Leading cladding manufacturer Carea has supplied over 3,000m2 of its Acantha cladding to The College Merthyr Tydfil – a £33 million state-of-the-art building which marks the beginning of a new chapter in the educational history of South Wales.
Designed by RMJM Architects and built by Interserve, the College forms a key part of the Merthyr Learning Quarter (MLQ) project – a Welsh Government-funded scheme to radically improve learning and employment opportunities in the region. Combining secondary, higher and further education colleges in one – the 13,450m2 building includes cutting edge IT facilities, science laboratories and a professional standard sports hall.
For the new building, a cladding system was required that would complement the project’s contemporary architecture. Installed by specialist contractor Massey Cladding, the entire structure was encased in striking Acantha panels – perfectly demonstrating Carea’s ability to create stylish, modern buildings.
Carea Acantha composite stone panels are designed for building ventilated facades with insulation and non-ventilated facades without insulation. Available in a range of colours, textures and sizes, the panels were supplied in Opaline 9029. These were then installed in alternate horizontal bands to create a modern, attractive finish in line with the overall contemporary aesthetic.
Installation is quick and simple too with the Carea facade system, as each panel is supplied with specialised horizontal rails that fit onto vertical cladding supports. With precisely routed grooves on the top and bottom, the simple fix provides a totally seamless finish to maintain the stunning appearance of the project.
Whilst providing improved aesthetics and excellent resistance to damage, the sustainable system is also manufactured using around 95% natural minerals for superior environmental performance. Carea cladding can help buildings to optimise their thermal efficiency to achieve the high standards of modern building regulations.
With the ground-breaking development now welcoming 3,000 students through its doors every day, Carea has proved instrumental in the creation of a striking building which looks great, delivers exceptional performance and will continue to serve its community for generations.
