Charred timber cladding in Accoya

For the headquarters of the Zentralverband Deutscher Schornsteinfeger (the German chimney sweeps’ federation) in Erfurt, the practice Planungsgruppe Korb GmbH designed a spectacular facade combining innovative design with traditional Japanese craft. The cladding pairs Zwarthout’s Marugame charred wood variant, made in Accoya using the ancestral shou sugi ban technique, with untreated timber and white walls. The characteristic texture and silvery sheen of the charcoal layer give the facade a changing dynamic depending on the angle of the light, while the association’s orange logo stands out sharply against the dark cladding. Accoya was chosen because it combines appearance with durability: a minimum service life of 50 years above ground, numerous quality certifications and Cradle-to-Cradle Gold certification make it both an ecological and an economical choice for demanding facade cladding.