"building frames"

Project DescriptionBioMed Realty’s development comprises 94,000 sq.ft. of new office accommodation over three storeys located in the heart of Cambridge’s Granta Park Estate. Rated BREEAM “Very Good”.The building features a dramatic top-lit central atrium space arranged at the heart of the floorplates. It affords the client, a leading international biotechnology company, to operate in exemplar facilities in a flexible environment to meet current needs, planned growth and evolving working patterns, including future proofing for laboratory uses. Aukett Swanke’s design embodies quality, simplicity and elegance, which enabled rapid construction to meet the proposed occupation date.Specific Project ChallengesThe façade design needed to be optimised so that the building could capture heat in the winter, minimise heat gain in the summer and maximise the use of natural daylight.The south-facing elevation, therefore, required a dynamic screen, acting as a brise soleil, maximising daylight opportunities and simultaneously avoiding excessive solar heat gain in the building interior.Solutions OfferedAsh & Lacy provided a bespoke two-step facade solution, using 3mm natural silver anodised aluminium to meet both the aesthetic and practical requirements at BioMed Realty.South elevation panels were rectangular perforated and mounted on a frame in front of the glazed curtain wall to form the dynamic screen.North, East and West elevation panels consisted of matching solid castellated panels with an embossed pattern matching the dynamic screen panels.

This large-scale project featuring 224 bolt-on balconies involved the replacement of composite decking boards on timber joists with BalcaSmart Aluminium decking.We've seen a huge increase in the number of refurbishment projects since the updated Approved Document B came into force along with guidance from the government urging owners of pre-existing buildings to remove combustible materials from balconies if found.This luxury tower was completed in 2014 but with 25 stories, it was a project that came with many challenges.System UsedBalcaSmart Aluminium decking system with aluminium decking boards in RAL 7039 (Quartz Grey).Selected for its low-height build-up, the BalcaSmart Aluminium decking system for balconies was selected, with joists attaching directly to the existing steel balcony frame.Balconies are stacked. To ensure the finish from below was as seamless as that from above, the substructure was powder-coated in RAL 7040 (Window Grey) to match the balcony steels.The ChallengesPre balcony fabrication, our estimating and design team worked with Fletcher Crane architects to create detailed designs, which our team used to create a bespoke specification.As the development was completed in 2014, apartments were occupied, with residents present during refurb works.Furthermore, due to the glass facades and balustrades to the exterior, the goods for the job (including cut-to-length aluminium decking boards) were taken in through the interior of the building and installed as such by London-based Acacia Gardens from Hounslow.Location: ShoreditchCompleted: 2021Architect: Fletcher CraneClient: Private leaseholders

With 50 years’ experience in the modular build industry, the challenge for Tingdene Homes was to deliver a cutting edge solution for a new two-storey holiday home construction which was to be built entirely offsite in a controlled factory environment, with the objective of delivering speedier construction, factory engineered quality and cost-effective design.

Project: Plärrer high-rise building, Nuremberg, Germany

BackgroundOccupying a prominent position on the Kingsway, The Curve development is a portfolio of 27 apartments. The key requirement for Cube Homes was to offer residents high quality, low carbon, affordable and sustainable apartments.After extensive planning, K Systems specified a direct fix system with mineral wool insulation and a silicone render finish. Our Direct Fix system for steel frame structures is KIWA BDA certified and provided the ideal solution for these newly constructed mid-rise apartments.Our team designed a façade solution that delivered modern, thermally efficient and aesthetically pleasing homes, meeting the client’s requirements.Our ServiceDue to the number of fixings and the curvature of the property, this was a technical project which required bespoke detailing.In collaboration with Bowker Sadler Architects and our approved installer Profac, we designed a comprehensive specification and were on-site when required, offering Profac technical and installation support throughout the build.The Direct Fix system specified is a cost-efficient solution for steel frame structures, with fewer components for a simpler and faster install. Direct Fix generates exceptional insulation and with a silicone render finish provides high levels of fire rating (A2,s1-d0), allowing Cube Homes to deliver safe and thermally efficient homes.Technical Project DetailsThe EWI needed to be line and level with the ground floor brickwork. To achieve this specific requirement, 300mm mineral wool (which is deeper than available mineral wool) was specified for the project. This meant 110mm and 190mm boards were combined to achieve the required 300mm.This thicker mineral wool meant that the curved elevation on the building was difficult to achieve. The insulation was facetted around the curve and carefully installed by Profac to create a seamless façade. The 300mm mineral wool resulted in a low U-value of circa 0.10 W/m²K, meaning heating costs for the apartments will be minimal and carbon usage will be reduced to a minimum standard.For the finish, silicone render (TC 15) was specified to create a striking curved elevation. Silicone TC incorporates the benefits of silicone technology to provide a water repellent finish with a fresh and modern appearance. The silicone allows water vapour to pass freely through the render whilst allowing the finish to remain weather resistant, making it the ideal solution for a low maintenance, long-term finish.

