A natural slate facade enhanced thanks to the Cupaclad Design Waterfall concept and its dynamic vertical installation

Cupa Pizarras, world leader in natural slate, develops innovative ventilated facade concepts. For the first time, the Cupaclad Design Waterfall system was implemented on a private house, in Cantenay-Épinard, near Angers.

This contemporary creation imagined by Anaïs Bordeau, architect and specialist in wooden construction, is equipped with a slate facade, laid irregularly and vertically.

To respect the opinion of the architects of French buildings, the architect chose vertical wooden cladding, combined with the natural slate solution from Cupa Pizarras.

She explains: “The vertical installation of the slate is a reminder of the wood which ages better standing up. The idea of my work is also to lead project owners towards constructions on controlled surfaces and common sense in relation to the environment, the materials chosen are thus natural and noble.

In addition to the aesthetic aspect, the CUPACLAD solution offers acoustic and thermal advantages which appealed to the owner.

8 Cupaclad Design concepts available to architects

In 2016, Cupa Pizarras gave birth to Cupaclad Design, a design office dedicated to research and innovation. The objective: to compare the points of view of designers and engineers on the vertical use of slate in order to imagine developing original and inspiring ventilated facade concepts.

Natural and mineral, slate adapts to the challenges of modern and ambitious architecture by combining aesthetics and energy performance. With a lifespan of 100 years, split by hand, it consumes little energy and water.

To date, 8 new concepts playing on the diversity of shapes and textures are available.

The Waterfall system plays on a rhythmic succession of slates in 50×25, 50×20 and 50×15 formats, in a vertical alignment. The parts are fixed using stainless steel self-drilling screws which remain invisible.