19/08/2010
A clean-cut case for Uni-Base Board cladding

At first glance the Main Drive Kew development appears to be a cubist creation. With strong architectural forms, clean lines and minimalist design the feel is futuristic. Much of this is due to the articulation of the master plan, but also the crisp, clean finish of the external fabric of the buildings. Used extensively throughout Stage Two, Uni-Base Board® external cladding by Unitex® has helped bring the architects' vision to life.

The slick facades are predominantly white. First applied with Uni-Base Board Render and then expertly finished with Uni-Trowel Decor Texture (155) providing a medium trowel finish. "The deliberate monochromatic colour application allows for the landscape and built form to read strongly against the vivid (Victorian) sky," claims dKO Architects.

Despite the futuristic appearance of Main Drive Kew, much effort has been made to preserve the "gardenesque character" as well as the historical and cultural significance of the site, which housed the original Kew Cottages. Amongst the 360 - 400 houses, terraces and apartments planned for Main Drive there will be 20 community homes housing up to 100 intellectually disabled residents. "The community homes are deliberately indistinguishable from other homes and are designed and approached in the identical manner and architectural style," says dKO Architects.

Looks aside, the Uni-Base Board, an External Insulation Finishing System (EIFS) is also thermally efficient to deliver significant energy savings. The three sizes provide an R-value rating of 1.63 - 2.75. When installed with sisalation the R-value goes up to 3.20 for the 100 mm thick board. With the new 6-Star energy design coming into effect in May 2011 in Victoria, that's a lot of points towards the rating requirements taken care of. And makes a clean-cut case for specifying Uni-Base Board cladding on your next project.