The new teaching block at Dundee University has been completed.

The block has a dramatic design and an equally attractive decorative finish.

Designed by the Edinburgh architectural practice of Campbell and Arnott Limited, the building houses a series of lecture theatres and demonstration rooms as well as a new central reception area. The main contractor appointed was HBG Construction and the project was managed by the University's own building management team.

The programme required a fast build schedule and Campbell and Arnott chose to use an external wall system that is carried on a lightweight galvanised steel stud structure with an outer substrate of calcium silicate render board.


These were coated with the lightweight weber.rend MT system and finished with weber.plast TF acrylic based finish in a variety of bold colours including a deep, dark red. Glasgow based render specialist Jamieson Plasterers applied the Weber render system.

The curved frontage to the main teaching block pleasantly lightens the visual impact of the large facade and the weber.plast TF textured surface finish, completes this attractive structure. A dramatic 6.5m radius circular building in the complex houses three lecture theatres and is finished in the same bold red colour.

weber.plast TF is an acrylic based coating, suitable for external decorative finishes. weber.plast TF is ideal for fast application, has high weather protection abilities and, as it is factory produced, has an excellent consistency of colour and is applied directly from the tub on site.

Jim Reid, Weber's Facades Area Manager for Scotland, is particularly proud of this development: "The architect chose the Weber render system for the assurance that adhesion to the bluclad render board gave durability and surface protection in the tough Dundee climate coupled with very attractive colours and finishes. The application of 1500m2 of the weber.rend MT system was hand applied by the Jamieson team and the finish is excellent. The striking colours are perfect for this seat of learning full of young, eager people."

(GK/JM)