A project that exemplifies a “perfect application of Welsh Slate", completed by Wates on a landmark site in London’s iconic West End, has won a prestigious NFRC Roofing Award.
The triangular site at Piccadilly Circus was a mixture of 13 buildings of different ages, architectural styles, listings, ownerships and uses. But they are now brought together under a new Welsh Slate roof that reflects the complex labyrinth below.
Fletcher Priest architects’ 144,000 ft2 mixed-use scheme for Landsec’s Lucent, the new name for the city block that accommodates the Piccadilly Circus Lights, has been radical. A mix of Welsh Slate’s County-grade 500 mm x 300 mm and 500 mm x 250 mm Cwt-y-Bugail Dark Blue-Grey slates were laid over 1,750 m2 on pitches ranging from 20° to 80° by EJ Roberts Roofing Contractors.
Project architect Joe Sweeney said:
“The roof is a very important part of the project as it unifies the 13 different buildings into one consolidated project.
"It was important to us to use local and traditional products and their sustainability was equally as important—Welsh Slate met all those requirements.”
The combination of technical complexity, skilful installation and aesthetic value secured the 2024 Roofing Awards trophy for EJ Roberts for best Multi-Discipline Project over £250k.
Paschal Fennelly, estimator with EJ Roberts, said:
“It was one of the most challenging contracts ever for our company but this roof is probably a perfect application of Welsh Slate to unify a unique roofscape.
"We are blessed to have great roofers who delivered the best standards of workmanship, and of course the star of the show is the new Welsh Slate.”
