CUPA: CUPACLAD enhances hotel aesthetics with a creative natural slate façade

Situated at the northern edge of a newly developed retail park near Bristol, the Abbey Wood Travelodge was conceived as part of the company’s new Budget-Luxe line of hotels. The design needed to reflect an elegant and stylish exterior to meet the high aesthetic standards of this innovative concept – step forward CUPACLAD, from CUPA PIZARRAS.

Juan Lopez, Associate Architect at Stride Treglown, the company that was in charge of the design, comments: “CUPACLAD fitted perfectly with the elevation strategy for the hotel and helps to convey the aspirations of this new hotel typology

“We wanted the two interlocking volumes of the hotel to be easily distinguishable and the dark, uniform colouration of the natural slate – combined with its rough texture and the size variation created by the Random system – really helps to set it apart from the coloured aluminium panels of the other volume.”

The project has been a success from the very start, and being shortlisted for the Façade Awards UK 2024 is a clear testament to the quality of work delivered. Despite the building’s seemingly complex appearance, CUPACLAD’s straightforward installation system ensured a smooth and efficient process, making it both easy to install and highly effective in achieving the desired aesthetic.

‘Incredibly resilient qualities’

Tim Gray, Director of A2O Facades, the company responsible for installation, says: “We have been operating for over 20 years and this project is the first time we have installed natural slate. CUPACLAD, with its innovative fixing system and ease of install and versatility, is a highly fire-resistant rainscreen system using a natural material with incredibly resilient qualities.”

Architects rarely need an excuse to specify natural materials, but when the project managers visited our quarries to witness the extraction and production processes first hand, they gained a deeper understanding of the sustainability behind CUPACLAD.

Seeing the meticulous craftsmanship and environmentally friendly practices up close reinforced their confidence in choosing natural slate for this project.

Bruce Gray, Construction Manager, concludes: “Not only has the natural slate façade added a striking and unique aesthetic to the project, the ease of installation and support from CUPA PIZARRAS played a key role in keeping the project on track. We are very pleased with the final result and would definitely recommend natural slate rainscreen cladding for future projects.”