The earliest UK project was for a World Heritage site. Paving materials were used to delineate the position of the Roman fort that once stood at the eastern end of Hadrian’s Wall. Recently, profiled reinforced slabs were used in the creation of a new national landmark: the White Horse hill figure overlooking the Channel Tunnel entrance, Folkestone.
Because of its high strength and durability, Blanc de Bierges is regularly chosen by engineers for town and city centres -York, Peterborough and Stafford are just three examples. Leading architects have also specified it for award-winning developments such as: the No.1 Court, Wimbledon; the Tate Gallery, St Ives: the Cable & Wireless College, Coventry (now a Network Rail training and conference facility); the British Embassy in Moscow.The Embassy project was designed by Ahrends, Burton & Koralek. Richard Burton said: “Blanc de Bierges paving materials were chosen for many reasons but one was that I had liked their texture and colour for many years – and I have not been disappointed by the results. In Moscow, a grey city, the cream-buff colour is uplifting when the snow melts in the spring and continues to delight in the summer. We hope that the way the paving has been used will show an aspect of Britain that is difficult to better.”
The Blanc de Bierges formula offers a unique resistance to erosion in even the most arduous marine conditions. Swansea Marina (106,000sq m) is the company’s largest UK paving order to date with the most diverse three-dimensional project being Bangor Marina in Northern Ireland at more than 40,000sq m.There are numerous smaller success stories too. Blanc de Bierges paving was first used to create a public open space outside The Crucible, Sheffield, in 1990. Having stood up to the wear and tear of theatre and snooker crowds for 16 years without the need for repairs, the City Council recently ordered materials for a third phase of work.
Similarly, in Christchurch, Dorset, the Borough Council came back to Blanc de Bierges because the paving they had installed 10 years earlier had “lasted extremely well”. Project engineer Bob Baker continued: “Also, it gives the illusion of Purbeck stone, which was more than twice the price of Blanc de Bierges.”
Although renowned for its hard landscape range, Blanc de Bierges has long been handcrafting special architectural stonework, decorative load-bearing blocks and three-dimensional cladding panels to architects’ individual specifications. To meet a growing demand, it recently launched these as three standard ranges. These masonry products added to the company’s system of landscape elements and spiral staircases gives a total of more than 10,000 components, offering even greater freedom to create three-dimensional co-ordinated designs.
In addition to supplying materials for large commercial and public projects, Blanc de Bierges also serves private clients. The company can provide products for the house and garden, including paving, steps, pool surrounds, planters, conservatory flooring and spiral staircases. The warm natural colour of the materials and lively textured surfaces harmonise with any exterior or interior surroundings.
All Blanc de Bierges products are made by Fenland craftsmen. For further information email sales@blancdebierges.com or telephone our Whittlesey factory showroom on 01733 202566.