STO
STO BRICK SLIPS USED TO
COMPLETE THE FAÇADE OF THE
BIRMINGHAM TOY BOX BUILDING
A COMBINATION OF EXTERNAL WALL INSULATION AND BRICK SLIPS FROM STO
WERE SPECIFIED FOR A MAJOR NEW LANDMARK BUILDING IN BIRMINGHAM
The StoTherm Mineral K insulation system and StoBrick were
chosen for the city’s new Toybox student accommodation building
for their ability to combine outstanding thermal performance with
a traditional brick appearance, and blend with other construction
materials.
The 15-storey Toybox building is built on a prominent site near
Birmingham city centre. “We wanted to create a visually striking
appearance that would give this new building a unique identity
within the area,” explains Tony Mead of project architects
Corstorphine + Wright. “In order to achieve that, and also provide
a high level of thermal insulation, we worked with Sto to specify
a combination of Sto thermal insulation, and different types and
colours of Sto brick slips. Combined with the glazing and the
external zinc panels this gave us lots of flexibility to translate our
designs into reality.”
The StoTherm Mineral K insulation system uses mineral fibre
boards which were adhesively fixed to the substrate. This allowed
for fast and easy installation, and the accommodation of the curved
surfaces found on the building’s façade. The system provides a
high level of thermal performance, outstanding fire protection and
effective sound insulation. Its single-leaf external construction also
does not reduce the interior space of the building.
To create the impressive ‘shark fin’ appearance for the completed
building and extend the range of surface textures used,
Corstorphine + Wright specified glazed ceramic StoBrick slips, in
a contrasting green colour to the grey Sto resin brick slips used on
other areas of the façade.
StoBrick has been developed as a brick cladding solution for use
with mineral-fibre based insulation systems, to provide architects
with the opportunity to incorporate genuine clay brick finishes into
their façade designs, whilst also achieving the required A2-s1, d0
fire rating.
The BBA certified Sto resin brick slips also used on this project are
manufactured from synthetic acrylic render and are compatible
with all Sto façade systems, offering outstanding resistance to the
effects of weathering, impact damage and mechanical stress. “The
slips themselves are extremely lightweight and are bonded directly
onto the substrate, opening up the range of design options for
recreating the appearance of traditional brickwork in architectural
designs,” comments Graham Chadwick of Craft Interior who
installed the Sto materials.
A combination of StoTherm Mineral K external wall insulation
system and StoBrick brick slips were specified for the new Toybox
student accommodation building in Birmingham.
Sto brick slips are available in a wide range of colours, sizes and
textures, covering all requirements from surface structures which
provide maximum visual impact through to those where a more
uniform and consistent brick appearance is required. Sto also
offers bespoke options for the resin brick slips, which enable
architects to match existing brickwork in relation to colour, size
and texture, thus providing a virtually unlimited range of design
possibilities.
The Toybox building is operated by Prestige Student Living. It
houses 290 student flats plus other amenities including ground
floor retail spaces, a shared garden and a roof-top social area.
www.sto.co.uk
ARCHETECH - PAGE 78