"exhibition display library fittings"

The FA wanted only the best for its highest-profile ‘social pitch’ at St George’s Park, its new centre of excellence in Staffordshire, opened in October 2012 by the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge – FA President Prince William wife, Kate.The fence at Pitch No 2, the David Beckham Pitch, needed to take sponsorship and branding and keep rattle and noise to a minimum. The FA also wanted to fit in with the landscaping of the National Forest in which the centre sits.The SolutionThe system had to be in keeping with the environment – even down to surfacing the pitch surrounding the same golden colour as the car parks. In addition, it needed to limit noise impact on neighbours and cause minimal disruption to pitch use during installation as the fencing went in after the pitch.They chose a quality system that will last on this high-usage pitch at heights of 2m and 5m with EPDM inserts to insulate the fence panels from the posts to reduce noise during impacts to 72dB compared with the 93dB of wooden panels.Zaun designed its Super Rebound to take branding and sponsorship signs and fencing to remain robust even in brisk winds when the graphics can threaten to act as a ‘sail’.The installation, which is around a pitch that is primarily used by the public rather than for England training, carriesZaun’s industry-leading 12-year product guarantee.Zaun worked closely with East Staffs Borough Council on planning consent and with the St George’s Park groundsmen and facilities team to complete a tight programme of works on the £105m complex on budget and in time for the royal opening.

When American architect, Louis Sullivan, in 1896, said, “Form ever follows function” he probably hadn’t foreseen the creation of the Statutory List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest that would have its origins in the devastation left in the wake of the Second World War.The ChallengeThe preservation of old buildings is challenging enough but additional issues arise when it comes to refurbishments and renovations, particularly if there is a material change of use. Suddenly, a building that was created for one purpose is given another, sometimes radically different, purpose. The form can’t follow the function if the function is allocated post-construction. Significant modifications can help align an old building with its new function but, in the case of Grade II listed buildings, for example, the interior can’t be fundamentally changed and function is forced to compromise.Even when there is no significant change of use, modern building regulations demand performance standards that didn’t even exist at the time that buildings currently being renovated were originally envisioned and created. The requirements of Part E of the Building Regulations, governing soundproofing between floors of a building, are relatively easy to shoehorn into a renovation project as these tend to be concealed beneath floor finishes and screeds. Problems with reverberation are far more difficult to tackle and even though there is very little regulation surrounding this issue, BB93 of the Building Regulations, governing reverberation levels in schools, tends to be employed as an effective benchmark.When reverberation levels reach a certain point, they can become more than just an irritation, with the overlap between what is currently being said and what was said a couple of seconds ago becoming genuinely disruptive. In schools, this can make it extremely difficult for children to follow what their teacher is saying. For this reason, BB93 demands a reverberation time of 0.8 seconds or less, with 0.4 seconds being seen as ideal. Reverberation time is described as the time taken for the sound pressure to fall by 60 decibels after the original sound has ceased abruptly. So, in the case of BB93, 0.8 seconds or less after a sound has been made, that sound should have decreased by 60dB. 60dB is a significant drop, the difference between a construction site with pneumatics drills and a busy department store.It is in situations like this, when form and function appear determined to have nothing to do with one another, that architects and the designers of construction materials are driven towards increasingly innovative and paradigm-shifting solutions. The stereotype of the architect who is concerned only with form and is completely disinterested in function is, thankfully, a thing of the past (if these individuals ever really existed at all). Modern architects don’t create buildings so much as living and working spaces, where physical aesthetics are neatly balanced with a host of other concerns, such as the quality of an environment’s acoustics.Although regulation sets crucial, legally-enforceable parameters, few architects need to be incentivised to aim high when it comes to a building’s acoustics.This drive towards innovation has resulted in widely differing solutions. Reflector panels and diffusers redirect sound waves or disburse them more evenly through the listening environment, reducing nuisance noise. These solutions tend to be employed in lecture halls or auditoria, where a certain amount of volume is desirable, but the quality of the sound is crucial. The most commonly employed anti-reverberation product is the sound absorption panel. These fabric covered panels are mounted on the walls of a room or suspended from the ceiling. When the sound wave enters the open cell structure or fibrous composition of the panel, it bounces around like a pinball. The friction resulting from each instance of impact is converted into low-level heat which is absorbed into the material. When the sound wave re-emerges, its energy, and consequently its ‘loudness’, is significantly diminished. This tends to be the solution of choice for classrooms and is generally considered to be the quickest and most cost-effective route to BB93 compliance.Some acoustic challenges are more demanding than others. The renovation of the Picton Reading Room, part of the £50 million redevelopment of Liverpool Central Library, being a case in point. Not only is the reading room contained within a Grade II listed building, it also boasts an elaborate coffered saucer dome. Domes are something of an acoustician’s nightmare, as they focus rather than distribute sound, exacerbating reverberation problems. All of which means a dropped pencil in the Picton Reading Room sounds like a Keith Moon drum solo. Why Cornelius Sherlock, the reading room’s architect, decided to incorporate a dome – one 100 feet in diameter and 56 feet high – into his design for a space that was intended for quiet study is a little bewildering, even if his work does predate Sullivan’s remarks by a couple of decades.Thousands of hours of work have gone into restoring the ceiling of the Picton Reading Room, with plaster, paint and gold leaf being matched as closely as possible to the original 1875 design. Given the need to be true to the form of the original, certain anti-reverberation solutions were unworkable. Reflectors, diffusers and baffles couldn’t be suspended from the ceiling, as all those thousands of hours of work would be hidden from view and the Nineteenth Century aesthetics undermined. Wall-mounted sound absorption panels were not a viable option, as there was very little wall to speak of, with three levels of solid wood bookshelves encircling the room, almost up to the beginning of the dome.Recent innovations in the area of acoustic plaster held the solution. Sound absorbent plaster has been around for some years, offering a smooth appearance which conceals a porous, granular structure similar to that found in sound absorption panels. However, until recently, the amount of sound absorption offered has always been limited to Class ‘B’ and Class ‘C’. Now, however, Class ‘A’ acoustic plaster systems are available. It was just such an acoustic plaster that CMS Danskin used for the Liverpool Central Library project.Because of the limited surface area in the Picton Reading Room, Ellie Morris, CMS Danskin’s Technical Support Coordinator, hit upon the idea of applying the acoustic plaster into the soffits beneath the balconies of the upper shelving areas. The results were a resounding (or un-resounding) success. A relatively small amount of an innovative product, cleverly applied brought a 138-year old listed building’s acoustics in line with contemporary standards and not a hint of compromise in sight.

