panel walls. To highlight the geometric design, Sika Sarnafil Lead Grey batten roll features were used to create a uniquely shaped profile over the main roof areas, which were then inlaid with Light Grey Sika Sarnafil panels.
Progressive’s Chris Curtis says that precision was key to pulling off this geometric look. “Our attention to detail and high standards of workmanship ensured the finished roof was geometrically perfect across all the lead roll feature detailing. The look was then further complemented by the extensive use of bullnose fascias and soffits in polyester-powder-coated aluminium.”
But Chris says that ‘the eyebrow’ posed the biggest challenge. “The detailing to the intersection between the two asymmetric curved roofs of the east and west wings was very complex, featuring tapering, inclined conical entrance features. We used full sized Sika Sarnafil templates to ensure the aesthetics were perfectly achieved.”
And, with the roofing featuring several steeply sloping sections, Progressive also ensured the roof was installed with the highest standards of health & safety in mind. Careful consideration was given to roof drainage and the behaviour of the water collecting within the converging lead rolls, too.
Chris says that the roof was successfully installed to the satisfaction of the architect, main contractor Midas Construction, developer Summerfield Developments and ATASS Group. As he concludes: “It is a landmark building for Exeter and, since opening in summer 2012, it has won ‘Building of the Year’ in a prestigious regional property competition and is expected to win more awards this year. As such, we are extremely proud to be associated with the project, and of the very high standards of workmanship and aesthetics we achieved.”
Oxygen House was a finalist in the ‘Corporate Workplace’ category in this year’s BCO Regional Awards and has been nominated to compete at a national level in the ‘Innovation’ category in the BCO National Awards in October.
For more information on the Sika Sarnafil system, visit www.sarnafil.co.uk, call 01603 709360 or email [email protected]
