Architect and Builder Offices Retrospective | Page 78

vertical sunscreens adorned with potato prints to give the appearance , at a distance , of the reeds adjacent to the water . Each of the façades contain coloured sunscreens finished in grey , green , yellow and red representing winter , spring , summer and autumn .
The colours of the rendered weatherproof façades behind the sunscreens represent the colours of the earthy tones of Africa and were all found on site in the soils and geology . “ We selected cementitious coatings for the exterior to provide textural interest to the desired colour palette ,” adds Fairbairn . The patterns are an abstract reflection of the layers of soils found adjacent to the lapping shores of a watering hole .
“ The boldness of form on this scale demands a material that is at once affordable , technically capable of top class performance and of course , elegant ” he notes .
The ‘ dirty ’ green glass colour was selected to represent the rich greens found in fertile watering holes . The prominent glazed protrusions symbolise the fish and are combined with a roofscape which emulates the appearance of leaves having fallen to the water ’ s surface . The rich natural environment around the ‘ watering hole ’ will be complemented with a diverse and vast landscape , part of which is a storm water attenuation pond that is already attracting Egrets and other birdlife .
78 Fairland Campus