"acoustic"

The refurbishment has turned a dilapidated 1970’s office block into a ‘BREEAM Excellent’ building with a bright and airy interior and a visually stunning exterior that has created an iconic landmark within Eastleigh city centre. Metalline’s glazed in Ultima aluminium insulated panels have provided the finishing touch to the external façade of the recently refurbished council offices in Eastleigh, Hampshire. The refurbishment has turned a dilapidated 1970’s office block into a ‘BREEAM Excellent’ building with a bright and airy interior and a visually stunning exterior that has created an iconic landmark within Eastleigh city centre. The exterior façade featured a range of horizontal, corner and vertical Ultima panels glazed in on all four sides to a Kawneer structural glazed system. Each of the 50 vertical panels were manufactured by Metalline in aluminium in 3150 mm lengths and joined together to form an impressive 6300mm long aspect. The Ultima flat panels were finished in a grey Syntha Pulvin, whereas the Ultima feature panels complete with a 76mm projection were finished in both green and white Syntha Pulvin, these added a stylish and modern appearance to the building envelope. Metalline’s Ultima aluminium insulated panels are extremely versatile and possess excellent acoustic, thermal and fire performance ratings. They are typically produced using class A1 non-combustible insulation core and can be adapted to fit a variety of facade details, which include the ability to be glazed into a standard curtain walling, or as in the Eastleigh project, a structural glazing system. The panels can also be perforated and manufactured into a variety of shapes to meet the most challenging design criteria. Unity aluminium insulated panels can now be fabricated in an impressive 6000mm in one length.

A former brownfield industrial site alongside the River Roding in Essex is converted into attractive mixed-use community housing. The Met Police custody and patrol base for the borough, industrial businesses, restaurants, river moorings and 1000 homes.The developer wanted to replace old and damaged wooden hoardings around a section of the Fresh Wharf Estate perimeter in Barking and prevent damage to a bus shelter from stone chips thrown up by passing vehicles on the adjacent A406.The SolutionFresh Water Developments approached Zaun to devise a bespoke solution for the site on the banks of the Roding, a Thames tributary. They wanted a sustainable perimeter, deflected flying stone chips, minimised noise and met their aesthetic, design and functional needs.Zaun has integrated a new highly resistant laminate made entirely from mixed waste plastics with its market-leading Duo fencing to produce a system that won’t rust or rot. In addition, it is low maintenance and reusable or recyclable if damaged.The innovative product design named DBS Security boasts great acoustic-loss properties, rated B3 and 36dB loss, and gives protection against damage from flying objects flicked up by passing vehicles.DBS Security protects a bus shelter close to the North Circular that constantly has to undergo repair. A large section of the perimeter to the industrial site and housing is fitted with Zaun’s twin-wire Duo fencing system. Two horizontal wires resist being welded on either side of the vertical wire.Zaun combined both standard and bespoke fencing to tailor the overall solution to the site’s specific requirements.

The remarkable 22 Bishopsgate Project stands as the second tallest building in the United Kingdom and Western Europe, showcasing its architectural prominence. On its 58th floor, an awe-inspiring viewing gallery offers breathtaking vistas. Perched even higher, on level 59, a discreetly hinted restaurant is poised to offer an unparalleled dining experience, with a renowned chef at the helm. Although the details remain a secret, the restaurant promises to be a highlight. Beyond its striking stature and exclusive amenities, the project's core objective revolved around enhancing the base build construction to optimize noise levels for the activities and events within the Viewing Gallery. Aiming to strike a balance, the project sought to both amplify the permissible noise levels for these events while curbing any potential noise breakthrough into adjacent spaces.In the dynamic context of 22 Bishopsgate, where concrete installation was unfeasible due to location and occupied lower floors, a visionary solution was sought. Over 1246m², the innovative Stravifloor Channel floating floor system was meticulously installed. In lieu of concrete, a bespoke approach utilizing high mass calcium sulphate boards was designed, ensuring both functionality and practicality. Addressing concerns about floor height, custom-designed bearings were engineered to maintain top-tier acoustic performance, with a mere 30 mm thickness.Despite a demanding timeline to unveil the viewing gallery, the project remained on track. Stravifloor Channel, with isolated steel battens, played a pivotal role. Galvanized steel channels provided robust support over isolation pads, while the optimized discrete supports allowed minimal contact points to the subfloor.

