The first crematorium to be built in Central Bedfordshire had sustainability at the heart of its design – and Hunter Douglas played a key role.

Oakfield Gardens in Steppingley, near Flitwick, was commissioned by Central Bedfordshire Council. Designed by DT Architects Ltd and constructed by SMD Ltd, the 120-capacity crematorium sits in tranquil landscaping and wildflower gardens. It opened in May 2024 and it has stayed true to its ambition of being created with sustainability in mind and to improve biodiversity.

Hunter Douglas, the global architectural products company, complemented the building’s environmentally friendly solar panels by providing solid wood ceilings for the interior and exterior.

An eco-conscious choice and durable, wood is the only building material that is 100% CO2 neutral and totally recyclable.

Devin Johnson, Specification Manager of Hunter Douglas, said the company was asked to supply a solid wood ceiling and cladding for exterior of the new facility, as well as a solid wood wall grill ceiling for the spacious and airy chapel.

It was specified to supply 246m2 of European Oak linear for the external soffits and walls and Accoya solid wood for the façades at the main entrance and tower. The solid wood panels are FSC certified and are fire treated to B-s1-d0 and B-s2-d0. Supplied as 94mm wide and 15mm high panels, they were installed on an SLR carrier with a 20mm gap, which included an ultra fibre black tissue to conceal the joints.

For the chapel, Hunter Douglas supplied 143m2 FSC-certified European Oak solid wood grill ceiling. The 90mm high by 20mm thick panels are fire treated to B-s2-d0 and were installed with random gap spacing for an elegant finish.

The advantage of using Hunter Douglas solid wood wall and ceiling products is that they are made to measure, which means no cutting adjustments are required at site. This reduces significantly the installation time and cost. Any design is possible as the panel and gap size is fully customisable.

Hunter Douglas wood ceilings offer an unrivalled range of finishes and natural tones that promise to make any project stand out. Focusing on quality throughout the production process, it delivers a superior and durable product.