click images to see a slideshow

Four blocks of sheltered accommodation units in the south of Bristol have been transformed by Aquarian Cladding's Gebrik insulating brick cladding system. The Hillsbarton development, which contains 100 units for the elderly, was originally built in the 1960s and is owned and maintained by Bristol City Council. Situated in the Bedminster area of Bristol, their refurbishment formed a significant part of a multi-million pound regeneration programme for the area.

The requirements at Hillsbarton were very specific: The system would have to improve the overall aesthetic appeal of the buildings and enhance the local area - red brick being the predominant material. The solution was also required to deliver energy efficiencies in line with the UK governments Decent Homes Standard, have low maintenance requirements and cause minimal disruption to the tenants during the refurbishment process.

Gebrik was the perfect choice and to complement the local architecture, over 600m² of Gebrik was specified - including prefabricated corners for the door and window surrounds, a soldier course detail and bespoke detailing for the entrance lobby area.

As the refurbishment programme was undertaken with the tenants remaining in their apartments, the speed and efficiency of the build programme was a key consideration in material selection.

Being lightweight and dry-fix, installation of the large format Gebrik panels provided a fast and predictable process, with the panels simply fixed to the existing structure. Once the panels and corner components are in place, the façade is completed by the straightforward application of mortar. In this case, a natural mortar colour was selected to complement the brick panels.

The whole refurbishment programme was completed in a remarkable 12 weeks.

Please click on any of the images on the right to view a slideshow showing aspects of the application and results of Gebrik used at the Hillsbarton development. A pdf case study detailing the whole development can be viewed & downloaded from the ‘Resource’ area on the far right.

• Client: Bristol City Council
• Main Contractor: Rateavon Ltd