The Use of Grey County Material
Significant materials featured in the design of Grey Roots are concrete, stone, timber, maples hardwood and white cedar. These materials were significant to the historic economy of Grey County. Added to this pallet are various metals including clear anodized aluminium, silver metal siding and painted steel structure, all intended to provide a pallet of various shades of grey. These materials are also used in the main foyer of the building. Where possible, we specified materials that are available in Grey County and originated in Grey County.
The exterior of the building is covered in grey limestone quarried by Ledgerock Industries from the Niagara Escarpment formation near Owen Sound. Stone is also used as the pavement forming the main entrance pathway in the entrance courtyard. Ledgerock Industries is a thriving local business the exports Escarpment stone throughout North America.
Locally harvested white cedar was milled and dried to be used as the exterior sunscreen device located along the curved wall at the west end of the building; as the bevelled siding on the curved wall and as the soffit in various locations including the underside of the main entrance canopy. The vertical orientation of the sunscreen will create a shadow pattern on the building that recalls the light and shade pattern formed by barn siding.
All steel elements used at the exterior are painted with a galvanized paint to provide a grey/silver patina. Metal sidings used are painted silver and window and doorframes are a natural aluminium colour. As the cedar components are exposed to sunlight, they will age to a silver colour that, with the metals and stone, will complete the grey pallet of colours. We felt that the gentle aging of the building materials would allow the main building some association with the period buildings in spite of its much greater size.
The use of stone and wood continues inside the building. The foyer is conceived as a contemporary and sophisticated barn using a timber framed structure made from reclaimed timbers, the Escarpment stone floor previously mentioned as well as hardwood accents. The hardwood used for interior door frames, various trims and the horizontal sunscreens inserted in the timber frame is Grey County maple harvested from Grey County managed forests and locally dried and milled.
Concrete is used to form the heated bench that has been built into the main entrance wall. This has been left exposed with a ground finish to highlight the aggregate. It is anticipated that the sensation of sitting on the warm concrete will be a surprise to most visitors. All aggregates used in the construction were extracted from local quarries and all concrete was mixed and delivered from local concrete plants.
~ G.M. Diemert Architect Inc.
