3 Residential Buildings, Weston-Super-Mare (2009)

Cast stone mirrors complex Victorian detailing

Cast stone detailing from UKCSA member Forticrete has been extensively used to create an imposing appearance for two apartment blocks and a short-stay hostel at the seaside resort of Weston-Super-Mare.

The intricate cast stone detailing recaptures the elegance of the town’s Victorian vernacular. It was selected as a cost-effective and environmentally friendly alternative to natural stone without compromising strength, durability or aesthetics.

The architectural details include multi-storey oriel and rectangular bays, which are topped off with decorative false gable ends.  Cast stone balustrades, corbels, copings to gables and boundary walls, piers, spheres, string courses, window heads, cills and jambs also feature strongly in the design by Armstrong Burton Architects.

Forticrete offered significant cost savings by standardising some components across the three buildings. Other elements were cast from individually crafted wooden moulds. Close collaboration between Forticrete, the architects, factor Taylor Maxwell and contractor ROK Group ensured that the project was completed to schedule.

The apartment blocks were constructed for Pegasus Retirement Homes and the short-stay hostel fro the Royal British Legion.