Bedfordshire school is building for the future

Silsoe CofE school, featuring a VIVIX façade, has been shortlisted as a finalist in the LABC Central Building Excellence Awards

Posted by Julian Owen | May 02, 2018 | Events

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• #bedfordshire-school
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• #labc-central-building-excellence-awards
• #best-educational-building
• #formica-group
• #silsoe-church-of-england-vc-lower-school

Silsoe Church of England VC Lower School has been shortlisted in the Best Educational Building category in the LABC Central region’s Building Excellence Awards. The awards celebrate outstanding buildings, companies, partnerships and individuals that go that extra mile. 

When David Turnock Architects were commissioned to design the new school layout, a compact building plan was requested to keep construction costs to a minimum. With a fabric-first approach and emphasis on energy efficiencies, VIVIX by Formica Group was specified for the facade. 

The design brief called for a blend of natural woodgrains to be placed in a random pattern on the building to complement the white render areas, and make the juxtaposing bold colours of the window frame pop. 8mm thick VIVIX rainscreen cladding in Golden Morning Oak, Chalet Oak and Barn Oak provided the required wooden aesthetic, but with properties better suited to durability and insulation than its natural counterpart.