Designing Timber issue 10 for online - Flipbook - Page 56
———— WAKING UP OLD RAILWAY SLEEPERS: THE ROUNDHOUSE WORKS ————
UNDERSTANDING
supplied by Russwood,
which eliminates di昀昀erential
weathering.”
Putting minds at rest
“The clients were happy with
the idea of using reclaimed
timber cladding,” Matt says,
“although the planners did
have a few reservations
– not least because the
existing planning permission
had been for the previous
speci昀椀cation of metal
cladding. We put together
a document for them that
demonstrated it would
be safe, addressing 昀椀re
concerns, acoustics and
similar matters. It showed
that the Jarrah would be
durable and referred to
multiple British Standards.
The insurers asked a few
questions, and I’m sure the
document helped.”
The project had a model
client in the Roundhouse
Works team. There was
already a bedrock of
trust between them and
Paddy Dillon, the architect
they brought the project
to. Furthermore, as a
creative organization they
acknowledged the inherent
value of doing something a
little di昀昀erent.
“The Roundhouse Works
houses the Centre for
Creative and Digital
Entrepreneurs, which is
designed speci昀椀cally for
18-30 year olds,” Matt
DESIGNING TIMBER
56
↑
Internally, the
circus skills studio
and other parts
of the Centre
for Creative
and Digital
Entrepreneurs show
o昀昀 exposed CLT to
impressive e昀昀ect.
NOV/DEC 2025
points out. “The building is a
centre for talent development,
whether it’s entrepreneurial or
music-related or circus skills. So
the clients wanted something
distinctive.”
And the end results are indeed
distinctive – it’s a unique
exterior with a pleasingly poetic
connection to the site’s past.
