"garden"

Project: Kingsgate Primary SchoolProduct: Shiluvit by Oranit in White Washed Nordic PineArchitect: Maccreanor LavingtonInstaller: Lacunar LtdKingsgate Primary School, London (2018) Photos by Michael Whitestone PhotographySpecification:
Shiluvit 7-501White Washed Nordic Pine
20 x 45mm Blades with 40mm Gaps
Quantity:
1300m2LSA Projects Ltd are delighted to share with you a new award winning Oranit installation at Kingsgate Primary School in London.The £18 million, 5000m2 school has created over 420 new primary school places at the purpose built facility which is comprised of two connected two storey teaching blocks with generous picture windows throughout for an abundance of natural light.The site also has ample external space including running tracks, a science garden, and covered playing spaces in addition to being part of a community development project linking the site to a neighbouring park developed from unused green space in the area.The saw-toothed roof and external appearance of school was designed to reflect its industrial past and the cool tone light brickwork and generous windows bring the design up-to-date with current trends and the requirements of a modern building.Inside the school there is a consistent airy and neutral palette with white walls and ceiling interspersed with pale wood feature walls and stairways in addition to the white washed Nordic Pine Shiluvit panels.Oranit Shiluvit panels were chosen in part for the ceilings of the spaces due to their impressive acoustic power; the configuration chosen which included LSA Black High Density Acoustic mineral wool achieves an overall rating of Class A for acoustic absorption making it perfect for ensuring minimal reverberation across the spaces helping to keep a calm atmosphere.Nordic Pine timber was chosen for its depth of texture as well as its PEFC Certification, the timber was then white washed for a clean and bright appearance.

The structureThis residential property emerged from the ashes of a World War II bomb site formerly occupied by a coach house, and was constructed circa 1945 by a local postman to serve as a family home.The distinctive characteristicsSurrounded by grand white stucco houses, this property was a joyful oddity amongst the archetypal street. With an off-centre pitch, horizonal windows and a central door, the owner was keen to work with and improve the existing fabric. The renovation The property had been re-built under a new centred pitched roof extending across two storeys to the rear. Stepping down at ground floor to a deep brick-finned façade opening onto a protected and peaceful walled garden.At the front, the old and new bricks were sewn together under a coat of bagged lime wash and mineral paint and insulated internally. The rendered base speaks to its stuccoed neighbours and grounds the building; the subtle depth of the relief creates a play of light across the front facade in the evening sun, celebrating its distinctive character.Why KEIM?The owner had been aware of the unique properties of mineral paints for allowing bricks to be painted but crucially to breathe, understanding so often houses are painted with non-breathable paints and the suffocated bricks lead to condensation. A mineral paint was required that can be painted over brickwork as well as the rendered base.The owner reached out and arranged a site visit with James Best, Senior Sales Executive at KEIM Mineral Paints. Following his expert guidance, it was recommended to utilize KEIM Soldalit for the project. Samples of five distinct shades of white were provided for testing across various façade orientations and times of day. The owner ultimately selected KEIM Soldalit in colour 9870, commenting “It is the perfect white. It is warm without being yellow and looks great in direct sunlight, shadow and of course our many overcast days.”

At Metropolitan Gaming in Mayfair, London, Style worked with architects, Whitebox, and contractors, Modufit Interiors, to create the facility to section off part of the main gaming area for a private VIP lounge. A glass HSW (Horizontal Sliding Wall) was installed, giving staff the ability to rapidly divide the room into two, sectioning off a VIP gaming area to create a unique experience for clients. The moveable wall neatly divides the VIP area away from the main public gaming room, with a lockable full height intermediate door for ease of access. The bronze opaque textured glass allows light to flow through the entire area but offers the level of privacy required for a private room. Decorative transom bars bonded onto the glass add perfectly to the opulent room design.Metropolitan Gaming boasts a wealth of experience in both gaming and hospitality. It is committed to bringing a new perspective to the casino experience and is continually innovating to deliver a unique and authentic experience for its guests in each of its individual locations. “This manually operated, glass moveable wall offers a truly chic, yet practical solution for Metropolitan Gaming”, said Michael Porter, Style’s group sales director.“When not in use, customers enjoy a large open plan gaming area in this very exclusive Mayfair venue. But when a separate VIP lounge is required, away from the public areas, it can be moved into position in a matter of minutes.”According to Mark Cowley, who heads up the glass division at Style, demand for non-acoustic glass moveable walls is growing particularly quickly, with shop frontages, banks, restaurants, reception areas, residential homes, winter gardens, airports and sports stadia/arenas all using these to create flexible space.A new section of the Style website is dedicated to glass partitioning solutions with updated literature ensuring architects, contractors and end-user customers have access to all of the information they need to reach informed decisions.

