Bridgend Road, Pontyclun

Location

Pontyclun, Wales

Main contractor

Wates Group

Architects

Buckmaster Batcup

Products

Stonepanel Stone Cladding

Hardie Plank Fibre Cement Cladding

Facing Bricks

Overview

The Bryncae development on Bridgend Road, Pontyclun is a three-phased residential scheme that aimed to bring much needed housing to the growing commuter town in South Wales. The area thrived during the industrial revolution, with several coal and tin mines providing employment to residents. Since the decline of this industry the area has struggled economically, however the proximity of the village to the M4 motorway and a train station means residents are able to easily commute to most of South Wales, including Cardiff in around 30 minutes by car and 20 minutes by train.

In phase one of the development, a mix of flats, bungalows and houses were built, along with three business units which were filled by Co-op Food, Greggs and Bella’s Boutique. Taylor Maxwell worked with architects Buckmaster Batcup, who were appointed by Rhondda Housing Association, to specify and supply Stonepanel stone cladding and weatherboard cladding to the project, along with blue facing bricks in a soldier course detail above and below the windows. The scheme was managed by supply chain partner Wates Group. The second and third stages delivered a further mix of houses and flats, with work carried out by M&J Cosgrove and Morganstone respectively. Holder Matthias Architects were the architects on phases two and three, carrying out the precedent set in phase one.

Concept

The brownfield site was once an industrial estate, comprising of a small number of units made from bricks and steel. The majority of surrounding buildings are domestic and feature a palette of stone and smooth render. It was decided by the architects that reference should be made to the local vernacular but without expectation that the new builds were to replicate the existing architecture.

The final design of the homes was that they would be mainly render, with timber effect weatherboard cladding and stone cladding details. These different materials incorporate colour and texture palettes from the surrounding area to help create a sense of place and contextual relevance.

Completion

Taylor Maxwell supplied weatherboard cladding, stone cladding and facing bricks to the development, which worked together to create a thoughtfully and well-designed housing scheme.

Weatherboard cladding is a low maintenance alternative to natural wood cladding, therefore making it a popular choice with housing developments where the rustic look of wood is desired. Two colours of weatherboard cladding were used on the scheme, taupe and grey. The combination of these colours, along with the light render and brown and grey toned Stonepanel, allowed the development to seamlessly blend into the surrounding architecture.

Stonepanel stone cladding is a natural stone cladding system, where pieces of stone are adhered to panels for quick and easy installation. Stonepanel was therefore the perfect solution for this project where the stone cladding was used as a feature on various elevations of the properties, to tie the buildings together and create cohesion, whilst referencing the natural materials used in the area.

The blue facing bricks were used as a design feature, laid in a soldier course, above and below the windows. This clever architectural feature helps to tie the windows in with the colours of the front doors, weatherboard cladding and roof tiles. Overall, the development has successfully regenerated a disused site and created valuable new homes in a popular and fast-growing area.

To find out more about weatherboard cladding and how it could work for your project, click here.

To find out more about Stonepanel stone cladding, manufactured by CUPA STONE and exclusively distributed in the UK by Taylor Maxwell, click here.

To find out more about facing bricks and their various design options, click here.