DuPont™ Corian® solid surface makes a major contribution to the Savill Gardens Building in Great Windsor Park
The Crown Estate’s impressive Savill Building at Windsor Great Park was built as the focal point of one of England’s most beautiful and most visited woodland gardens. Designed by Glenn Howells Architects, the prestigious development features DuPont™ Corian® solid surface and a number of modern materials that were specified to achieve the desired clean and pared-down look.
The public spaces were designed to flow across a vast open-plan layout, broken only by two imposing elliptical pods which serve to demarcate the various zones within the building. Corian® in Pearl Grey was specified to clad the entire external areas of these structures.
To distinguish the functions and mark the central route through the building, the architect used one pod to serve as the ticket office and paying entry point to the Gardens and the other as the route to a garden shopping centre. The second pod doubles as a sculptural partition between the cafeteria on one side and a small exhibition showcase area on the other.
Using an innovative new process of bonding printed film onto Corian® solid surface, the silky smooth surfaces are decorated with graphic artwork and text. All of the functional countertops within the pods are also clad in Corian® solid surface, creating aesthetic continuity.
Corian® is also featured in the restaurant, with all catering and dumb waiter units clad in the same Pearl Grey colour. The stain-resistance and ease-of-maintenance inherent to the material make it a smart choice for areas prone to frequent usage or spills.
Jamie Webb from Glenn Howells Architects explains why he chose DuPont™ Corian® solid surface: “We wanted a durable, homogenous product that could manage the curves integral to the pod design and sit alongside the undulating roof. We are very pleased with the fantastic result and would happily specify Corian® again on future projects.”
Corian® works well both aesthetically and practically with a variety of design materials, including metal, glass and wood, all of which feature strongly in the architecture of the Savill Building. The dominant feature of the building is the mesmerically undulating timber roof (harvested from Windsor Great Park). Furthermore, properties such as durability and renewability make Corian® solid surface a wise investment for busy public spaces.
