Roofing and cladding manufacturer Ruukki Construction have recently developed and launched the new Design Palette concept for their cladding and rainscreen portfolio. The online Design Palette visualisation tool enables the designer to visualise cladding products in simulated lighting conditions and views. The design Palette can be found on Ruukki’s website www.ruukki.com/designpalette.
The facade of a building uses cladding not only for practical purposes, keeping it weather tight and secure, but also to be decorative and aesthetically pleasing. It can also make an important contribution to the sustainability of a building. The choice of cladding is an opportunity to complement structural characteristics, experiment with colours, textures and shapes to create an individual signature on the landscape. Ruukki understand the importance of cladding and the process in making the right choice, the Design Palette visualisation tool is designed to make that choice easier.
The Design Palette concept defines the facade in terms of the shape, colours and materials and an intuitive interface enables the user to experiment with different combinations of these elements.
There are a number of different materials that may be used in cladding, such as steel, aluminium and Cor-Ten, with different properties and environmental impacts. There will be Copper, Stainless Steel and Rhein Zinc materials coming soon.
The Design Palette has a comprehensive selection of colours which, always making a unique impression, signify the architects individual vision. A choice of coating is also available, a PVDF matt surface which, is recommended for normal exterior use, where it is important that the facade retains its colour over time, because it has high resistance to UV radiation and stains.
A powder-coated matt surface which, is recommended for normal and more demanding exterior use, and includes an epoxy-coated galvanised steel substrate. Ruukki uses a new advanced powder coating technology.
In order to express rhythm and flow, elegant, eye-catching and modern, a wide selection of shapes are available in the Design Palette visualisation tool. It offers high quality shapes such as rainscreen panels, lamellas and profiles. Unique facade surfaces can be created using panels of different sizes, materials, colours and joint widths. Especially large panels are also available – Ruukki’s Liberta™ Grande products are manufactured with a high density insulation board which, adhered to the back of the cassette, acts as a stiffener. The wide variety of shapes enables visually interesting vertical and horizontal surfaces and highlights. The versatility of design profiles enables multiple applications for the facade, interior walls and suspended ceilings of a building.
The design palette is being continuously developed to incorporate new materials, colours and products.
For inspiration and to experience all the shapes and their details, feel the material and colours in different lighting and from various perspectives of finished facade surfaces go to www.ruukki.com/designpalette where shapes, materials and colours can be visualised instantly for you.
