Maggie’s cancer charity chose Silva Timber’s Siberian Larch to give their external cladding a clean, fresh and light look that would encourage people to drop in.

Uplifting architecture is something that cancer charity Maggie’s understands the importance of. Each one of their unique buildings has been designed to create a relaxing, homely space encouraging a feeling of togetherness among its visitors.

The Robert Parfett building in Manchester, one of the newest Maggie’s centres, was inspired by the existing green spaces to create a building that complements the surroundings.

The single storey building was constructed with a timber frame, with latticed beams forming a design feature inside, to generate a warmth that comes from using natural materials instead of concrete. The use of timber also extends outside where Siberian Larch bevel cladding was used to create a relaxing, homely first impression. The presence of natural materials helps Maggie’s achieve their goal of providing a non-clinical space where people can get practical, emotional and social support.

Siberian Larch is a very dense softwood ideal for cladding, particularly if you plan on applying a coloured finish as the natural colour tones are more consistent than the likes of Western Red Cedar. As Maggie’s wanted to create a clean, fresh and light look to encourage people to drop in, they chose to finish the cladding in Sansin SDF Pickled White.

To finish the timber to the highest standard and provide the best protection against the elements, the cladding was factory coated at Silva Timber so it was ready to install straight after delivery.

The light colour palette of the building perfectly contrasts against the rich colours in the gardens that surround the whole building, creating a fantastic view from any point in the building.