ASF were asked to produce handrailing and glass balustrade for a facelift project at the site of the re-purposed Bradford library. 3 main products were selected: The ever popular ASF 5006 handrailing for the steps - supplied as central double rails and single rail at the wall sideASF Max Channel, 3kn Frameless Glass Balustrade hosted between granite piers on the walkwayThe ASF Adaptions, Stud Mounted Glass Balustrade that finished off the barrier section of the public terrace when approached from the top, and complimented the step units when viewed from below.The finished effect of the Adaptions balustrade on this project celebrated 2 of this system's key benefits. From the top it brought the viewing platform barrier to a full 1100mm whilst not interrupting the view across the city and from below offers a visually impressive architectural feature.

Stopgap 700 flexible smoothing underlayment and Styccobond F41 carpet tile tackifier have been used in the refurbishment of a thirty-year-old Routemaster bus to create a library for children at Tolworth Nursery. On the top deck of the bus, Stopgap 700 flexible smoothing underlayment was applied over a firmly secured plywood subfloor. On both floors, Styccobond F41 carpet tile tackifier was used to install premium fibre-bonded carpet tiles. Styccobond F66 solvent-free contact adhesive was used to install carpet tiles on the bus’s staircase. Stycco Flex, a rapid-curing flexible adhesive, was then used to attach the aluminium stair nosings.

A floor preparation system from F. Ball has been used to install 2,700m2 of floorcoverings at Glasgow University Library. First, old linoleum floorcoverings were removed. Over this area, Stopgap F77 waterproof surface membrane was applied due to excessive relative humidity levels. Stopgap 1200 Pro smoothing underlayment was applied on concrete sections of the subfloor. An F. Ball primer was applied to a ramp constructed from plywood before Stopgap 700 smoothing underlayment was used to receive floorcoverings. In the entranceway, Styccobond F46 adhesive was selected to install vinyl sheets, with Styccobond F41 carpet tile tackifier used to install carpet tiles.

Over the years, the David Lloyd Leisure brand has become synonymous with health, sports and leisure. It has played a significant role in increasing the nation’s awareness of how important fitness is to our overall health and wellbeing. Today, David Lloyd Leisure (DLL) exist to provide exceptional service and unrivalled facilities that enable their members of all ages to enjoy active, healthy, satisfying lives.

Recently opened, the Engine Shed is Scotland’s dedicated building conservation centre, based in Stirling. Working with contractor, ESH Border and architect Reiach & Hall, Style Scotland installed a Skyfold operable wall to quickly separate the exhibition space from the auditorium, allowing educational seminars to be conducted in privacy whilst the rest of the space remains open to the public. Skyfold, a hugely innovative partitioning solution, is a vertical-rising moveable wall that retracts into the ceiling cavity at the turn of a key, creating an acoustic barrier of up to 59dB Rw.

