The Schindel Studio for Archer + Braun Architects – Larch Shakes

Innovative use of timber shakes for a contemporary design

Although this is not our biggest shake project to date, it is definitely worth highlighting, as it showcases how timber shakes are being used for a much more diverse range of buildings, beyond just church steeples.

Stuart Archer and Sarah Braun of Archer + Braun Architects approached us to supply larch shakes to clad both the roof and walls of a new sustainable art studio in East London. They wanted the shakes to be finished with a black or dark grey finish.

WL West determined that 40cm European larch shakes were the most suitable product to achieve the contemporary aesthetic they were looking for. These are produced in Bavaria by Rapold GmbH, and can last up to 55 years in the right conditions. The European larch shakes are traditionally hand cleft, radially split with bevelled butts and parallel sawn edges.

To comply with fire regulations the shakes were treated with a fire-resistant surface treatment produced by Envirograf, as well as a black coloured top coat to achieve the desired finish.

The larch shakes were delivered and treated on site by the main contractor before installation. Every piece had to be pre-drilled prior to being fixed to prevent the shakes splitting. The shakes were laid in 3 layers [3ply layup] with a 125mm gauge for a seen exposure.

The project was so successful that when the client decided to build an extension to their property, they once again chose to source larch shakes from WL West to clad the extension.