Two bespoke, 8m-spanning Rundum Original side sliding garage doors have played a key role in enabling Evans Vettori architects to deliver on their thoughtful, sensitive vision for the modern new premises of a well-established firm of funeral directors in Buxton.

The building’s high quality design and excellent build standard by NSJ Contractors, which resulted in it making the shortlist of the East Midlands RIBA Regional Awards 2020, blends key aspects of the local vernacular with modern design and material choices, including a zinc standing seam roof that extends to form the outward-facing façade.

Within this zinc façade is one of the two Rundum Original ‘round the corner’ side sliding doors by Rundum Meir UK that provide access to the garage for the company’s three large specialist vehicles. A second door designed and manufactured to a matching specification provides the same wide opening directly to the rear of the building, allowing the vehicles to be driven in with ease from the courtyard to avoid any access or manoeuvring difficulties and making best use of the site’s space.

Both Rundum Original doors were designed in the UK and hand-crafted in Germany from high strength extruded aluminium with a RAL 7016 Anthracite Grey finish to complement the colours of the building envelope. Internally, each door slides along a wall-mounted internal track following the side of the building, neatly accommodating the doors when they are open, so the garage space is maximised for pedestrian access, storage and utilities.

Evans Vettori’s John Evans, Project Lead for Belfield House said:

“We had been impressed with the seamless effect of the “round the corner” garage system used at the Accordia housing project. With the help of the Rundum technical team and our structural engineer, we were able to use this at Belfield, designed in such a way that the tracks were confined to single wall space when open.

“This was a key requirement, considering that vehicle manoeuvring space was at a premium on the site, and that we were keen to avoid an “up-and-over” system due to the additional structure that would have been required, as well helping to maintain some privacy. One of the great little benefits is that the doors can be opened little or as much as required – a feature the client has found very useful in terms of access in and around the building, considering the sensitive nature of the funeral business.”