Trespa puts stylish new face on former BBC Costume Store

Trespa puts stylish new face on former BBC Costume Store

The building formerly used to store costumes from some of the country’s best-loved television programmes is currently being redeveloped to provide much-needed new student accommodation.

Berkeley First created the 730-bed, 18-storey, bespoke student accommodation scheme for the University of the Arts London, which will be managed and owned by Knightsbridge Student Housing Ltd.

Trespa has supplied its distinctive Meteon metallic panels for the new building in North Acton, West London, which has been renamed The Costume Store in reference to the site’s heritage as it was once used to store the BBC’s Wardrobe and Wigs as well as television rehearsal rooms for shows including Dads Army and Up Pompeii.

Trespa is a world leader in the development, manufacture and supply of high performance, high quality panels for exterior cladding and decorative facades. It delivers effective architectural solutions through the production, sale and marketing of high quality decorative panels.

Trespa’s Meteon panels in two different colours were specified for the exterior cladding of the landmark building. The Meteon panel represents the next-generation of architectural cladding and is available with almost limitless design possibilities in various colours, rhythms and depths. The panels can be used on their own, or in combination with other materials, to create stunning façades or exceptional highlights.

Trespa is at the forefront of cutting-edge building techniques and Meteon is a decorative high-pressure compact laminate (HPL) with an integral surface manufactured using Trespa's unique in-house technologies, Electron Beam Curing (EBC) and Dry Forming (DF). The blend of up to 70% wood-based fibres and thermosetting resins, manufactured under high pressures and temperatures yields a highly stable, dense panel with good strength-to-weight ratios. The panels are perfect for use in innovative and functional ventilated façade systems.

For Michael Brookman, of distributors Vivalda, The Costume Store represented a significant challenge. But he gets a daily reminder of the success of the project as he can see the building from his office window a few hundred yards away.

“There was a lot of intricacy as regards the panel arrangement,” he explained. “It was a complex project and involved 80 different panel arrangements. We worked closely with both Amos Architecture and installation contractors BDL to come up with the solution.

“The finished building looks fantastic and really makes a positive impact on the surrounding area.”

The Meteon panels, which are backed by a 10-year product warranty, perform exceptionally well outdoors, they are robust and nonreactive so no coating or protective cover is required. Two classes are available - Standard grade and enhanced Fire-Retardant grade – and Meteon’s standard delivery programme complies with European Standard EN 438-6 and has been accepted for the European Economic Area (EEA) mandatory CE mark according to the EN 438-7.

The dimensional stability and workability of Trespa Meteon are comparable to those of hardwood, however, the panels are not affected by moisture and are not susceptible to weathering, mould or rot. In a fire, Meteon does not melt, drip or explode and retains its stability for a long time.

The North Acton scheme has been a significant development in on-going attempts to drive forward the regeneration of the Southern Gateway, making it a high profile project for all those involved. “The principles of high quality and inclusive design underpin the design-led approach,” said a spokesman for Amos Architecture, the architectural firm who helped develop the design of the scheme. “The design responds positively to the urban context, delivering housing which meets and exceeds current standards in relation to sustainability, accessibility and space.”

Berkeley First sourced the site, which is a few minutes’ walk from North Acton tube station and provides students' with direct access to University of the Arts’ Lime Grove campus in Shepherd's Bush just three stops away on the Central Line.

Tailored specifically to the needs of University of the Arts students,, the development features a public art gallery, art workshop, sensory gardens and retail units.

In what is rapidly becoming a huge growth sector, the combined talents of those involved in the project – from the original discussions and design stage through to construction and fitting out – has helped to create a landmark project and provide a much-needed new lease of life for a historic building.

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