Natural integration

Hall 'Zaliger' is located in the rural district of Vollezele and surrounded by meadows. An old and dilapidated parish hall once stood on the site, but was rarely used. The locals lacked a suitable hall in which to organise smaller events. The client's aim was to create something new and inject new life into clubs in the district. Architect Bart Wouters from StudioWAD was charged with this assignment. Quite a task, as there were very strict building regulations to consider. “I wanted a simple and modest building that would not dominate its natural surroundings. That's why I chose SVK's fibre cement slates for both the roof and façade. Slates allow a very even layout across the different volumes, such as walls, roof and spanning elements. The intention was also to achieve an elegant line,” explains Bart.

Covering method

In the project, a specific covering method was chosen. “That's right,” continues Bart. “We were keen for a covering method whereby the roof and walls would look very similar. In the wall-cladding system, the slates almost touch and we opted for the quarto pattern. That is actually almost a chequerboard pattern, but using a square slate. We were also keen to use that pattern as much as possible on the roof. As such, the double coverage on the roof is not traditional, as then the slates would emerge. That's why the slate layer installed waterproofing gullies behind the slates in certain places,” Bart clarifies.

Contrast

“We were also keen to use a light colour for the façade in order to create a beautiful contrast with the black windows. So, we decided on the warm or cloudy grey colour of Ardonit slates. A pale colour gives a much lighter impression. Also, at the bottom we worked with plinths, creating a subtle feeling that the building is floating. Furthermore, the slates are really easy to maintain,” continues Bart.

Why SVK?

“In my inspiration file, I had kept a lovely project using slates from SVK, which meant SVK immediately came to mind when designing this unique project,” confirms Bart.

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With special thanks to: Studiowad (Bart Wouters) Photography: Spot-on visuals