Meadows Business Park is undergoing a major repositioning, providing modern working for a post covid-19 world. With 3 refurbished buildings positioned in landscaped grounds, providing workspaces, offices, central café, gym, cycle storage and showers. Located next to Blackwater Railway station, tenants of Meadows Business Park can enjoy pop up shops, street food markets, walks around the 100 acre shepherds meadow and even Peloton bikes, as well as a range of classes in the gym.As part of the refurbishment of these buildings, we worked alongside OD Interiors to manufacture and install the lockers and bench seating for the cycle storage and shower areas. As part of the project, we provided 22 wet specification Laminate Z Lockers for the male changing rooms, 22 wet specification Laminate Z Lockers for the female changing rooms and bench seating for both changing areas and the cycle storeroom.The stunning Laminate Z Lockers were manufactured with an aluminium body, stainless steel door frame and Abet Laminate doors. The colours chosen were Mountain Oak and Ice White from Abet’s range of laminate colours. We work with a variety of suppliers of laminate, allowing us to offer a large selection of colours and finishes, from carbon-neutral options, wood effect styles, through to bright pops of colour.In each changing room, 13 of the 22 Z Lockers were fitted with seat stands, with the remaining 9 lockers fitted to stands. The frames for the stands and seat stands are powder coated in RAL colour white, with the seat slats in Mountain Oak laminate to match the locker doors. To keep the project slick and uniform, the end panels, infills and the cladding to hide the stands are in the Ice White laminate, also matching the doors.The locks chosen for the project were the Digilock Versa Keypad locks. These are a great choice for both assigned, or shared use, and so were perfect for the shared changing rooms at Meadow Business Centre. Plus, they look great as a contrasting matt black colour against the light doors of the Z Lockers.It was great to work alongside OD Interiors again on this project and look forward to some more exciting projects in the future.If you are looking for Z Lockers, or have a similar project you need help with. Our sales team can help. Give us a call on 01284 530427 or click here to get a quote.

Improve the Student and Staff Experience at LSEThe new building, which opened its doors in January 2022, demonstrates the School’s ambition to create a world class estate and university quarter in the heart of London. Designed by Dublin-based Grafton Architects, the large, multi-purpose building occupies a pivotal position at the southern corner of Lincoln’s Inn Fields. The Marshall Building is LSE’s largest building with ten storeys plus two basement levels. It accommodates the Departments of Accounting, Finance and Management, as well as the Marshall Institute of Philanthropy and Social Enterprise, the Systemic Risk Centre and the Financial Markets Group.HERADESIGN® Fine and HERADESIGN® Superfine were chosen for its acoustic performance, aesthetics, economy and low carbon. The impact resistant type was also specified for the sports areas. Alongside, Armstrong METAL R-H 200 panels provide a sophisticated open and contemporary look. They were chosen for areas where more service access was required but where a consistent aesthetic was also important. The metal panels were also used as ‘floating canopies’ so a high perimeter was specified to give a finished look at all sides.

Also the largest public cultural space in Europe, the new 35,000m² Library of Birmingham replaces the old Central Library and is seen by Birmingham City Council as a flagship project for the redevelopment of the city.Designed by architects Mecanoo, working with multi-discipline engineers Buro Happold and main contractor Carillion, the multi-tiered roof of the library features two garden terraces which have both contributed to the BREEAM Excellent rating.Radmat Approved Contractor Prater delivered a roofing solution that is BBA Certified to last ‘the life of the building’. Consisting of Radmat PermaQuik PQ6100 Hot Melt Monolithic waterproofing membrane, root resistant Cap Sheet and ProTherm inverted roof insulation, the entire roof was electronically tested for integrity prior to the installation of aluminum powder coated cappings to the perimeter roof upstands.Once the installation of the 7,500m. of PermaQuik PQ6100 roofing system on the roof and ground level podium deck was signed off by a Radmat Technical Adviser, Prater brought in specialist green roof contractor Frost Landscapes. They then carried out the installation of the complex intensive green roofs, at levels 3 and 7, which were created to attract local wildlife and to offer visitors a pleasant environment to enjoy all year round.Combining durability and flexibility with independent verification of life expectancy and a market leading guarantee the PermaQuik PQ6100 Hot Melt Monolithic waterproofing system is set to deliver exceptional performance befitting of the uniquely designed structure which has set a remarkably high standard for library design.With Radmat’s high performance roofing solution providing weathertight protection for years to come, the Library of Birmingham looks set to not only form the catalyst for further regeneration within the city but also how future libraries are designed and perceived by the user.

Hydrock is an award-winning, multidisciplinary engineering design consultancy working with clients across the UK. With 16 offices and over 500 staff, their work covers various sectors, including acoustics, nuclear, fire, civil + structural and building performance engineering. Director of Building Performance Engineering, Anuran Wickramasinghe, caught up with us to tell us more about the work Hydrock does for its clients and why the business uses NBS Chorus on its projects.WORKING COLLABORATIVELYAs a multidisciplinary consultancy, Hydrock work on a wide range of exciting projects, from concept to detailed construction drawings to post-occupancy evaluations. Recent projects have included the new facilities for the English National Ballet, UWE's engineering faculty and Bristol’s inland surfing destination, The Wave. According to Anuran, the ability to work on projects in the cloud has been one of the most useful features of NBS Chorus. As a cloud-based specification platform, Chorus allows multiple users to work on a specification remotely and on a range of devices, which has been extremely useful for Hydrock given the distance between their offices - and around 90% of their technical staff are currently working from home. “We’re dispersed all around the country and are working from home so having an online version of the spec is very helpful,” he said. "Having an online platform makes things much easier for us while working from home because now the engineers can access the specification and share information without overloading our servers"IMPROVING CONSISTENCYBefore adopting NBS Chorus, Hydrock used desktop product NBS Create, which is due be retired. Anuran highlighted the consistency and standardisation benefits that NBS Chorus’ stylesheets feature provides as one of the significant benefits the business has seen since making the switch. “One of my main tasks last year was to standardise our specifications and projects, and that is why we decided to use NBS Chorus. NBS's automatic updates to the standards and guidance take away a big slice of our work because we cannot dedicate a team to continually update our standard template. We’re pushing hard on our branding and thanks to the Stylesheets feature; we’ve now got the front page of our documents looking standardised which is great progress.” “Shortly, we want to utilise the Masters' feature and have one standardised template that we can work on to create our specifications and projects.” In terms of helping Hydrock create more robust specifications, Anuran says that the prompts and guidance notes provided within Chorus have helped improve decision-making during the specification process. The ability to start specifying early describing system performance before developing a fuller specification defining products and execution requirements is also of benefit. “The prompts on whether to park or specify something have helped us to progressively develop a robust specification because we can always revisit the specification and make sure that we haven't missed something that could lead to an omission on a project which could be extremely detrimental."SUMMARYIn summary, NBS Chorus is not only helping Hydrock to create more robust and more effective specifications, but it’s also helping to improve collaboration across the business’ different locations and disciplines. "Having up-to-date information and the template there help us to produce the documents much more efficiently. I don’t like the ‘copy and paste’ style of doing things because you could be working on a residential project and accidentally insert a clause from a healthcare project which happened to be the last specification the engineer worked on. The efficiency comes from being able to use the template as a starting point and not having to write a specification completely from scratch," Anuran said. “The collaboration aspect of NBS Chorus is the key because it means that the different disciplines can access and work together on the document at the same time."

