SSQ’s phenomenal phyllite completes £10m Limehouse development

SSQ’s world-class Riverstone phyllite has been used to outstanding effect on a multimillion-pound residential development in Limehouse, East London.

The Copenhagen Place project has seen a stretch of canal-side East London transformed into a luxurious housing complex, consisting of 45 individual dwellings spread across a number of five and seven-storey apartment buildings – all of which were roofed with 60×30 Riverstone Ultra.

A collaboration between architects Stockwell and Bellway Homes, the £10m development required a roofing material that didn’t just offer great aesthetics, but robust, long-lasting performance, too.

“Phyllite isn’t as well known as slate, but among architects and developers, its one of the most sought-after roofing materials in the world,” explains Dora Kotzeva of SSQ.

“Subject to intense heat and pressure underground, phyllite’s clay content breaks down and forms mica instead – which results in an unmistakable grey-green colour, and its signature ‘phyllitic sheen’.

“Those same geological processes also make phyllite products like SSQ’s Riverstone extremely strong and weather-resistant.

“One of Riverstone’s greatest advantages is that it retains its strength even when split extremely thin, and demonstrates very low water absorbency – both of which were key reasons it was specified on the Copenhagen Place project.

“In places, the roofs had a gradient of just 15 degrees, which increases the risk of damage through the freeze-thaw cycle.

“The lower the roof gradient, the more likely it is that rainwater will remain on the roof slate, then freeze if the weather turns cold.

“Since Riverstone phyllite is a dense material, and isn’t very porous, it’s the ideal choice for low gradient settings – especially when the individual slates are 60×30, as the added length makes it particularly suited for low pitches.

“Over many years, SSQ’s expert Technical Department has worked to develop its own unique low-pitch roof system for projects like these.

“The British Standard advises against using slate on roofs with a gradient of anything less than 22.5 degrees – but thanks to outstanding material like Riverstone, and the ingenuity of the SSQ team, architects can use quality slate and phyllite even when faced with lower gradients.

“We were delighted that Riverstone was chosen for use on this fantastic project, and know it will provide residents with a stylish, distinctive and extremely hard-wearing roof for decades to come.”