In summer 2019, Bradford Hospital had opened their newly built Wolfson Centre for Applied Health Research. As a part of the new building burmatex® osaka carpet tiles were fitted to complete the interior design of the Centre. osaka inkpot is the main carrier, ideal for having on-site cut triangles of osaka sakura and osaka matcha with random colour effect creating zones on the floor. In this office environment, burmatex® heavy commercial class 33 carpet tiles have been chosen to create a unique and eye-catching effect in keeping a high level of performance.

Recticel Insulation’s innovative insulation board - Eurowall +, which has a tongue and groove joints on all four sides to ensure an airtight fit and improved thermal performance, was selected for a desirable new housing scheme built beside one of England’s eminent waterways.The Magenta Court development in Apsley, Hemel Hempstead is a multi-award nominated social housing project on behalf of Dacorum Borough Council. The £6.5m scheme, which stands alongside the famous Grand Union Canal, comprises 29 one-and-two bedroom flats within four blocks. The buildings’ design was inspired by the surrounding wharf architecture present in a nearby listed cottage, papermill and Apsley Lock.Being delivered by main contractor Jarvis Contracting, working with architects RG+P, key to the programme’s success was achieving an energy-efficient building fabric. This led to the specification of Eurowall®+, a high-performance PIR solution from Recticel.This flagship product helps to achieve a 0.18 U-value with a 90mm-thick panel in a 100mm cavity. The lightweight, easy-to-handle board features a tongue-and-groove joint on its four sides, allowing it to be used as full-fill cavity wall insulation with a 10mm clear cavity. The additional space makes for a rapid, more convenient fit for bricklayers when it comes to installation.Simon Blackham, Technical Manager at Recticel explained:This was a tremendous project to be involved with. It’s a superb housing scheme in a great location. With the buildings’ overall thermal efficiency among the priorities, it’s the type of project Eurowall®+ was created for. Further, it enhanced the programme’s sustainable credentials by reducing on-site labour times, thanks to the additional space it affords installers.Eurowall®+ is an exemplar of how high-performance materials can maximise a home’s thermal performance through a fabric-first approach. Its selection for the Magenta Court development was crucial to the creation of a number of desirable, energy-efficient affordable homes, whilst playing a part in ensuring the contractor remained on track to complete the project to the agreed timeframe. About Eurowall®+:Eurowall® + is a premium, high performance full fill insulation board with precision cut tongue and groove joints on all four sides. This ensures that the boards lock tightly together minimising heat loss through thermal bridging. This unique joint offers increased protection against wind driven rain as well as improved windtightness. Eurowall® + is also designed with a 10mm cavity requirement in mind, so that space can be left for conventional bricklaying techniques.

Armourcoat's three dimensional Sculptural Barcode wall finish has been specified at a high profile office fit-out in Eastpoint Business Park, Dublin. The project interior, designed by Meehan Associates, includes a series of ‘huddle rooms’ and meeting spaces with wonderful use of bold accent colour to help orientate staff. The colours also act to highlight the clean, crisp detailing of the linear ‘Barcode’ design used to link the spaces. Armourcoat Sculptural creates seamless wall surfaces with impactful designs and cast relief. Each design is created from cast GRG (Glass-fibre Reinforced Gypsum) panels, CAD generated to enable a continuous pattern or unique decorative effect.Over 600m2 of Armourcoat’s Sculptural Barcode finish was applied to achieve the seamless finish to walls, together with banded polished plaster finishes in various colours throughout the building.The project was delivered by Meehan Associates to meet USGBC LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) standards.The architects were keen to specify sustainable materials to ensure their positive contribution to the project. In keeping with the eco specification, Armourcoat finishes include 40% pre-consumer recycled marble and no VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds).

"You can hear it and feel the difference as soon as you walk in and start to talk"Due to new hybrid working we installed VC kit that better enabled remote calls and meetings for staff. When in-person colleagues around the meeting table would be in conversation with each other, audio would often cut out for those joining remotely, no matter how many speakers and microphones we had in the room. Generally, this was a poor meeting experience for those joining online and we had received feedback about this from our staff. Ceilings in the room are high with concrete beams and so this was probably contributing to the issues. 

Working to BDP acoustic departments design the project boasts the Topakustik 14/2M (aw – 0.90, Absorption Class A, NRC – 0.89) with a factory finished RAL 9010. 

Cordek were called upon to deliver a ground heave solution which would also provide the necessary level of ground floor insulation.