Mumford and Wood were approached by Mace Contractors to work on a Grade two listed building within the historic Woolwich Arsenal.Known by many as the ‘Fireworks Factory,’ the building has an important history, having been used as a Tudor dockyard, then from the mid-17th century was at the heart of Britain’s war machine, home to the Royal Artillery and factories that made gun carriages, cannon and munitions. Recently renovated as an arts venue, it now boasts a performance space containing dance studios, artists’ workshops, cafés and rental spaces.As part of the building renovations, Mumford & Wood were instructed to design and manufacture 11 timber windows, including 7 from our Classic range and 4 from our Heritage range. In order to maintain the historic building aesthetic we used putty glazing for authenticity. The box sashes were made for structural openings that were either adjusted or opened back up having being blocked up for a number of years. Section sizes were adjusted on elevation to line through with other adjacent windows that remained in situ, having been renovated.We are proud to have worked on such an important project that has since been recognised by RIBA, winning their ‘London’s Conservation Award.’

Fireshield® vapour permeable membrane, which is designed specifically to improve the fire protection behind cladding has been chosen for a new Science Centre at Bevington Primary school in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, London.The project includes a brand new Science Studio, plus before and after school club buildings.SIP Build UK was appointed as frame subcontractor for the project and chose the Fireshield membrane as part of the SIPS panelling system. Chris Duckworth from SIP Build UK explains: “We chose Fireshield as it provided the project with a number of really important benefits. Fireshield is a high-performance breather membrane which enables us to achieve the requirements in terms of fire protection without compromising on vapour control.Fireshield was also ideal because it is easy to use and allowed us to achieve the requirements in one process, using just the membrane, rather than the typical approach of two, cement board and a membrane.”Fireshield is the culmination of leading research to produce a vapour permeable membrane with a intumescent coated surface, which has a unique composition that actively reacts to help protect the materials underneath. The intumescent coating helps protect the substrate by reducing the risk of fire taking hold and significantly reduces the formation of droplets and smoke.The BBA Certificate awarded to Fireshield confirms that it has enhanced performance in relation to reaction to fire classification, will reduce the risk of interstitial condensation, and will have a life equal to that of the building in which it is installed.Fireshield complies with BS5250, BS4016 and NHBC requirements for vapour permeable walling underlays. It is installed and fixed to the substrate in the same manner as standard breather membranes using mechanical fixings. Applications include both commercial and residential buildings including apartments and student accommodation, as well as Rainscreen cladding and applications over 18m high (11m in Scotland).

HLM Architects were asked by Wokingham Borough Council to create a community centred and modern building to replace the old and dated Activity Centre. HLM’s design is inspired by the centre’s beautiful and natural setting and supported the Council’s commitment to be carbon neutral by 2030.Celebrating the natural lakeside surroundings, the modern £2.4million scheme provides educational and leisure facilities for the local community in Dinton Pastures County Park for adventures on water and land. The new centre includes an activity hall, adults and children’s changing areas, dual-use teaching and conference spaces, and a coffee shop opening on to a spectator terrace overlooking the lake and park to cater for all the needs of the users and visitors.HLM worked with Reds10 to complete the structure offsite, with the facade applied later on-site. The designed is noted as it doesn’t look like the often maligned rectangular ‘shipping’ container shape which comes to mind when off-site production is mentioned. The size and presence of the two-storey building is specifically designed to be in harmony with the surrounding landscape and sits like a hidden oasis nestled between the treeline and shoreline. 75 per cent of the building was completed offsite; 16 modular frames were built and then transported to Dinton Pastures Country Park and then lifted into place. The facades were then added to the substructure on site. The modular approach significantly reduces the carbon emissions in the construction process.EQUITONE was used on the ground-level of the building. The high-density characteristic of EQUITONE worked well for the high footfall areas that will be getting a lot of contact, and where durability is crucial.The colour was considered a sympathetic complement to the FSC-certified Siberian larch chosen for the upper building, which is designed to weather overtime and blend in further with setting. Another important consideration was that EQUITONE is naturally resistant to many living organisms (fungi, bacteria, insects, vermin, etc.) and requires no harsh chemicals to clean.