Yoko Ono Lennon Centre is a unique teaching and performance building at the University of Liverpool. It has been designed by Liverpool School of Architecture graduates based at UK architecture practice Ellis Williams.The new facility includes The Tung Auditorium – a world class music performance space – together with two large lecture theatres, seminar rooms, café space, a public facing linear park and a new outdoor space for the University.With a floor area totalling around 6500m2 the building was planned around a careful understanding of the site and an innovative response to a challenging brief.PROJECT INFOThe lecture theatres were arranged vertically, which allowed for a much smaller building footprint – freeing up the site to deliver a linear public park alongside the main arterial route adjacent to the south elevation. This also allowed for large volume and height of Tung Auditorium to be placed adjacent to the teaching spaces, separated by the main atrium circulation space. Externally, the building’s form and materials relate to the robust architecture of some of Liverpool’s historic civic buildings and dockside architecture.The University of Liverpool was the original “red brick University” so the use of that material may seem obvious. The facing brick selected was Forterra’s Butterley Farmstead Antique.The bricks here are more than decorative however, they are a key part of the acoustic strategy and were selected for their density as well the colour and tone.The large inward looking spaces of the theatres by definition are without external windows and openings. The curved forms to the corners are used to both soften the impact of the mass (accentuated by the use of double stacked protruding bricks to catch the sun), and as a nod to the curves used in prominent corner buildings that can be seen across Liverpool.

HR Owen NEW Hatfield Showroom.H.R. Owen has recently completed its multi-brand dealership in Hatfield.The site houses Bentley, Ferrari, Lamborghini and Maserati.The most ambitious new site in H.R. Owen’s 90-year history includes five showrooms, 110,000 sq/ft, and a line-up of the world’s most sought-after luxury and performance cars.H.R. Owen has recently completed its multi-brand dealership in Hatfield.The site houses Bentley, Ferrari, Lamborghini and Maserati.The most ambitious new site in H.R. Owen’s 90-year history includes five showrooms, 110,000 sq/ft, and a line-up of the world’s most sought-after luxury and performance cars.Ken Choo, H.R. Owen CEO, said: “Since H.R. Owen was founded in 1932 with just a single Bentley and Rolls-Royce showroom, the brand has continued to expand on its exemplary reputation for the finest cars and the finest customer service. The latest stage in this expansion first began in 2013 with the takeover by the Berjaya Group, and will enter its next phase with the construction of this flagship site in Hatfield; bringing to life the vision of our Chairman, Vincent Tan.”HR Owen’s new Hatfield dealership site is comprised of an east complex housing four car showrooms, along with two workshops and offices each surrounding a shared mall area. The West portion of the site house one further car showroom on the ground and first floors.The new Bentley showroom’s creation comes as HR Owen’s Bentley Surrey completes its move into an all-new showroom and aftersales site, while the group’s central London Jack Barclay showroom was treated to a multi-million-pound renovation in 2018.Lamborghini Hatfield sits alongside Lamborghini London, Lamborghini Manchester and Lamborghini Pangbourne in the HR Owen line-up, the latter of which was thoroughly renovated in 2019.The group operates one of just two Bugatti sales operations in Britain, was awarded UK Dealer of the Year by Aston Martin in 2020, Global Dealer of the Year by Rolls-Royce in 2018, Global Dealer of the Year by Ferrari in 2016 and its showrooms regularly rank among the most successful in the world for their parent brands.Jack Barclay Service Centre in Wandsworth also holds a Royal Warrant for Service and Repair of Her Majesty The Queen’s Motor VehiclesSoundtect’s Harmony Freestyle™ Panels range are architecturally inspired and can be used to create stunning, utterly modern wall and ceiling applications offering bespoke arrangements incorporating the Freestyle standard range and Timba wood effect range of colours. Slatted 25mm width x 20mm depth battens are prefixed to a 10mm spacing to a backing felt which is super fine allowing easy installation on curved and straight surfaces alike. Other sized slats and spacing available on requestWith up to 70% recycled content and finely tuned reverberation and sound control, Freestyle™ is the natural choice for bespoke designs that challenge the status quo. Available in a any configuration from the 24 Freestyle colour and a Timba print range of finishes too. Each panel can be manufactured in a maximum 2400 x 1200 and can be installed on the walls or ceiling to create a harmonious finish with superb sound control propertiesDeveloped by London-based Soundtect®, Freestyle™ panels are built to exacting quality and use all of Soundtect’s pioneering acoustic know-how.Environmentally friendly and recyclable, Freestyle™ Acoustic Panels are ideal for projects when there is an eco-conscious consideration to be made as our Products are Green Tag Certified.Products used: Freestyle. Harmony

