NBK Terracotta by Hunter Douglas is one of the best performing terracotta rain screens in the global market. Its exposed components are made exclusively from terracotta and it has one of the strongest compressive strength and break loads in the industry.

This product retains aesthetic value extremely well; the low percentage of water absorption ensures that dirt does not penetrate the tile and make it look dirty, the inert material colour will not fade with time, it has outstanding colour consistency and is graffiti resistant.

The proprietary facade solutions by NBK move water away from building envelopes, using a ventilated and pressure-equalised system. The natural chimney effects keep the building dry — reducing maintenance and saving energy. This product can be customised with a large variety of shapes, colours and textures. This allows for basically absolute design freedom, meaning architects can meet client specifications to a tee.

NBK Terracotta was recently used for a new build of high-end, multi-storey, residential apartments on the Orakei Ridge. They used the colours M1.01 and M8.01 to achieve their desired finish and combined smooth and textured tiles in a vertical format to ‘lift’ the building, setting it apart from its surroundings while aesthetically blending in.

Residential apartment blocks often pose a logistical issue when it comes to maintenance so it is a huge plus that NBK Terracotta will never require re-painting, coating, or sealing for the building’s lifetime (so there is virtually zero maintenance). This product was chosen for its superior quality and custom look and delivered an aesthetically pleasing, practical cladding solution as illustrated by the images.