Private Clinic Blomenburg stands for holism when it comes to the therapy and design concept.A haven in the middle of a beautiful environment in the north of Germany: The 19th Century Blomenburg („Burg“ for castle), is surrounded by a huge park. Away from the everyday hustle and bustle, offering 69 furnished in premium quality, spacious single rooms and suites. The modern bathrooms are equipped with KEUCO furnishings and complement the syntonic interior design. Here the guests can dedicate their soul to regeneration in a quiet and peaceful stylish ambience.The elaborate restoration of the building was carried out taking the historic importance and special use of the Blomenburg into consideration. The new building with its generous glass facade was constructed under the castle rock and now accommodates the guest rooms. Between the old and the new building, there is an approximately 800m² big spa and pool area engrafted in the topography of the castle rock. The historic buildings surrounding the castle yard are used for social purposes, medical fitness, healthy living and mindfulness training of the body, soul and mind. The exclusive design of the indoor rooms is not to be compared with the magnificence of the outside of the buildings.Noble materials and luxurious items of furniture in the guest rooms create an ideal setting for convalescence and relaxation. This temporary home equipped with KEUCO furnishings and accessories in the bathroom offer the guests plenty of storage space for personal care products. Not only do the PLAN vanity unit and tall unit in unobtrusive truffle offer generous storage space, but the light mirror with a frame offers additional storage space. The perfect light lets the windowless bathrooms appear brighter and friendlier. The integrated mirror heating makes it possible to look in the mirror after a hot and relaxing shower.IXMO fittings in a strong design offer intuitive use to reach the right temperature. Matching accessories nicely round-off the bathroom interior in a coherent way and perfectly match the high-class concept of the clinic.

The Double Red Duke, situated in the Cotswolds village of Clanfield, is one of Oxfordshire’s most iconic inns, with a history dating back to the 1600s. This luxury boutique hotel, bar and restaurant, with its unique and carefully balanced approach, has modernised the property without compromising its much-loved character and aesthetic.The owners of this property specified The Rooflight Co's Conservation Rooflights - with a whole unit u-value of 1.4W/m2K and a design inspired by the cast-iron rooflights of the Victorian era. The Double Red Duke owners were able to ensure the building performed to modern standards, with rooflights that fit perfectly with the aesthetic of the heritage building.The frameless appearance of the interior finish on the rooflights is achieved by installing the plasterboard up to the underside of the timber linings provided. From the external view, the rooflights are designed to be installed flush with the roof tiles. The resulting impact is a seamless integration with the building inside and out.

The architect has created a connection with the outdoors in, utilising large fixed rooflights from Glazing Vision to bring daylight into the house and frame the surroundings.‘The most beautiful spot in the Netherlands’; that is the description of this country house in the marina ‘t Raboes according to the owners. Located on the Eemmeer, a place in the middle of nature, and away from the hustle and bustle of city life. The architect has created a connection with the outdoors in, utilising large fixed skylights from Glazing Vision to bring daylight into the house and frame the surroundings.Bringing in daylight with large minimalist skylights was a key requirement for the architect. The horizontal application of large glass surfaces demands a lot from the design and after many discussions, the architect was confident that Glazing Vision was the rooflight manufacturer that could implement what they had in mind.No framework in sight. Insulated glass with excellent insulation values. Glass that blends seamlessly into the architect’s design. A way to bring the outdoor feeling inside.Three multipart skylights have made this architectural vision become a reality.The back-to-back angles fit in very well with the rest of the modern contemporary interiors. To make it possible to darken the rooms, Glazing Vision has applied custom-made sun protection from Topshade.At the spot where the river Eem flows into the Eemmeer, architect De Kort van Schaik designed the country residence ‘t Raboes. The clients wanted to create a place where they could fully experience nature, but also withdraw from the hustle and bustle of the city.The house consists of three parts, connected by three covered terraces. Concrete walls and floors which blend seamlessly into the environment and large windows that frame the polder landscape.All energy on ‘t Raboes is generated locally. The solar cells on the roof of the marina building supply electricity. A heat pump that uses the surface water of the Eemmeer provides heating for the house and swimming pool.In the living areas, wood stoves have been used, all which use wood from their own grounds, providing readily available extra heating capacity.A beautiful contrast is created by the yellow epoxy bathroom furniture, designed by Sabine Marcelis. A piece of furniture consisting of a bath, wash bath and shower stands as a free-standing sculpture in the concrete bathroom. The skylight forms a completely frameless glass roof, which gives you the feeling of being outside even more.Sabine Marcelis states that she has designed her dream bathroom. The subtle rotation of the furniture gives you a fantastic view of the landscape from the bath.Taken aback by this stunning property, the architectural press has been impressed with all aspects of the design. De Volkskrant gives the Huis op ‘t Raboes five stars. “The Rotterdam architectural firm De Kort Van Schaik designed a house in which you live with the elements and at the same time are protected against them, thanks to a thick concrete coat.”

PANACEA homes are renowned for their stunning and unique property developments across Scotland with their most recent development ‘The Primary’ in Kirkintilloch using AG’s Woodward Lewis Antique Brick.The exclusive 15 home re-development of St Agatha’s primary school is located on Gartshore Road, Kirkintilloch Scotland. The contemporary styled new builds have taken centre stage within the school’s large ‘Playground’ using over 50,000 AG Woodward Brick. The sizeable former school playground provides the cul-de-sac setting for the six new build 3 bedroom semi-detached to a 4-bedroom detached houses.Award winning PANACEA Homes carefully selected Woodward Lewis Antique Brick to create characterful homes with The Primary development incorporating original aesthetics. The aim was to create a beautiful development whilst ensuring respect is paid to the traditional styling of the former school. Created using sharp design and a mixture of tumbled AG Woodward Brick with sleek modern rendering, these homes will make a unique design statement in the Kirkintilloch area.

The Building Centre, London’s premier architecture and construction gallery, invited Q-railing to re-design its central staircase. It supplied a staircase balustrade with LED lit handrails and a frameless glass balustrade for the void. John Bonning, the Building Centre’s commercial director said: “We applied glass risers to each solid oak tread, which safely created the same floating stair effect as the original but made the stair compliant with modern building regulations. The materials reflected the quality of the Building Centre, whilst drawing natural light into the lower gallery.”

