As part of an urban renewal project in London, a building facade received a spectacular facelift, thanks to Rairies-Montrieux enamelled products. One of the special features of this project was the creation of no fewer than 37 custom color shades to meet the aesthetic and functional requirements of the project.
Agence Metaphorm
Neighborhood renewal
In 2008, Southwark Council launched a competition to design eighteen social housing units on the Brandon Street site, as part of a strategy to rethink social housing in London. The new buildings were to be of similar quality to private housing and blend harmoniously into the neighborhood. The Metaphorm agency (and its architects Joseph Watters and Andrew Tong) won the competition and created eighteen units spread over two small buildings with a colorful, undulating façade along Brandon Street. To create this façade, the architectural firm called on Rairies-Montrieux.
Bold colors
The Metaphorm architectural firm had a specific idea in mind to liven up the facades of a neighborhood that lacked life and cheerfulness. The aim was to create a progressive color gradient, from mustard yellow to carmine red. “Our challenge was twofold: to find the right shades to obtain the desired gradation, and to produce small quantities of each color,” explains Philippe Chambaud, who was in charge of the project at the time, when he was Sales Manager.
This is how Rairies-Montrieux distinguished itself from its Belgian and German competitors, who were unable to meet custom requirements in such small quantities.
Agence Metaphorm
A highly precise creative process
To produce these 37 shades, a precise process was followed in which oxides were mixed withenamel, which is essentially powdered glass, and water. This mixture was sprayed onto already-cooked products, which were then subjected to a second cooking. It was at this stage that the true colors and gloss emerged. “Before the baking process was complete, we couldn’t predict the final color with any certainty. To obtain the desired shades, we carried out over 150 trials, testing different combinations on a number of products,” explains Philippe Chambaud.
Once the shades were ready, they were sent to England. Customers selected 37 shades from the 150 on offer, a difficult choice given the wide range of options available.
Agence Metaphorm
The handcrafted quality of our products
Installing the product posed a particular challenge, as it was bonded to insulation using the STO process, a manufacturer renowned for its coatings, insulation and adhesives, whose system is widely used in France.
“This was the first time this process had been used in England, and also the first time we had used it with glazed terracotta products of such a substantial thickness, reaching 15 mm. We had to carry out several technical tests with STO products to demonstrate the reliability of the pull-out resistance, among other aspects”.
Philippe Chambaud, project manager and sales director at the time
The hexagonal shape of the products is particularly interesting, as it distributes the expansion of the facade materials evenly over the entire surface of the product. This is particularly advantageous when applied over insulation. This product offers optimum strength and ensures efficient expansion distribution, thus avoiding breaking points.
Agence Metaphorm
The starting point for many beautiful projects
Despite the project’s demanding technical and logistical requirements, Rairies-Montrieux was proud to be part of it and to see it come to life. “I had the opportunity to visit London on several occasions and see how well everything was going, it’s a magnificent project. The project has had a positive impact on the neighborhood, offering a breath of color in an otherwise gloomy environment,” enthuses Philippe Chambaud.
“This project has enabled us to make a name for ourselves in France and attract the attention of local architects, which has encouraged the conclusion of numerous contracts. It has been a valuable investment for our company.” Subsequently, Rairies-Montrieux also completed a major project in Birmingham, working with STO on a student residence called Toybox. The project was a success, and the company’s presence in England has grown steadily in recent years.
Agence Metaphorm
