The house in Wimbledon was originally designed and built by acclaimed architect, Richard Rogers to serve as his parents’ home and takes inspiration from some of the Modern Movement buildings of the early 20th century.
Completed in the late sixties, the property features extensive glazed elevations and a flat roof of minimal depth, where the designer of such iconic structures as Lloyds insurance offices in the City of London, chose to employ Heraklith woodwool “Roof Board” to help regulate humidity levels within the occupied space.
Basically the depth of the roof did not provide sufficient space for ventilation and instead Rogers specified the special grade woodwool board to absorb moisture from the air when humidity levels are high. But then when the air is dry, it will release moisture back into the air. This keeps the room humidity constant and comfortable, while also reducing the risk of surface condensation which can lead to mould growth. In fact the Roof Board was manufactured specifically for this project, incorporating timber slats to provide additional strengthen and allow them to sit unsupported above the ceiling.
The refurbishment of the single storey southwest London house has been carried out by Piperhill construction, with the Northern Irish company striving for authenticity in keeping with the design ethos of the Grade II listed dwelling.
A spokesperson for the project team commented: “This has been a challenging contract where we have tried to keep faith with the original design and, of course, the listed status. Marmox was able to supply us with the identical woodwool product to the boards originally used for constructing the roof and it is certain that the new Heraklith Roof Boards will continue to perform well for another 50 plus years.”
As well as helping to moderate the indoor environment, the Heraklith Roof Boards also offer a level of thermal and acoustic insulation to the build-up, with woodwool boards being a common specification for flat roofs of that era. They also provide a fire classification of B-s1, d0; while being easy to cut as well as fit and can comfortably support foot traffic during the build process.