The new building and the renovation project impress with generous outdoor spaces and appealing architecture. The Lindner Group played a major role in the interior fit-out.For a modern look, a combination of glass and wood was chosen – the Lindner Life Stereo 125 Glass Partitiontherefore meets wooden doors and wooden partitions.These were complemented by wall claddings and partitions made of metal: Thanks to their magnetic properties, these can be easily used to organise documents and design elements, what makes them highly functional.Furthermore, Lindner installed a custom-made counter cladding as a special solution for the sliding window as well as a raised floor for the technical rooms in the basement.Completed WorksPartitionsPartition Systems GlassLindner Life Stereo 125Partition Systems Full PanelLindner Logic 100 TimberLindner Logic 100 MetalWall and ceiling panelsLindner Free MetalFloorsChipboard panels LIGNA

Project: Conversion of old shed building Zug, SwitzerlandClient: Alfred Müller AG, Baar Photos: Beat Brechbühl 

Leading sustainable timber frame house manufacturer, Scandia-Hus, and brick innovator, Vandersanden, have reached another significant landmark in their decade long partnership with the completion of The Mulberry, a new show home at the company’s HQ in East Grinstead.The Mulberry is a 3-bedroom chalet bungalow that successfully blends the traditional with the contemporary in a bold new design created for the UK self-build market. The rear of The Mulberry features an attractive modern aesthetic with large-glazed spaces in the form of bi-fold doors and a bespoke shaped unit, both edged in grey aluminium frames.The front elevation is more traditional in appearance with a clay tile roof and cream cottage look windows. The entire timber-frame house is clad with the Hailsham Mixture brick from Vandersanden, providing a deep warmth, colour and texture to the design of The Mulberry.Inside the property, Vandersanden’s dark Midnight Blue brick slips have been used to create an attractive, internal feature wall to provide further design inspiration to visitors.The Hailsham Mixture is a multi-coloured facing brick from the extensive Vandersanden range, featuring a combination of brown, black and yellow tones over an orange base colour.These attractive hues are achieved through the use of specific sand types in the surface covering and, together with the sanded texture of this hand-formed brick, create a rich and characterful narrative that perfectly suits The Mulberry.In The Mulberry, the Vandersanden bricks are laid in a stretcher bond, an approach that requires minimal brick cutting to reduce waste and increase material and build efficiency. This pattern is created by stacking bricks with the stretcher side facing out and the vertical joins on each course central to the bricks in the courses above and below.“We are proud to unveil The Mulberry as our latest completed show home at our East Grinstead HQ,” comments Jeannette Cooper, Scandia-Hus’s Product Research & Site Co-ordination Manager:“The Hailsham Mixture brick is a critical element in realising our design vision on this project which is a fitting way to mark our ten-year partnership with Vandersanden. As a brand, Vandersanden provides a wide choice of high-quality innovative and sustainable bricks which is backed by exceptional support in the way that they present their bricks and provide inspiration to our customers. These are the reasons we value our partnership and explains why we have worked so closely with them on so many projects and Scandia-Hus show homes over the years.”She adds:“Ultimately, Scandia-Hus and Vandersanden share the same goals – the creation of enduringly beautiful homes for our customers that are built with superior quality materials and show an exceptional standard of finish.”Renowned for its Scandinavian style energy-saving homes, Scandia-Hus offers a complete, fully flexible bespoke design service to its customers. Designs, such as The Mulberry, can be tailored to suit different tastes, plot and spatial considerations as well as personal lifestyle needs.Many customers begin the process with a Scandia-Hus design and collaborate with the company’s in-house architectural designers to create the property of their dreams.For more information on the Hailsham Mixture, Midnight Blue and the wide range of high-quality bricks available from Vandersanden, visit the Vandersanden website.For more information about Scandia-Hus, please visit their website www.scandia-hus.co.uk, or come along to the Open Day on Saturday 19th March to view the new show home.

Four years ago, sustainable developer Citu set out to create homes 10 times more energy efficient than typical UK houses. To do this, the company invested in a state-of-the-art production facility where all the components for its properties are built offsite.Thermal performance is critical to energy efficiency. Citu wanted to go far beyond the regulations to achieve wall build-ups with an extremely low U-value of just 0.10W/m2K. This is at least three times better than the U-value achieved in most new build homes and fifteen times better than older houses.Adding offsite capabilityCitu turned to Knauf Insulation for advice and support in developing the offsite capability required for this level of thermal performance. Knauf Insulation’s Technical Support Team undertook extensive calculations and recommended the Blowing Plate Insulation System to install Supafil® Frame – a high performance, non-combustible blowing wool.Supafil® Blowing Wool lends itself to offsite production because it completely fills the cavity, without any voids even around complex penetrations – something that can occur when insulation slabs or rolls are cut to size. It is also a dry process, so operatives are not exposed to any harmful chemicals and it doesn’t require a dedicated production line.Instead, the system comprises a blowing machine and a filling plate. The system is modular allowing for phased investment. Citu opted to install the blowing machine in phase one, which allowed them to manually fill the panels. Phase two saw the addition of the blowing plate, semi-automating the process.Supafil® Frame can be run by a single operator, fits easily into the existing production line, and can even be moved quickly and swiftly to other areas in the manufacturing facility depending on Citu’s volume capacity requirements.Knauf Insulation’s Technical Support Team provided full training and support during each phase of installation.Insulating the panelsCitu homes are manufactured from wooden panels with a 300mm cavity. The blowing plate is positioned over the panel completely covering the cavity. Supafil® is then blown into the wooden frame to the specific parameters of each panel. All cavities are filled to the correct thickness; something that has been carefully calculated and tested by the Knauf Insulation Technical Support Team to ensure settlement does not occur. And because the machine is programmed to install the exact quantity of insulation required, there’s no waste.Supafil® is a high performance Blowing Wool. It is non-combustible with Euroclass A1 reaction to fire classification as well as providing excellent thermal and acoustic performance. It contains a silicone-based additive to ensure it is water repellent.As well as providing excellent thermal performance, Supafil® has great sustainability credentials. Knauf Insulation’s Glass Mineral Wool contains up to 80% of recycled content. This reduces the amount of virgin materials used and prevents around 60,000 tonnes of glass a year (350 million bottles) from going to landfill or polluting the environment. Knauf Insulation has also invested in advanced compression packaging. This means there’s less packaging used, so fewer lorries on the roads leading to a reduction in transport carbon emissions. All of which helps to support Citu’s goal that every home should be carbon zero to manufacture.By combining modern methods of construction with the very highest levels of thermal performance, Citu and Knauf Insulation are creating homes that reduce energy consumption and carbon emissions – homes that are fit for the future.

