International Timber and Jewson have teamed up with local developer, Ascia Construction, to provide sustainable and quality cedar timber for the development of one of Costa Coffee's latest drive-thru facilities.
Located at the Adanac Health and Innovation Campus in Southampton, the Costa Coffee drive-thru will provide at least 15 new jobs and soon begin to serve those working and visiting the hospital site. The new coffee shop will also cater to University Hospital Southampton staff using the campus' park and ride facilities at the beginning and end of their shifts.
The building has been designed to include indoor seating for customer use, outdoor tables and a drive-thru window for customers on-the-go. The initial design incorporated red and white render, cedar cladding and grey, powder coated metal roof and windowpanes, as well as turf borders, ornamental planting and newly planted trees surrounding the site's boundary.
When John Packer, Timber Development Manager at Jewson, was first asked to secure the cedar cladding for this project, it was discussed whether homegrown UK Cedar or Western Red Cedar would be the best fit. The cladding designs included lots of individual pieces of cedar, all the same size but cut at different angles, to create a unique timber design that has become synonymous with Costa's coffee shops over time.
Due to the complexity of the design and to ensure the visual aesthetic of the cladding, both John and the team at Ascia Construction decided Western Red Cedar would provide the ideal solution; helping to minimise knots and to prioritise quality, durability and sustainability. "This project was one of the first major enquiries we'd worked on for Ascia Construction," says John. "We wanted to ensure that the quality of the materials, together with the customer service provided met the company's expectations. International Timber proved to be the perfect choice of supplier, offering a cost-competitive quote, alongside a high quality, durable product."
International Timber's Western Red Cedar is often a favourite for both internal and external cladding due to its natural resistance to decay and insect attack, as well as being an excellent material for thermal insulation - keeping the building cool in summer and preventing heat from escaping in winter.
Both John and the International Timber team worked closely to deliver 32 finish x 32 finish PSE cedar, providing samples which had been machined to specification and brought onto site to ensure the customer was satisfied right from the beginning. John then made two more visits throughout construction; once when the cedar was first delivered and again when it was fitted – each time with those on site at Ascia commenting on the quality of the timber.
With PEFC certification, the team at Ascia Construction could rest assured that the cedar used would be in line with Costa's sustainability objectives. "Each time I went on-site, the guys from Ascia Construction would comment on the fantastic quality of the cedar," adds John. "Even going as far to say it's the best cedar they had ever worked with, which of course was music to my ears. The project was finished in April this year and it really is a superior build with quality materials and craftmanship."
