Backlit translucent cladding panels from Rodeca have helped transform a youth centre in a deprived area of London into a green development for the community.
Enfield Council was tasked with the redevelopment of Craig Park Youth Centre with the intention of building youth-led peacekeeping efforts to improve the community and encourage aspiration among young people.
The œ2.5m development comprises a remodelling of existing brick, concrete frame and timber accommodation and the demolition of a single-storey building for replacement by a new steel-frame two-storey one, all which are clad – the new extension at first-floor level – by more than 1,000m2 of Rodeca’s translucent polycarbonate panels
These 40mm-thick Opal panels have also been used in the lightwell of a three-storey climbing cave which emerges through the roof of the over-clad remodelled building (25mm with Heat Bloc), on the soffit of the external social space overhang (30mm) and the entrance canopy (40mm).
Rodeca says its panels are a powerful way of promoting harmony since their welcoming glow in the evening light adds to the creativity and fun activities going on inside the new centre.
They were specified for Craig Park by Curl la Tourelle Architects – who had used Rodeca panels before as canopy roofing – for their ability to sustainably deliver transparency and illumination as well as thermal improvements.
Rodeca panels, which are 200 times tougher than glass, allow light transmission of up to 66%, which reduces a building’s reliance on artificial light. Panels with U-Values as low as 0.36 W/mýK – compared to double glazing at 2.8 W/mýK and single glazing at 5.8 W/mýK – are capable of reducing energy losses by up to 80%.
Towards the end of the Craig Park design process, which had involved members of the youth centre, a full-size mock-up of the backlit Rodeca panels’ exterior wall was constructed to test its appearance and confirm the approval of youth centre members, stakeholders and contractors.
Andrew Lloyd, senior associate at Curl la Tourelle, said:
“We looked at a number of cladding options but the Rodeca panels gave us the opportunity to explore the different levels of transparency and illumination that we wanted for the fa‡ade and provided an opportunity to increase the thermal performance of the existing wall.
“The Rodeca panels comply well with the aesthetic and performance requirements of the project, being detailed in a fairly self-contained way. The fa‡ade cladding houses LED colour-change lighting which is programmed by the young people, causing the whole building to glow beacon-like at night, advertising its presence to the surrounding area.”
He added:
“The cladding panels include 30% recycled polycarbonate and with their aluminium frames are 100% recyclable. In addition, the polycarbonate over-cladding has made the existing building far more energy efficient.”
Funded by the Government’s Myplace initiative for young people aged 13 to 19, the 1,000mý youth centre built by main contractor Mulalley & Co now comprises a crŠche, gym, flexi-spaces in the existing building, dance and recording / media studios, and social space in the new extension, all of which are for activities prioritised by youth centre members during the project’s design.
Ron Grace, programme manager for Enfield Council’s property services, said:
“The building is truly a manife