H.R. Owen has recently completed its multi-brand dealership in Hatfield.The site houses Bentley, Ferrari, Lamborghini and Maserati.The most ambitious new site in H.R. Owen’s 90-year history includes five showrooms, 110,000 sq/ft, and a line-up of the world’s most sought-after luxury and performance cars.H.R. Owen has recently completed its multi-brand dealership in Hatfield.The site houses Bentley, Ferrari, Lamborghini and Maserati.The most ambitious new site in H.R. Owen’s 90-year history includes five showrooms, 110,000 sq/ft, and a line-up of the world’s most sought-after luxury and performance cars.Ken Choo, H.R. Owen CEO, said: “Since H.R. Owen was founded in 1932 with just a single Bentley and Rolls-Royce showroom, the brand has continued to expand on its exemplary reputation for the finest cars and the finest customer service. The latest stage in this expansion first began in 2013 with the takeover by the Berjaya Group, and will enter its next phase with the construction of this flagship site in Hatfield; bringing to life the vision of our Chairman, Vincent Tan.”HR Owen’s new Hatfield dealership site is comprised of an east complex housing four car showrooms, along with two workshops and offices each surrounding a shared mall area. The West portion of the site house one further car showroom on the ground and first floors.The new Bentley showroom’s creation comes as HR Owen’s Bentley Surrey completes its move into an all-new showroom and aftersales site, while the group’s central London Jack Barclay showroom was treated to a multi-million-pound renovation in 2018.Lamborghini Hatfield sits alongside Lamborghini London, Lamborghini Manchester and Lamborghini Pangbourne in the HR Owen line-up, the latter of which was thoroughly renovated in 2019.The group operates one of just two Bugatti sales operations in Britain, was awarded UK Dealer of the Year by Aston Martin in 2020, Global Dealer of the Year by Rolls-Royce in 2018, Global Dealer of the Year by Ferrari in 2016 and its showrooms regularly rank among the most successful in the world for their parent brands.Jack Barclay Service Centre in Wandsworth also holds a Royal Warrant for Service and Repair of Her Majesty The Queen’s Motor VehiclesSoundtect’s Harmony Freestyle™ Panels range are architecturally inspired and can be used to create stunning, utterly modern wall and ceiling applications offering bespoke arrangements incorporating the Freestyle standard range and Timba wood effect range of colours. Slatted 25mm width x 20mm depth battens are prefixed to a 10mm spacing to a backing felt which is super fine allowing easy installation on curved and straight surfaces alike. Other sized slats and spacing available on requestWith up to 70% recycled content and finely tuned reverberation and sound control, Freestyle™ is the natural choice for bespoke designs that challenge the status quo. Available in a any configuration from the 24 Freestyle colour and a Timba print range of finishes too. Each panel can be manufactured in a maximum 2400 x 1200 and can be installed on the walls or ceiling to create a harmonious finish with superb sound control propertiesDeveloped by London-based Soundtect®, Freestyle™ panels are built to exacting quality and use all of Soundtect’s pioneering acoustic know-how.Environmentally friendly and recyclable, Freestyle™ Acoustic Panels are ideal for projects when there is an eco-concious consideration to be made as our Products are Green Tag Certified.Products used: Freestyle. Harmony

