Hampton by Hilton Oxford is a contemporary, new-build hotel situated close to both the business and leisure areas of Oxford.
The project’s contractor, J F Finnegan Ltd of Sheffield, was authorised to specify the products and reached out to the Building Products team within Aggregate Industries to explore suitable walling products for the scheme.
The brief was to supply a visually appealing masonry block, befitting of a contemporary hotel, which would complement the other materials being used in the project, including natural stone Ashlar walling and a smooth render finish in white.
Travertine in Limestone Buff was recommended and the Building Products team sent the contractor samples to demonstrate the quality and visual appeal of the stone.
A perfect alternative to natural stone, Travertine offers a high quality finish, complete with authentic surface pits and troughs, thanks to its moulds originating from natural stone masters. Offering a lot more character than any textured or fair-faced standard masonry block, it provided the authentic appearance that J F Finnegan was looking for.
With Travertine being a made-to-order product, Aggregate Industries produced the required quantity of 800m2 and held the order in stock, making it readily available the moment the contractor was ready to install the walling.
Once installed, the blended colours of the Limestone Buff shade ticked all the aesthetic boxes, delivering an attractive and impactful solid colour from a distance whilst, on closer inspection, creating an eye-catching mottled effect that contrasted beautifully with the smooth, white render finish.
Richard Kirk, Senior Buyer for J F Finnegan, comments: “Travertine lent itself to the project extremely well. We didn’t think we’d find a block that would sympathetically balance the appeal of natural stone with the contemporary look we wanted to achieve – but Travertine has done just that. The look of travertine natural stone, coupled with the straight-lines and uniformity that concrete provides, complemented the Ashlar and smooth render finish beautifully and helped to enhance the overall scheme.”
Jeremy Lee, Sales Director for Aggregate Industries, adds: “Travertine not only delivers aesthetically, it also delivers in terms of performance. Whereas natural stone will deteriorate due to weathering, Travertine’s high density prevents moisture from penetrating the blocks. Made from a wet mix, it is a high-strength product that is extremely durable and will stand the test of time.”
Available in two attractive shades, Limestone Buff and Tuscany, Travertine walling is ideal for all manner of commercial and domestic applications, including offices, retail outlets, leisure centres, schools and hospitals. It is equally a good choice for domestic applications, from flats and apartments to prestige developments and self-build projects.
In addition to the 219mm x 444mm walling blocks, quoin blocks, 219mm x 219mm half blocks and return ends are also available.