TERREAL is clad in terracotta innovation

The latest product lines developed by TERREAL of France – a leading manufacturer of terracotta cladding materials – offer architects even greater scope for creativity and invention in terms of design as well as style, thanks to a significantly expanded choice of finishes. TERREAL, which has 20 years’ experience in its field, will be showcasing its latest product lines at various European and Middle Eastern trade shows in the coming months, starting with SAIE in Italy in October 2004.

Expertise going back 20 years

French company TERREAL offers a wide range of terracotta cladding materials, including single-skin small-size panels that are easy to install, lightweight, and economical. The large-size panels (up to 152cm long by 41cm wide) give a contemporary architectural flavour to the style of any façade.

With colours that go all the way through the material used (as opposed to applying a superficial coating), TERREAL terracotta cladding products offer an attractive range of natural terracotta tones ranging from red-orange to pink or champagne. In addition, TERREAL’s R&D department has created a new range of trendy colours, including pearl grey, chocolate brown, and ebony. These new colours were designed in response to the current minimalist trend in design, with the spotlight on black, white, and grey.

A range of appealing innovations

With its sleek, long lines (up to 152cm), the new PITERAK TERREAL cladding line in smooth, pearl-grey terracotta lends a fluid, harmonious note to office buildings. The PITERAK system is made up of extra-long bricks that are mechanically fastened to the wall using special sections and brackets made of metal. The PITERAK system offers superior technical performance, since it is lightweight, easy to install, and the special joints ensure excellent water tightness. Besides, PITERAK cladding is aesthetically attractive, with extra-long effects and unusual colours.

Guaranteeing minimalist elegance, the MAESTRAL terracotta line effectively combines large-sized panels with the appearance of a uniform surface. However, the truly innovative features of the new line lie in the combination of very large dimensions for the panels (4cm in thickness, 41cm in width and 152cm in length) with the light weight of each and every panel – thus facilitating manual installation. In effect, TERREAL has successfully addressed the technical challenge of producing large-dimension panels, while avoiding the buckling or warping of individual panels.

The latest innovation in cladding materials, sizes, and shapes is the SHAMAL TERREAL line of terracotta sunscreens. These high-end products offer extra-long dimensions and their exclusive airplane-wing design ensures that they stand out from traditional rod-shaped and other sun-screening units. In addition, TERREAL is currently the only terracotta cladding manufacturer in France to offer sunscreens in such large dimensions (up to 135cm in length).

All TERREAL terracotta cladding products harmonize beautifully with other materials, including stone, glass, steel and aluminium, and bring superior aesthetics and uniqueness to any façade. TERREAL products are of a modern style and design, easy to install, and made so as to provide protection for years to come. And because terracotta weathers beautifully, maintenance is kept to a minimum. Besides, one of the major benefits of the TERREAL cladding system is the ability to replace individual panels, if and when needed. This feature ensures the visual harmony of the facade for the lifetime of the building at a reasonable cost.

TERREAL is currently seeking distributors and will be attending several trade fairs in the next few months:

-SAIE in Bologna (Italy), from 13 to 17 October, 2004;

-BIG FIVE SHOW in Dubai (United Arab Emirates), from 20 to 24 November 2004;

-BAU in Munich (Germany), from 17 to 22 January 2005;

-CONSTRUMAT in Barcelona (Spain), in April 2005.