Terrabase Rustic resin bound paths for redesign of lower terrace garden

Addagrip Terraco is incredibly pleased that its patented resin bound porous surfacing system Terrabase Rustic has been selected for this prestigious restoration project in the historic Villa Hügel – marking the first installation of this minimum dig product in Germany.

Villa Hügel is a 19th century mansion in Essen, Germany, set in 28 acres of parkland overlooking the River Ruhr. Built in 1873 as a residence for the Krupp family, Villa Hügel is now open to the public. It is owned by the non-profit Alfried Krupp von Bohlen und Halbach Foundation.

The redesigned south terrace of Villa Hügel, which is laid out in two levels, is based on historical plans by the architectural firm Förder-Landschaftsarchitekten and covered a total area of around 27000 m², including around 2300 m² of park paths with Terrabase Rustic resin bound permeable paving.

In the first construction phase, all paths on the ground level area of the upper terrace garden were restored with a water-bound natural stone path surface based on historical plans.

The same path surface was also planned for the lower second construction phase. However, due to the steep slopes of some stretches of path (some with 14-22% slopes), alternative surfaces were sought for these sections and for a main path intended for heavy vehicles. This was to alleviate concerns over washouts due to rain or damage by heavy machinery, which would have resulted in increased maintenance costs.

As few different path materials as possible needed to be used to achieve uniformity. A visual correspondence to the water-bound path surfaces was also desired. Therefore, materials had to be found that combined the design and technical requirements.

Surfacing requirements

The client required a low-maintenance product that could be driven over (by vehicles up to 3.5 tonnes), allow for easy drainage, and be suitable for steep gradients of up to 22%. The product should visually approximate a water-bound path surface, meet heritage requirements, and provide a seamless, jointless surface.

The aggregate, colour and installation quality had to meet the requirements of the overall architectural design and heritage conservation.

After considering various water-bound options, including a water-bound path surface with stabiliser and a resin-bound surface treatment with EP-reactive resin, the patented Addagrip Terrabase Rustic resin-bound permeable system in a 6-10 mm aggregate mix of Rustic Oak was selected.

The client’s previous visits to see Terrabase Rustic in situ included Wakehurst Place, part of the Royal Botanic Gardens Kew in West Sussex, where extensive paths in woodland areas with similar terrain were laid using the Terrabase Rustic system. Terrabase Rustic is a low maintenance product that can be driven over, provides excellent porosity to aid drainage and is suitable for steep gradient changes. It offers a natural rustic looking finish that is seamless and provides excellent slip resistance.

Addagrip approved contractor KUTTER Spezialstraßenbau GmbH & Co. KG laid Terrabase Rustic in several construction phases between July 2020 and June 2021.

Testimonial

“Our paths on the south terrace with the new Rustic Oak Addagrip Terrabase path surface have proven themselves so far and visually blend very nicely into the overall picture.” (Andreas Seifert, Alfried Krupp von Bohlen und Halbach Foundation)