Colourful Cladding is ‘Top of the Class’ at Derby School

A NEW FACILITY built on the grounds of a Derby secondary school demonstrates the use of Trespa cladding as an attractive and safe façade in the education sector.

Established to accommodate the school’s Centre of Excellence for Inclusion, the new block at Derby Moor Spencer Academy highlights the progressive attitude of the school – and its eye for good design.

Working in close cooperation with modular construction specialist Paragon Space, Vivalda supplied more than 580m² of 8mm Trespa Meteon (FR Grade) in three colours, as an external façade to the new building, which uses the same cladding as the main school just metres away.

School Principal Scott Doyle said: “Given the fact that our existing main building has been clad in Trespa for over a decade – it was only natural that we wanted to consider the same brand for our new building.

“Matching the colour scheme and material, it provides a strong visual link to the main school which is important from the perspective of inclusion. Additionally, Trespa’s commitment to the environment was another important consideration during the specification process. Students like the fact that Trespa panels are made from treated wood-based fibres and sustainability has been a key consideration throughout the planning and building process.”

‘Top of the Class’ Cladding

Completed on time and on budget in October 2024, the building comprises five classrooms, an entrance lobby, a reception office, formal and informal meeting rooms, offices, counselling rooms, a therapy room and a multifunctional classroom/dining room as well as staircases and a platform lift. The new building is designed to complement the main school building, which opened in 2018.

The Trespa cladding was supplied in three colours; Amber (M06.4.1 – Metallics), Steel Blue (A24.4.1 – Uni Colours) and Stone Grey (A08.3.1 – Uni Colours), which were all fixed with colour matched rivets. Vivalda undertook the cutting of the 500 boards used on the facade, which required more than 1,500 precision cuts to be undertaken at the branch, prior to delivery on-site.

Chris Meyerhoff, General Manager at Vivalda, said: “This was a fantastic project to work on as it really demonstrates the stunning effects that can be created using different cladding board colours. In the end, the use of Trespa Meteon has created a distinctive, friendly and safe environment in which students can learn and develop.

“This project is also a great example of off-site fabrication really coming into its own. In practice, accurately cutting more than 500 panels boards within a millimetre’s tolerance would have been impossible on-site, given considerations such as space, inclement weather and access to the latest cutting optimiser software. Carrying out fabrication off-site made for a smooth delivery and also much less waste than would have otherwise been the case.”

 >> Read more projects and case studies in the news