Rainbow Rockpanel colours at new North Wales primary school

Robust, modular, complimentary aesthetics 

Lovelock Mitchell Architects were design lead. Senior Associate, Peter Fisk, explained the decision to specify Rockpanel, “The material palette for the Ysgol Corn Hir project has been selected for its robustness, modularity, and complimentary aesthetics. Notably, Rockpanel's diverse colour spectrum permitted us to select a set of natural, but vibrant hues for the early years facade that created a playful juxtaposition with the natural rhythms of the slate and timber elements to the main hall and entrance areas of the building, while maintaining an overall aesthetic befitting the building’s rural context.” 

The school really makes a visual statement and radiates a feeling of positivity, clad in vertical columns of varying widths using a selection of RAL-matched bright green, yellow, orange, medium and light teal. The bands of colour run floor to roof of the main single storey structure, in line with contemporary grey framed windows and entrances. Then Rockpanel, predominantly in the bright green, is used to great effect above a full height, pillared portico and for an ajoining wing of the school as vertical pillars under a deep horizontal canopy, with additional sections clad in the other colours from the palette listed earlier.  

Design and technical support always on-hand 

Roofing and cladding specialists, Kynaston Contracts, were responsible for the installation of Rockpanel facades at Ysgol Corn Hir. Kynaston Project Coordinator, Emlyn Williams, “We were appointed the roofing and cladding contractor on this great looking new school in Llangefni where amongst other things we installed Rockpanel to the exterior elevations. John Porter was very helpful in aiding the design team, in particular when it came to the fixing calculations and recommendations on the project. Given the opportunity we would welcome using the product and working with John again.”  

Rockpanel's John Porter, “This was a great project which really shows what can be achieved with the intelligent use of colour. In addition to virtually endless colour match possibilities, the scope of surface finishes offered by Rockpanel includes Natural Woods, Metals, Stones, and our unique iridescent Chameleon. In the architecture of the future, natural, recyclable products like Rockpanel will be indispensable.” 

The external facade for all seasons and all reasons 

Rockpanel facades panels are made from a core of naturally occurring, non-combustible volcanic rock – stone wool – embodying them with superior durability and fire resilience, making them virtually maintenance-free and insensitive to moisture and temperature changes. That means they will stay looking as good as the day they were installed, throughout their long life. 

Rockpanel is light and easy to work with, saving installation time and money. It is often delivered precision cut but can also be adjusted on site using simple tools. It is able to play it’s role in helping ensure efficiency in terms of sustainability as the stone wool from which it is made, is naturally replenishing and the panels themselves are made from a high percenatage of industry waste materiels which might otherwise end up in landfill. Then, once it has reached the end of its useful life (proven to be at least 50 years), it can be disassembled and made in to new stone wool products with no losss of quality.