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SPOTLIGHT

AHEAD OF THE CURVE

The bold design of Menai Science Park
helps local entrepreneurs dream big.

et amidst an idyllic landscape of quaint cottages and verdant pastures,
an ambitious initiative has taken root that looks to turn a quiet corner
Sof northwest Wales into an important hub for science and technology.
Located in the town of Gaerwen, the Menai Science Park will be the first venture
of its kind in the country. To meet the project’s lofty expectations, a bold design
was commissioned from Newcastle-based FaulknerBrowns Architects, who
opted for a cutting-edge proposal based on an impressive white-ribbon facade
that punctuates the low-lying countryside of Anglesey Island.

To achieve this dramatic effect, the firm’s architects selected Corian® Exteriors
panels made with Corian® Solid Surface to clad the exterior and interior portions
of the structure that greet visitors to the 5,000-square-meter complex. “We
investigated a number of alternative cladding systems including glass reinforced
concrete, aluminum composites, cassette panels and high-pressure laminate, but
very quickly chose Corian® Exteriors as the preferred solution,” says Leighton
Cooksey, project director at FaulknerBrowns for the Menai Science Park.

The sinuous design envisioned by Cooksey and his colleagues is marked by a
continuous band in the Glacier White color of Corian® Solid Surface on the
main facade made up of 1,300 square meters of thermoformed panels with
an aluminum support system. Inside, the same ribbon motif reappears around
varying levels of the lobby and main reception area. In both instances, the
architects have made the most of the advanced material’s translucency not to
mention its compatibility with technology, as they have smoothly integrated
backlit logos into their scheme to call attention to the park when new arrivals
set foot on the premises.

The aim of FaulknerBrowns was to create a contemporary structure that would
inspire business tenants to push the envelope in their respective fields while
also ensuring the design meets functional needs, including waterproofing,
to withstand the inclement weather that affects this stretch of North Wales.
The facade is a rainscreen cladding system made with Corian® Exteriors panels

OPPOSITE: Corian® Exteriors panels in Corian® Solid Surface (Glacier White color) highlight
the facade of the Menai Science Park in Gaerwen, Wales; project by FaulknerBrowns Architects.

Corian® Design / ISSUE TWO 47