The high performance weberend MT multi-coat render system has been applied as the exterior finish on the new-build Woodward Close, a pioneering 60-bed dementia care home in Winnersh, Berkshire.This project has been developed by specialist care home developer Castleoak, Cardiff, for national care operator The Abbeyfield Society.Designed to meet Abbeyfield’s innovative dementia design strategy, this new care home comprises intimate circular bedroom wings which minimise corridors and lead to communal spaces to aid way finding and spatial recognition. Ground floor rooms have patio door access to garden space and internal links to safe and secure inner courtyard gardens. It has been carefully planned to provide a unique approach in residential care for those living in the local area in a manner which hasn’t been seen before.The complex clover leaf layout of the five linked buildings has been achieved using timber frame construction with much of the fabrication carried out off-site including the curved outer skin formed by the render carrier board for the weberend MT system. This off-site construction method reduced time and cost early in the build program, overcoming the requirement of bricklayers and bricks, resulting in a cleaner and tidier site and substantially reducing the on-site program.The weberend MT multi-coat render system by Weber, the leading UK formulator and manufacturer of innovative materials, systems and solutions for the construction industry, has full BBA Certification. This accreditation meets NHBC requirements for new build housing where house builders and developers are constantly seeking modern methods of construction for speed and cost efficiency. The weberend MT system is designed to rapidly finish buildings of frame and panel construction.weberend MT is a light-weight render system which incorporates glass-fibre meshcloth reinforcement with a resin-rich adhesive coat that can carry a choice of finishes in a wide range of colours. This modern render system is designed for large areas of stable render carrier boards without the need for expressed joints to create smooth, modern design aesthetics. Equally, weberend MT is ideal for application to uneven masonry or mixed substrates where a high level of crack resistance is required. Application on to a panel background requires an initial 3mm of weberend LAC. The glass fibre reinforcing mesh is laid in as this coat takes up and a second 3mm of weberend LAC is applied. Sponge finish achieves a flat surface. When fully dry, weber PR310 primer is applied prior to the selected finish. A variety of textured and coloured finishes can be used to produce weatherproof, vapour permeable protection.The weberend MT application was carried out by WHS Exterior Rendering Limited, Bristol, whose director Nick Hood is enthusiastic about this project. “It was really interesting to see this unique design and the fast build program achieved with off-site construction. It gave us a great finished board to work on and as always the weberend MT system is first class. It’s straight forward to apply and the finish is excellent. It involved 1900m² of hand application and four pastel colours really make the buildings attractive and welcoming."Castleoak’s project construction manager Dean Hamblin reports positive comments on the render finish of the buildings. “People are remarking how sharp the buildings look, that’s sharp in colours and sharp in straight surfaces and edges,” advises Mr Hamblin.Woodward Close offers a wide range of highly innovative communal facilities, including a cinema, activity rooms for painting and sewing, a restaurant and a cafe, sensory rooms and wellbeing areas including spa bathrooms, a hair and nail salon, a library, and a shop stocked with groceries.In terms of design, memorabilia and reminiscence will be a strong focus across the development. There will be classic cars and bikes in the grounds and a vintage theme prominent throughout the interior decor. It is hoped that this vision and the calibre of the building will act as a blueprint for future Abbeyfield care homes

EKU Porta Glass – the elegant all-glass sliding door system is being used in the newly built offices of Solid Energy in New Zealand. The building is home to the company’s headquarters in New Zealand and is especially captivating because of its individual architectural appeal.A highly modern and ecologically pioneering office building came into existence based on the plans by the architects Wilson and Hill Architects, in a popular business park in Christchurch. EKU Porta Glass architectural sliding door hardware is the perfect choice for designer glass doors in upscale living rooms and office spaces.

AG supplied its well-established Plaza Lineal paving in Salt, Pepper and Birkes to provide a beautiful and robust hard landscaping solution for external surroundings at the highly esteemed Exeter School. Creating a pedestrianised area at the centre of the site, making it safer and a more aesthetic and pleasant environment for pupils and staff. The striking colour blends creates an eye-catchingly beautiful contrast with the 1633 building, adding vibrancy to the school.The Plaza Lineal 120mm paving was laid to allow a one-way system through the site. Plaza Lineal paving was the perfect choice for Clifton Emery Design as the paving has a technical loading capability of 3.5 tonnes on flexible construction, making it ideal for lightly trafficked and pedestrian areas that require access for cleaning and light vehicles. The ultra-linear formats and mixed sizes have been designed to deliver maximum performance and versatility – offering almost limitless design possibilities for architects.The recent refurbishment is part of Exeter School’s long-term strategic planning programme.

