KNAUF AQUAPANEL PROVIDES DOUBLE SOLUTION AT SAGE HQ
Tyneside’s Landmark of the Year – new headquarters of computer software company Sage Group plc – incorporates an innovative two-way application for Aquapanel, the water resistant glass fibre reinforced cement board from Knauf Drywall.
The stunning £60 million complex north of Newcastle accommodates 1,000 Sage employees in 375,000 sq ft of offices. These are spread across six buildings of three and four storeys, linked by a central glazed atrium.
Knauf Aquapanel’s first role in the complex was to provide a temporary waterproof cladding for the atrium-facing walls – almost 1,000 sq m – while the atrium roof was under construction. This enabled “dry” construction to continue inside the office buildings.
When the atrium roof was complete, Aquapanel took up its second role as a tough, moisture, rot and vermin-proof wallboard providing a solid backing for a cladding of Knauf Apertura perforated plasterboard. This complements the high quality aesthetic requirements of the building and enhances acoustics by reducing reverberation in the vast four storey atrium.
Designed by architects ID Partnership and built by Tolent Construction, the Sage HQ was named North East Landmark of the Year for 2004.
Nigel Kelly for Tolent Construction explains the choice of Knauf Aquapanel: “To allow the overall tight programme to be achieved, 12 metre high stud walls had to be built prior to the construction of the atrium roof. To achieve this, the specified standard plasterboard outerleaves were upgraded to Knauf Aquapanel, thereby allowing works to proceed from behind this effective weather resistant barrier. No Aquapanel boards or internal dry finishes were lost due to inclement weather. We would not hesitate to use this readily available and durable product in the future.”
Aquapanel is ideal for use in commercial applications where there are significant tiled areas and was also used in the shower rooms at Sage. Its specific design as a tile backer maximises the aesthetic potential of tile design within these environments. Glass fibre reinforced cement Aquapanel was developed by Knauf Drywall as a high-performance tile backing, ideal for use in wet and humid areas.
The partition system has been optimised for tiling with studs at 600mm centres, and is able to support up to 50kg/m² of tiles on a ready-keyed surface. The system includes an innovative glue-jointing technique for optimum strength and waterproofing.
Aquapanel is 12.5mm thick and comes in 900mm wide panels, 2,400mm in length, which are laid horizontally. Aquapanel retains its strength in damp and humid conditions and can be fully immersed in water with no loss of performance.
More details on Knauf Aquapanel can be found in a comprehensive new brochure from Knauf Drywall. For your free copy, call 08700 613 700 or visit our literature download page.