Leading insulation manufacturer, URSA, has been selected as the specifier of choice at the redevelopment of historic London building, The Whiteley. The former Whiteley's shopping centre in London's Bayswater is the setting for one of the most impressive property redevelopments in Europe, in a £1 billion project to convert the century-old shopping arcade into a high luxury residential, hotel, restaurant and retail complex covering more than 90,000 square metres. In one of the company’s largest single project specifications to date, contractors Laing O’Rourke and architects, Foster and Partners, have opted for over 5,000 square metres of URSA’s glass wool insulation. Ian Claydon, Technical Manager for URSA UK, commented: “This is undoubtedly one of the largest building projects in Europe and so being part of that is incredibly exciting. “We have worked closely with the scheme architects to ensure that they have the best possible specification for their project and that is undoubtedly URSA’s glass wool insulation, our premium insulation product. “Glass mineral wool is the most efficient and user-friendly thermal and acoustic insulation material, both environmentally and from a cost-effective point of view. It is suitable for use throughout a structure, providing the most efficient insulation solution available on the market today.” Ian added: “We’ll continue to work closely with both the contractor and architect to ensure products are delivered to site in line with the construction team’s needs. This is a long-term project and vast on every scale; we will continue to partner with distributor, Encon Insulation in Maidstone, who have been instrumental in this specification.” The 110-year-old historic shopping center has been closed for two years after a prolonged decline following the opening of the famous giant Westfield London shopping center nearby in 2008. The former shopping arcade, in one of the most influential areas of the City of London, at the northern end of Queensway and about 5 minutes' walk from Kensington Gardens, has become London's most fashionable development with the commencement of the building development behind the retained and refurbished Queensway and Porchester Gardens frontages. The development includes 139 one to five-bedroom luxury flats and townhouses, with a starting price rumored to be in the region of £1.5 million, complete with spa, pool and exclusive communal workspace. 20 luxury shops and restaurants and 110 hotel rooms in the UK landing of the Six Senses luxury hotel/spa chain. The project, which involves construction and engineering firm Laing O'Rourke and famed London contractors Lyons & Annoot, is based on an architectural project designed by Norman Foster's architectural practice, Foster and Partners. Mark Guest, Regional Sales Manager for URSA UK commented: “Talking through the initial enquiry from Lyons & Annoot, the client was impressed by our quick response and ability to provide swift technical reassurance with an open approach. Being able to supply products immediately by working with the Encon network enabled URSA to cut delays associated with Covid, that were previously thought inevitable and costly”. The redevelopment will retain the essence of the building, which at its opening in 1911 was the height of luxury at the time, with a theatre and even a rooftop golf course before being listed in 1970 and converted into a shopping centre in 1989. The works will respect the iconic façade, central courtyard and dome of the old building which will be restored as well as the majestic and historic interior staircase, which will form the centerpiece of the hotel's ground floor. URSA's state-of-the-art insulation materials are being used in the refurbishment work. The contractors have already used URSA CAVITY BATT 32 glass wool slab treated with water-repellent additives and glass mineral wool for first-class thermal and acoustic insulation. With a fit-out contract of around £111 million, the 139 luxury homes will occupy a unique space of almost 28,000 square metres and are expected to be completed in 2023.  

Commissioned by 30 member states of the European Union, the European Organisation for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites (EUMETSAT) monitors the climate and weather. In light of climate change, the data it collects using complex satellite systems is becoming increasingly important. The growth of the organization associated with this is reflected in the continuous expansion of its HQ in Darmstadt. The construction of a new six-floor office building also includes a canteen for all employees working at the location. This canteen gets its unmistakable face from a lamella-style suspended ceiling made of golden PC-ALU 6010 aluminum mesh from GKD – GEBR. KUFFERATH AG.Modern weather forecasts today have little in common with traditional country weather lore. Satellites make it possible to monitor the climate and weather on a global scale. The data collected is then used to keep authorities, citizens and companies up-to-date with the latest developments at all times. In Europe, EUMETSAT monitors the atmosphere, oceans and earth’s surface around the clock and then transmits the data to the participating EU member states. Established in 1986, the organization opened its headquarters in Darmstadt in 1991. However, ever increasing requirements and staff numbers meant that the operation quickly outgrew its original space. A six-floor office building with 160 workplaces represents the final phase of a whole range of extensions and new buildings. Following a construction period of just 18 months, around 100 employees were able to move out of their temporary container offices and into the new building costing around €10 million, while a further 60 new employees are set to follow. The shape of the new building, designed by Pielok Marquardt Architects from Offenbach, is a mirror image of an existing building. Beside excellent energy efficiency and multifunctionality, the new building is characterized by transparency and modern design. Four office levels offer versatile space with transparent partition walls for any desired arrangement – whether open space, combination offices or classic cubicles.Functional division – exceptional aestheticsThe ground level comprises two separate functional units that can be accessed via separate entrances. Beside a control center for a new satellite program, this is also home to the campus kitchen with connected canteen for the workforce at the location, which has now grown to include around 600 employees. The kitchen has been designed to provide 410 meals a day and the canteen offers 250 seats. The mullion-transom facade also ensures that the room is flooded with light. Carefully chosen furnishings divide its area into various acoustically optimized zones. The white of the desks and chairs is picked up by strips in the glossy flooring and the cladding of the food counter, pillars and supports. In the central zone, bright red benches with high, sound-absorbing backrests offer a vibrant contrast. The color scheme is rounded off by the warm brown of the stone floor and the wooden acoustic cladding. However, the striking element in the room is the suspended ceiling, made from 400 square meters of golden aluminum mesh. Its 120 elements with a blade-type design mimic the appearance of sunshine in the canteen with their discreet shimmer. LED lighting strips further underline this impression. At the same time, the mesh conceals the ventilation technology with incoming air outlets on the element frames. As a result, the accessibility of the woven ceiling elements was among the key requirements for GKD. The planners opted for a particularly open mesh design in the form of the PC-ALU 6010 mesh with various warp and weft wire thicknesses. The function and aesthetics of the ceiling mesh thereby provide the desired high level of comfort in the canteen, while also making the room a unique feast for the eyes.