We are delighted to have recently worked in partnership with Ashby Facilities in Pelsall to deliver a range of high quality aesthetically pleasing and robust bathroom products for eight purpose built mental health bungalows at St Peter's Gardens, Stafford.Ashby Facilities approached TYDE in order to help provide them with a washroom solution for a newbuild development consisting of eight bungalows. The brief we received detailed the extensive requirements which was for a number of high quality, damage resistant anti-ligature sanitaryware products that were to be installed for their resident's safety. It was imperative that the solution we suggested was aesthetically pleasing and not look too overly 'clinical'.Our suggested solution was the installation of a number of products from our Dudley Resan® range. These products are tested and manufactured to the highest standards and offer a perfect alternative to stainless steel. Resan® products are uniquely engineered from an advanced polymer resin material which is shatterproof, exceptionally hard wearing and chemical resistant, making it the perfect solution for mental health institutes.  The TYDE team looked at the entire range and presented all suitable options. The Resan® standard height pan with blue rim was chosen along with the Resan® infra-red basin, Resan® shelf and matching Resan® mirror to complete the look.   Jamie Cooper, Operations Director of Ashby commented, "Our main aim was to provide a safe environment for the residents, so the anti-ligature features were essential. We also wanted the bathrooms to suit the style of the bungalows and many of the alternatives we looked at were dated and not suitable. When we saw the Resan® products from TYDE we knew we had the right products to meet our requirements. We are very satisfied with the products TYDE recommended; so much so that we are already looking at working with them again on other projects as they always deliver top quality products that are not only good to look at and use but more importantly are fit for purpose". 

This case study is courtesy of Play To Measure and Priory Park Community School. The school sought a specialist play company to convert an unused piece of land into an innovative learning and play environment. Their aim was to merge education, creativity, fun, nature, and most importantly safety, in one holistic design.Before the project commenced, the outdoor space at Priory Park Community School was mostly inaccessible and overgrown, resulting in underutilisation.Play To Measure faced a significant challenge due to the lack of engaging features and safety concerns while transforming this space into an area promoting both learning and play. Ensuring students’ safety while encouraging outdoor learning, creativity, and physical activity was a top priority in the planning process.To address these challenges, Play To Measure proposed a comprehensive solution. This involved creating an outdoor classroom, pond, climbing frame with a slide, hammocks, and more. They also added rubber grass matting underneath suitable structures to cushion falls and ensure the safety of the children.The initial phase involved clearing the overgrown grass and plants, providing the team with a blank canvas to work on. With the area cleared, the team commenced transforming the design into reality.They created a pond filled with self-oxygenating plants to attract various wildlife, making it a potential habitat. Adjacent to the pond, they placed a boat, offering a unique relaxation and learning space.Above the pond, they installed a custom-built Outdoor Classroom with a bridge, serving as a dedicated educational space with a canopy for year-round use.In proximity to the classroom, two handmade hammocks were installed with our protective rubber grass mats underneath, ensuring a safe surface under this unique relaxation area.The subsequent phase involved designing, constructing, and installing a unique climbing frame. Play To Measure's team crafted an innovative play space featuring ladders, a slide, a climbing wall and nets. The climbing frame was assembled and installed on-site, with some help from the school’s students!Rubber grass mats, 23mm in thickness, were then laid and secured around the climbing frame, providing a safety surface for all users. These easy-to-install safety surfacing solutions offer a superb 3.3m critical fall height, ideal for various play spaces. The addition of a play area enhanced the recreational aspect, promoting physical activity while ensuring children's safety during play."Another quality structure completed, featuring a climbing wall, scramble nets, ladders, a platform and a slide!""Thanks to South West Play for all things rope, GCL Products for safety matting and the students at Priory Park Community School for your help in building the structure." - Play To MeasureThe collaboration between Play To Measure, Priory Park Community School and GCL Products successfully transformed an underutilised outdoor space into a vibrant, safe, and educational area. The project achieved a fine balance between education, recreation, versatility and safety, creating an inspiring environment that fosters both learning and play. This exceptional project highlights the value of innovative solutions for outdoor spaces while prioritising children’s safety and well-being."We are delighted with the before and after. The transformation of spaces is what we do. Take an unused space and make it into a play oasis.""Earlier this year it was an empty area... Now there is a Nature Pond, Outdoor Classroom, Boat, Table & Chairs, Hammocks and a large Climbing Frame.""Thank you to Priory Park Community for the opportunity to work at your school." - Play To MeasurePlay To Measure excels in transforming indoor and outdoor spaces, crafting playgrounds, sensory gardens, learning spaces, and home garden projects. Based in Sheffield, they operate throughout Yorkshire, the Midlands and across the UK. This project exemplifies Play To Measure’s commitment to excellence and their capacity to exceed clients' needs and expectations. To discover more about them or discuss a potential project, visit the Play To Measure website.GCL Products are proud to have contributed to the creation of this exceptional safe learning and play space. For more information on our rubber grass mats or to request a quote for an upcoming project, do not hesitate to contact us.You can call us on 01246 418144 or LiveChat with us during office hours. Alternatively, you can leave us a message outside these hours.