HAPA Architects was after a Scandi-style black barn aesthetic for a new house they were designing for a client. A key stress of the brief was that the project should also be all-round low environmental impact.
IRO Timber cladding from BSW enabled them to hit both targets.
IRO comprises UK-grown softwood, which is charred using the traditional Japanese Yakisugi method, making the timber inherently resistant to insect damage, moss and algae.
BSW bills it as “100% eco-friendly”. It’s HVOC-free and UV-stable, so not only lasts, but keeps its looks.
HAPA opted for ‘charcoal’, the darkest shade in the extensive IRO Timber colour palette, and clad the entire house, combining it with copper gutters, polished concrete flooring, a dark slate roof and large wall height windows. The end result is described as crisp contemporary rustic.
“We were particularly impressed with the aesthetic of the pronounced grain and colour depth produced by the Yakisugi wood charring,” said HAPA director Stuart Paine.
“We liked the way the sunlight fell on the grain, producing definition in the materials.”
IRO Timber is coated in a wood cream, which not only gives a smooth, glossy finish, but also adds to weather and temperature change resilience. This is typically applied every three to five years, helping maintain the water repellence of the timber and reinforcing UV resistance so the cladding will keep its looks even longer.
The house took Brian Huntly Builders 10 months to complete and, said IRO Timber marketing executive Alix Lancaster, provides a prime demonstration of the cladding’s design and performance potential.
“It’s exciting to see IRO being used on such a big scale and the cladding complements the other materials used, such as the copper gutters and the glass wrap-over window. It gives the house a modern but timeless twist that lends itself to its natural surroundings.”
