Medite’s innovative, durable wood panel, Medite Tricoya Extreme has been used for the decorative external cladding at Hub 67, a community centre for young people and local residents at Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in East London.
Based in the Hackney Wick, Fish Island area, the Hub 67 community centre was set up as part of the London Legacy Development Company’s (LLDC) portfolio of projects in response to an identified need for a community space for young people and local residents to use for both recreational purposes and signposting to local support services. Hub 67 is managed by East End Community Foundation and supported by its steering group.
The Hub 67 building was constructed from recycled retail and hospitality cabins, which were used during the London Olympic and Paralympic games in 2012. The external cladding was installed by Clearstone Construction and included an external timber framework together with insulation and waterproofing layers. Clearstone Construction worked with architect, Andrew Lock from Lyn Atelier LLP who specified Medite Tricoya Extreme for the external cladding. The product was chosen for its ability to be tooled on site and its finish that provides effective weather protection with little maintenance. A number of panels were given a decorative stain to add to the aesthetic qualities of the building. The whole façade was then finished with an application of recycled metal mesh fence sections, also a legacy from the games.
PJ O’Connor, Operations Director from main contractor on the project, Design Build International said: “We used Medite Tricoya Extreme for the new community centre at Queen Elizabeth Park for its malleability, durability and aesthetic qualities. The finished product looks fantastic and gives the centre the vitality and high level of finish that such an important community building deserves. Fitting the new cladding to old timber structures which had warped over the years was challenging, but our experienced team of carpenters were able to work effectively with the Medite Tricoya Extreme product to ensure the finished presentation was flawless.”
The product is perfect for use in external façade cladding applications, such as at Hub 67, as the wood panel is modified through a proprietary acetylation process, giving outstanding water resistance, dimensional stability and durability using a non-toxic environmentally friendly process.
Peter Clifton, Product Manager for MediteTricoya Extreme added “It is extremely rewarding to see MediteTricoya Extreme used for this important community project and great that the product is really helping the building to stand out as a beacon for community activities and as a place where young people can get involved in local issues.
Moreover, Medite Tricoya Extreme is guaranteed not to rot or decay for 50 years meaning that the community foundation which is running the centre will not have to spend additional money on structural repairs. Overall, we are extremely proud of the finish to the building that this innovative product has provided.”