EDITOR ' S CHOICE
KEYSTONE LINTELS TURN ARCHITECTURAL VISION INTO REALITY AT POOLE HOMES
The thermal properties , structural performance and lifespan of Keystone ’ s standard lintels played a crucial role in the design of two bespoke modern homes in a prime coastal position in Dorset .
The neighbouring properties in the sought-after Lilliput area of Poole Harbour offer views over Parkstone Golf Club and have been designed to an exceptionally high standard . With double and triple-height ceiling voids , rooflights , high ceilings and over-sized doors , the five-bed homes have been designed by Trinity Architecture in collaboration with developer Towncourt Homes to offer residents a strong feeling of space and light . With the correct specification of lintels , a critical element of a project such as this , the design team turned to Keystone Lintels to meet their structural and thermal requirements .
Keystone provided comprehensive technical support and a fast turnaround to ensure the correct lintels were made available onsite via merchant Sydenhams . Manufactured from high quality grade pre-galvanised mild steel , Keystone ’ s single leaf BOX / K 100 , BOX / K 75 and SK-90 lintels were specified in accommodating lengths and masonry loads to achieve the architectural vision .
The elevations of both properties are arranged to visually break up massing by the stepping up in scale from the left to the right when viewing the front elevations . The off-white render , TBS Portland Blue facing brickwork , timber horizontal boarding and aluminium power coated windows , roof and fascia helped to adjust the building mass and ensured the homes provided a positive contribution to the street scene .
Available in a variation of wall thicknesses and used for internal or external openings , Keystone ' s steel lintels are specially designed with a steel plate on the underside of the lintel providing superior structural stability to avoid twisting of the lintel during installation . Keystone ' s patented design enhances the structural performance of the lintel without compromising the thermal performance . The innovative thermal break plate features intermittent tabs that connect the outer leaf to the inner leaf resulting in a 90 % reduction in thermal bridging . This simple yet brilliant innovation significantly reduces thermal bridging while adding vast improvements to the structural integrity of the lintel .
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