A Dundee building that had fallen into disuse has been rescued in time to play an important part in preparations for Glasgow’s Commonwealth Games next year.
Previously used by Dundee College, the building will become a centre for gymnastic excellence in Tayside and Fife and provide the facilities to give the area’s gymnasts the opportunity to reach their full potential in the build-up to the Games. The Dick McTaggart Centre is named after the boxer who won Commonwealth gold in 1958.
When architects Dorothy Wilson and Tom Ferguson from Dundee City Council started to investigate the look they wanted for the building, they were drawn to the “extravagant” board material of ROCKPANEL Chameleon. The boards come with a crystal-effect coating and depending on the angle from which it is viewed and the effect of sunlight, the colour of the façade panels change.
With input from ROCKPANEL, the new extension was to be clad with a mix of colours including Chameleon Blue, Metallics Azurite Blue and Rockclad Light Grey. The architects thought the product so versatile they have also used the panels inside the facility, with Woods Teak in the dance studio and Rockclad White in the main gym hall.
The pair also wanted images of gymnasts routed into the deep soffit at the entrance and because of the workability of the boards it was easy to achieve that aim. Furthermore the boards are insensitive to moisture and temperature which makes such detailing possible even for outside applications.
Dorothy Wilson said: “We are so pleased we got the look of the building exactly as we wanted it. The ROCKPANEL products were so versatile and delivered more than we would expect from a product.”
And Tom Ferguson continued: “There were so many plus points as well as the aesthetics. ROCKPANEL were there to advise every step of the way, and the routed soffit is very impressive. The feedback from the site was all positive, from how easy the boards were to cut and install, to the lightweight panels making site handling easier. We will definitely use these products again.”
In addition, the company’s Koral E Edge 600 x 600mm ceiling tiles were specified throughout the centre including the wet areas. As well as benefiting from Class A sound absorption to control noise in the centre, Koral tiles are also suited to damp/wet spaces thanks to their inherent stone wool humidity resistant properties.
They can be installed at all temperatures ranging from 0°C to 40°C and no acclimatisation is necessary. Around 350m2 tiles were fitted in the shower rooms using an enhanced corrosion resistant (ECR) grid which is specifically designed for areas with high humidity.