The 'HOOLA' in Tidal Basin Road in East London, gateway to the soon-to-be regenerated Royal Victoria Docks area, has transformed a brownfield site into two rippling 23 and 24 storey glass towers, that offer 360 apartments with a mix of studios, along with one, two and three-bedroom units.The buildings are super-insulated and the concrete frame will act as a heat sink – absorbing heat on warm days and releasing it back into apartments when it cools. An innovative link-up with the neighbouring ExCel Exhibition Centre will also see excess heat piped directly into the two towers. This will provide all the necessary heating and hot water requirements and significantly reduce maintenance costs by doing away with the need for individual boilers. A critical design requirement for such a super-insulated building was the avoidance of any risk of thermal bridging at the many concrete-to-concrete balcony connectivity points – so highly efficient structural thermal breaks were required throughout. The preferred solution was the Schöck Isokorb® T type K for cantilever balconies.Luke Smerdon-White, Technical Director at Thorp, takes up the story: "We had to design, manufacture and deliver 1410 precast concrete balcony sections that had to then be cast integrally with the in situ concrete structure." "The exposed front-face is curved, with almost 50 different dimensional configurations, while the internal face has a facetted line that had to correlate with the glazing line and opening doors."

Known as the leading financial centre in the UK and its cluster of high-rise buildings, it’s a great place to be away from the hustle and bustle but still be connected with London.The fairly low rise building is home to 174 apartments ranging from studios to penthouses, most of which come with a balcony or 2. An expansive terrace covers the roof which offers outdoor heaters, a BBQ, seating and table tennis. Other social amenities include a self service bar and private dining room available for events on the ground floor, and a screening room with a large TV giving access to Sky and BT sports, a games console, and comfy seating.At 8 Water Street, residents will feel truly connected with nature, with a private landscaped garden overlooking the south dock. Perks of residing here include free access to the Third Space health club, gym, and spa, 24/7 concierge, an app to plan and book private events or join community clubs, fully furnished apartments including 50inch TV and TV licences.We supplied a range of interior doorsets to them including concealed frame doors, concealed riser doors, and concealed sliding pocket doors. These were chosen to match with the subtle luxurious design throughout the interior with smart, classy statement pieces dotted around.A rather nice residence all round!

Liberty Point is a large student accommodation building positioned in a prime location in Southampton, close to the marina and city centre. The old asphalt and felt coverings had begun to display defects including splits, blisters and delamination; through which water ingress was occurring.The property management company responsible for the maintenance of the buildings decided to act quickly and find a permanent solution to the leaking that could be installed without disruption to the busy students living there.The SolutionPolyroof’s Protec System was decided upon as the best option due to the numerous details that would have to be encapsulated on the roof area. There is no liquid system that can do this quicker or more effectively than Protec; its unique RapidCure technology sees it turn from a liquid to a robust and flexible membrane that can be walked on after 30-60 minutes following application. Furthermore, its ability to coat an old roof without the need for stripping existing means that installations can be carried out within stringent time frames and with minimum disruption.CompletionWilliams Roofing Contractors Ltd, a highly experienced Polyroof approved contractor, carried out the installation. The quality of the workmanship coupled with the right choice of roofing material made for a superior refurbishment solution that remedied all the existing issues. The client was delighted with the finished roof and will have guaranteed peace of mind for decades to come.

For its architecturally striking Orwell House scheme in Bethnal Green, London, Bell Phillips Architects (BPA) has specified hand-formed, multi-coloured Antro bricks from Vandersanden, the brick maker renowned for its innovation, craftsmanship and sustainable manufacturing practices. Antro provides just the right balance of colour, texture and contrast for this affordable housing project, designed by BPA for London Borough of Tower Hamlets and forming part of the Berthold Lubetkin-designed Dorset Estate, originally constructed in the 1950’s and 1960’s.Comprising 20 flats in total, Orwell House is a new, wedge-shape, in-fill development, just off Colombia Road, to the North-West of the Borough. BPA’s imaginative design for this six-storey building features balconies and a roof terrace that look out across Ravenscroft Park with the steel-framed volume of Orwell House contained by Vandersanden’s multi-coloured greyish brick envelope. On the two shorter sides, this brick envelope is fronted by balconies clad in pink, glass-reinforced concrete (GRC) panels. This bold chequerboard patterning echoes the tones and patterns used by Lubetkin to animate facades on buildings across the existing estate.Completed in July 2020, Orwell House is a Finalist in the Housing Awards 2021. To find out more about the bricks used in this project or to see the wide range of high-quality bricks available from Vandersanden, click on the 'View more' link 

In 2015, Quinn London Ltd started the refurbishment of The Market Building, in Brentford which involved the conversion of Offices to residential dwellings as a ‘Material Change of Use’ project. Soundis provided acoustic solution options for this project, in order to ensure a cost effective Value Engineering Exercise, on behalf of the Main Contractor.As the 1st floor required a deep void system due to new soil pipes and waste pipes having to be installed along the corridor within the building for kitchens and bathrooms, it was agreed to utilise Soundis Cradle & Batten System. This provided a service void for the pipes of 300mm whilst the other areas of the floor were treated with the system at 80mm FFH. The Soundis cradle & batten acoustic floor was then overlaid with a Soundis a high quality, interlocking dry screed system gypsum fibreboard.The Soundis cradle & batten floor system has been installed on the existing concrete and existing timber structural floors to provide a level floor over the un-even sub-deck. The service void provided by Soundis cradle & batten system can be used for other flooring applications, such as underfloor heating.Our Cradle and Risers are manufactured from 100% recycled materials assisting to the sustainability targets of projects.

