Dr. Víctor Cárdenes Van den Eynde
Geologist and roofing slate independent consultant
29/03/2021
Why do we use slate to cover roofs? There are many good answers to these questions: slate is waterproof, can be split into thin, regular and flat shingles. Slate is durable and has been used for centuries in many exceptional buildings, and (my favourite) slate is a beautiful natural rock with outstanding aesthetics. However, have […]
16/03/2021
At CUPA PIZARRAS we’re hitting the road to explore different countries and show you natural slate through the eyes of the roofers. How can you join us? Quite easy: from 22nd March check out our Instagram stories. Throughout that week we will stop at different locations in France, Belgium and the United Kingdom, where local […]
Dr. Víctor Cárdenes Van den Eynde
Geologist and roofing slate independent consultant
08/03/2021
Today I will discuss something that can either be very funny or very sad, depends on the eye of the beholder. Let me explain some of the facts about fake roofing slates. Nowadays it is possible to find artificial or synthetic “slate” shingles, usually made of asphalt, rubber, plastic…anything but stone. Of course, companies that […]
Dr. Víctor Cárdenes Van den Eynde
Geologist and roofing slate independent consultant
01/02/2021
The British Isles keep one of the most interesting slate architectural and historical heritage in the world. Since Prehistory, the many cultures that have populated the British Isles have used slates for lots of purposes: walls, hobs, tombs and gravestones, tools, engravings…you name it. The first proper roofing slate shingles were found in the Roman […]
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Dr. Víctor Cárdenes Van den Eynde
Geologist and roofing slate independent consultant
26/11/2020
I have been doing research on roofing slate for many years. During this time, I’ve found some interesting facts about roofing slate, relating many different fields such as peculiar uses, unknown properties, and geological features, among others. For example, did you know that…? Titian (1490-1576), one of the most important painters from the Italian Renascence, […]
Dr. Víctor Cárdenes Van den Eynde
Geologist and roofing slate independent consultant
11/11/2020
Today I am going to share with you some thoughts regarding quality. I’ve been tempted to start this post with the formal definition of quality as defined in the dictionary, but I think we all know very well what quality is about, I don’t need to start my post with a boring definition. Quality means […]
Dr. Víctor Cárdenes Van den Eynde
Geologist and roofing slate independent consultant
29/10/2020
Nowadays, Spain is the main producer of roofing slate in the world. The fine-grained, smooth and durable Spanish slate has spread to all countries. However, this was not always so. There was a time in which the United Kingdom was a global power in roofing slate production. Roofing slate has been quarried since centuries in […]
21/07/2020
The Scandinavian countries have succeeded in creating a unique and immediately recognised style. Architecture is not an exception, and the projects from Northern Europe are increasingly regarded as a source of inspiration. What is the key to this success? Whatever is superfluous becomes ugly over time This strong statement by one of the fathers of […]
