With the development of their holiday residence on the East coast of Lake Garda, the owner created ‘a symbiosis of traditional building, using both conventional and innovative materials.’ The attached cube was given a modern façade made of wood composite materials, for which the graphite grey ‘Creative XL’ façade profiles were selected. The ‘Compact plus’ deck was used for the patio, which is exactly the same shade, thereby matching the façade on the outside area perfectly.
Holiday home in Bardolino, Italy
Facade
Creative XL in graphite grey
Patio decks
Compact plus in graphite grey
Construction year
2017
Location
Holiday home in Bardolino (Italy)
Right in the centre of Italian Bardolino, surrounded by vineyards and only a few miles away from the busy town centre, an architect from Bozen owns a lovely holiday house. 2017 he had the 60-year-old house demolished and created a new holiday residence with an attached cube and roof terrace on the foundations. The new building fits in perfectly with the existing ensemble of neighbouring houses; at the same time, the cube-shaped extension with its panoramic windows and modern façade cladding makes a clear statement: The owner desired a symbiosis between traditional building with conventional and innovative materials – and decided to use graphite grey CREATIVE XL façade elements from NATURinFORM’s portfolio.
Modern architecture using NATURinFORM‘s façade elements
The holiday home is one of 68 accommodation units in a holiday resort created in the 1960s. They all had a similar layout in common, were built in the same style, and were the same size, approximately 50 square metres. ‘A new legislation to promote building made it possible to demolish and rebuild with a cube, thereby increasing the building’s volume,’ says the owner. Due to this legislation, it was possible to raise the cubic capacity by 70 percent. The building, which has a cellar, was built on a plot measuring 300 square metres, and now offers 90 square metres living space. The concept was that the new build should fit in optically with the style of the resort, but also should speak a modern design language, thanks to the extension and its modern architectonic note. The extension’s cladding using NATURinFORM’s products played an important part in this. Besides the modern optics, the typical material characteristics, such as low maintenance costs, durability, colour fastness, and weather resistance were decisive factors that weighed in for wood composite material.
Insulated concrete wall plus ventilated façade
The carpentry team Prugger from St. Ulrich (South Tyrol) benefitted from how simply the material can be processed. The tradesmen attached the ‘Creative XL’ façade cladding on a total surface of 70 square metres. The company from the Groedner Valley is specialized in putting up roof structures, barns, alm cabins, as well as outer and inner facades; other areas they work in are balconies and patios, as well as houses made of timber. The tradesmen mounted an insulation layer and a vapour diffusion mat on the building’s shell construction wall made of concrete and bricks, before attaching the wooden slats. The façade profiles were then finally mounted on this underlying construction using the mounting brackets contained in the delivery scope.
‘Creative XL‘: Weather resistant and low on maintenance
Due to a low measure of polymer, the façade profiles’ wood composite material makes them weather resistant, and in addition, absolutely easy to take care of – and also extremely low maintenance. The high amount of wood in the slats ensures an aesthetic and natural look thanks to a patented, individual wooden grain. CREATIVE XL consists of a solid rhombus strip measuring 99 millimetres, and can be laid both horizontally, as well as vertically. NATURinFORM offers this façade profile in standard lengths of four and six metres, but special lengths are also available to order on request. The outer cladding made of quality wood material is used as a ventilated façade. The rhombus strips are form-fittingly mounted using a groove and slot connection onto an underlying wooden construction: thereby creating a level surface with a closed, airtight gap without any visible assembly.
Façade and patio: One material – multiple application areas
Whilst ceramic tiles were laid on the roof terrace, COMPACT plus in graphite grey was used as the surface for the approximately 17 square metre large garden patio. On the one hand, because it matches the façade perfectly, both colour- and surface wise, and on the other hand, because the building owner appreciates how easy they are to mount, as well as the low effort required to look after the wood composite material on the patio. That is why the robust and low-maintenance material was also spontaneously decided upon as cladding for the front door, as well as the large entrance gate. COMPACT plus is a light honeycomb profile deck that offers both a finely striated side or block stripes as the upper surface; both are brushed slightly to ensure better grip and slip resistance. With the block stripe surface used here the flooring provides – according to TÜV Rheinland – the high slip resistance, R10 according to DIN 51130. Additionally, the decks are also very safe to walk on due to their technical enhancement. Contrary to wood, surfaces of wood composite material do not splinter. With a length of up to maximum 13 metres, a thickness of 21 millimetres, and also their two different surface options they can be used for many applications. This wood composite material is extremely low on maintenance, and in contrast to traditional wooden decks, NATURinFORM’s decks need neither be oiled nor varnished and still do not splinter or tear. They can easily be cleaned using water.
Modern material gains points in sustainability
NATURinFORM’s tested and certified wood composite material with a ratio wood to polymer of ca. 70 to 30 percent is ideally suitable. As with all floor decks, the façade solutions also benefit from the many outstanding material characteristics of the wood-composite combination. Also, regarding sustainability, the combination makes it a very modern material. Only wooden fibres from domestic and sustainable forestry (PEFC certified wood suppliers) are used to produce the wood composite material. No additional trees are felled, as the wood fibres are a by-product of the woodworking industry. This makes the material an incredibly environmentally and climate friendly product that is 100 percent recyclable, too. After use the decks are taken back by the company if possible and re-fed into the production process.
Climate neutral production and resource conservation
Climate protection and conservation of resources are top priority for NATURinFORM. So as to be able to produce the wood composite material climate neutrally certified the producer only uses wooden fibres from domestic and sustainable forestry (PEFC-certified wood suppliers.) This means no additional trees are felled, as the wood products are a by-product of the wood-processing industry. All products can be recycled 100 percent, after the decks have been used, they are taken back by the company, checked and fed back into the production process. For all of NATURinFORM’s decks and façade profiles there are environmental product declarations (EPDs) according to international standards. All products are continuously quality, and stress tested to ensure consistent perfect and first class wood composite quality. The company provides a five-year guarantee for its products.
There are environmental product declarations according to international standards available (EPDs) for all of NATURinFORM’s decks and façade profiles. All products are continuously monitored by quality controls and stress tests, to guarantee a constant perfect and first-class wood composite quality. The company provides a five-year guarantee on its products. The patio decks can be recycled 100 percent and can be returned to the plant in Bavarian Redwitz for recycling.
Download: Press release
Product information: creative, compact plus