Park Plaza Victoria Hotel is located in the heart of central London providing premium stays in close proximity to famous attractions such as Buckingham Palace, Big Ben, and the Houses of Parliament. Guests of the Park Plaza Victoria Hotel can enjoy the exclusive facilities available such as the sauna, swimming pools and on-site restaurant. Licata Building Systems are proud to have been a part of this project by providing full Licata waterproofing systems, flooring systems, and interior paints.

Project: Faraday Business ParkDate: 2021 Background:·        APL were engaged with the architect early in the project design and specification process, providing specification and system support through the tender process·        APL’s strong design and engineering capability ensured that the bespoke window pods designed by the architect were incorporated in early details·        Due to APL’s strong supply-chain relationship, all material was able to be procured and delivered on time to meet the projects programme·        APL provided all thermal and structural calculations Systems:·        10,000m² of APL built-up roof system with stucco-embossed mill-finished aluminium trapezoidal AP31/1000RR profile, along with PV support system·        8,000m² of APL built-up wall system with steel sinusoidal AP45HR in RAL 9006 and RAL 7012 as the external profile·        Bespoke window pods fabricated in 3mm aluminium with a Class 2 PPC coating·        APL Tritherm™ GALV sub-framing·        All rainwater goods including gutters and downpipes·        All fixings and accessories  Building Location:·        Fareham

Our expertise in the student accommodation sector has led to our aluminium fenestration systems being used on this new riverside scheme in Nottingham, which has been designed by architects Maber and built by main contractor Bowmer & Kirkland.Managed by student housing provider Student Roost, the new Deakins Place development is located within close proximity of the University of Nottingham’s Jubilee campus and offers stunning views of the River Leen. These views have been perfectly framed by our patented low U-value PURe® aluminium windows which have been installed by specialist contractor HKL.Specified with flat casement vents, our thermally-efficient PURe® aluminium windows have been installed to each apartment to increase the flow of natural light and to reduce heat loss. The slim aluminium fames have been powder coated to provide additional protection from the elements and to complement the wider façade design which features a stunning mix of natural building materials and colour palettes.

11 High Baxter Street is within the Town Centre Conservation Area and is located in one of the streets which make up the Norman planned town set out on a grid system in the 12th Century. It is however a sole survivor, the rest of the street having been demolished in the 1960’s.The property has a core dating back to the 15th Century, with alterations in every century after. By the end of the 20th Century however, having survived 500 years, it was distinctly unloved, had become flats, then eventually a semi-derelict squat.In January 2019 the Bury St. Edmunds Town Trust (BTT) had come to its rescue, completing the pur- chase of the building and drawing up plans for the conservation and restorationA detailed condition report was carried out by local RIBA conservation architects Whitworth.Best of Lime’s Warmcote insulated lime plaster was specified as the base coat, with our Limecote tra- ditional chalk/lime plaster as the finish. Both products are non-hydraulic and designed to cope with the extreme background movement of an historic timber frame.

A large commercial client of EnviroBuild required a contemporary and low maintenance decking solution for their purpose built flat refurbishment project in South London. The decking would be supported over a flat roof surface, plug on balconies and garden decking areas, so required a versatile decking bearing system.The SolutionThe project used 400 m² of Hyperion Granite Pioneer decking installed on a sub-frame made of non-rot Manticore recycled plastic lumber. To support the decking over the low profile balconies and taller flat roof sections, adjustable decking supports were used. The various sizes of pedestals, allowed both very shallow decking heights and other sections to be supported securely with minimal installation time.Customer FeedbackThe client loved the look of the Granite Pioneer decking against the classic redbrick building. Combined with the modern glass balustrade, they created the perfect outdoor living spaces.Project DetailsSize: 400 m²Product: Granite Hyperion Composite DeckingSubstructure: Mesa Adjustable pedestals & Manticore Plastic LumberLocation: London

Hush Acoustics provided a solution to reverberation issues at the newly extended Queen Elizabeth Hall in the village of Layer de la Haye near Colchester.The hall was designed to be used as a multi-functional amenity for local residents and the general public and is host to anything from Scouts groups to wedding receptions. It was therefore imperative that the acoustics within the building were to a good level to be able to comfortably make use of the hall for all the varying activities.As in many domestic and public places, reverberation and in severe cases, echoes, had become a problem in with mid to high frequency sounds (in most cases) of speech causing disruptive and discomforting noise problems.After an initial inspection, Hush Acoustics proposed the installation of 30x Hush Absorber 50A panels. This Class A sound absorber has built in support frames to allow for bracket fixing to provide an air void behind the absorber for enhanced acoustic performance. The absorber panels were fitted over two days which meant the work had minimal impact to the running of the community activities.The client’s feedback was that the acoustics in the hall after installation “are perfect”.

Working in close co-operation with the building envelope and façade contractor Colorminium, Metalline have produced a range of bespoke 3D twisted fins that will when complete take centre stage on the exterior of the redeveloped Minories Hotel in the City of London. This stunning feature was the brainchild of ACME architects who in collaboration with The Murphy Façade studio have designed a series of full storey aluminium fins that clad the existing precast frame and create a bridge between that and the unitised glazing. Fabricated offsite at Metalline’s state of the art manufacturing facility in Cannock, these 42 metre height fins were produced in 3.5 metre lengths with a depth of over 800mm. Manufactured in 2 parts, each element was assembled using a combination of aluminium stud welding and bonding techniques developed by Metalline. The fins were then fitted to the glazed panels using an aluminium bracket support system to ensure structural integrity. Finished in dark and light bronze PPC to mimic an anodised effect, the fins will create shading for the hotel’s occupants as well as an iconic architectural vista for this stand out landmark project.