An Art Form

The Yorkshire ArtSpace Society building in Sheffield has used smooth, fair-faced concrete as a design feature of the newly built Persistence Works home to 89 artists. The exposed concrete has been cast in situ and carefully researched and trialed to provide a smooth, light coloured and consistent finish.

Keim Mineral Paints Lotexan was a major factor in the specification for the concrete to counteract weathering and to maintain the ‘as struck’ concrete appearance. It has been applied to all exposed concrete surfaces and the finished result is very smooth and matt with an ‘invisible’ protection from the coating. Lotexan is a water-repellent breathable colourless coating with the same long life properties as other finishes from Keim Mineral Paints.

It is alkoxy silane based and has a much smaller molecular structure than typical silicone based products which means it penetrates into the mineral material to coat the pores of the concrete. This prevents the passage of water through the substrate whilst still maintaining breathability/vapour permeability.

Because it forms a permanent bond with the body of the substrate and it is contained within the body of the concrete, Lotexan is far more resistant to UV degradation and provides genuine long life protection, typically for 10-15 years. It is a completely clear matt finish which does not darken or glaze the surface in any way.

The £4.25 million ArtSpace complex occupies 4,000 sq metres and is an RIBA award winner. Purpose designed, it has been grant aided from the Arts Lottery Fund, The European Regional Development Fund and the site has come from the city council. It is designed by Fielden Clegg Bradley and comprises two longitude and parallel blocks, one of two storeys with the larger studios and a six-storey block with smaller studios off a central corridor. Artists range from intricate jewellers, weavers and illustrators to painters, sculptors and metal workers.

“The building uses concrete in a unique way to form a neutral background to the artworks themselves” says Julia Kashdan-Brown of Fielden Clegg Bradley “we felt a studio complex was a new building type which called for a new form of expression and we adopted an artists approach to exploring and manipulating the material.”

The building is very industrial in its approach, reflecting the typical location for artists studios in industrial buildings where the required light spaces are found.

Keim Mineral Paints Lotexan will ensure that the finished surface of the fair-faced concrete will remain protected and in first class condition for many years to come.

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