The existing conservatory, offering panoramic ocean views, needed replacing to bring it up to the superior specification of the rest of the estate. Alongside some much-needed aesthetic enhancements, the primary requirement of the new build was to create a more comfortable indoor environment; the existing uPVC extension was plagued with temperature issues consistent with extensions of a certain age.Coastal’s Regent Door Handle and Regent Window Handle were specified from their BLU Range of 316 Marine Grade Stainless Steel Hardware. The classic styling of the BLU Regent Handles fitted perfectly with the luxurious ambience of the hotel. And with The Carbis Bay Estate situated right on the coast, fitting hardware made from 316 Marine Grade Stainless Steel to the orangery was an absolute must. Salt air is extremely corrosive and harmful to hardware and studies have shown 316 Marine Grade Stainless Steel to be the best metal to withstand this corrosion. The Regent Door and Window Handles ticked that box as well, being made from solid 316 Stainless Steel they are well able to withstand the corrosive salt air.

When one of Yewdale's customers was awarded the contract to supply and fit blinds, cubicle tracking and flyscreens for the newly refurbished ward Aconbury North at the Worcestershire Royal Hospital they didn't hesitate to specify Yewdale. Yewdale supplied 30 YewdaleMovatrack® tracks, 30 YewdaleDefiant® vertical blinds and 5 YewdaleDefiant® flyscreens all on time and without delay. Read more about this project.

Architect: Page \ ParkInstaller: McLaughlin & HarveyProduct: ‘Shiluvit’ by Oranit400m2 of Shuluvit panels in 7-501 formation and Natural Yellow Pine were installed to the ceilings of the entrance way and cafe area of Kelvin Hall in Glasgow as well as 170m2 of linear acoustic planks in Natural Oak veneer to the main lecture theatre.The facility on historic Argyle street to the west of Glasgow city centre is a thriving community hub. Home to event and lecture space for the public as well as the University of Glasgow and local businesses. Kelvin Hall also houses the Glasgow Museums and the National Library of Scotland, celebrating the country’s history in historic and present literature and manuscripts as well as maps, films, and digital media.In addition to the educational spaces Kelvin Hall also has fitness suites for both adult and child classes as well as a 100 piece gym and multiple sports hall for public and commercial use. New to the facility in 2019 is the public climbing wall activity centre and soft-play for younger community members!The newly refurbished Kelvin Hall is home to parts of the National Library of Scotland, Glasgow Museums, and University of Glasgow research exhibitions as well as the Glasgow Club hosting fitness classes and children’s gymnastics clubs.

Rockfon is very happy to have played its part in ensuring the team at premium British lifestyle brand Joules’ new Market Harborough HQ can work in an interior environment where beauty and acoustic control create the perfect space for collaboration.Founded by Tom Joule over 30 years ago, the Group had ambitious aspirations to create a new home that would support its continued growth over the coming years.  Edge vision melds contemporary with heritageEdge Architecture + Design were appointed to lead the project and chose to specify Rockfon acoustic systems. The result is a contemporary, eye-catching 60,000 sq. ft. new HQ, which brings the brand’s UK-based office teams under one roof for the first time. Amplifying the brand’s heritage and reflecting the site’s semi-rural setting, the campus resembles a series of interconnecting barn structures that appear to have evolved over time. The complex is surrounded by landscaping including wildflower meadows and a kitchen garden which enhances the natural feel of the space. Michael Fern, Principle at Edge, said, “This new space will enable a workplace strategy of nimbleness, agile working and wellness… We also wanted to create a strong sense of place that respects the natural surroundings of the site and have designed the scheme as a human scale experience with the building and the landscape interacting in a symbiotic way. We took the local farmstead vernacular as a starting point for the visual aesthetic and used sustainable materials.”Tom Joule, Chief Brand Officer and founder of Joules, said, “This has been a hugely exciting project for our company and our future. We are delighted with the new HQ which will support agile working and new efficiencies in an environment that will enable our growing business to continue to attract and retain world-class talent. Edge’s design embodies our brand and will help us preserve and support our heritage and culture as we expand.”Agricultural cues inform an 21st Century aestheticThe exterior of the campus looks sharp against the skyline whilst taking visual cues and inspiration from agricultural architecture. The interiors are a mix of single and two storey spaces encapsulating open plan and more defined rooms with levels reached by broad stairways. Structural steel and timber add visual heft to the predominantly white pallete which sees certain elements picked out in oxide red, deep teal and warm grey. It certainly delivers the wow factor and promises to nurture creative thought.Bailey Construction were the main contractor for the project, with Elmsmere Interior Systems responsible for the installation of the Rockfon acoustic systems. Gary Sturgess of Elmsmere spoke about the project, “This was an interesting project with Rockfon Mono® Acoustic used in a variety of roles and settings to help control sound while fitting in with the clean, pared down style of the interiors. Everyone concerned is very happy with the completed work which showcases Mono’s versatility.”Pandemic pause affects design choicesAppointed in 2019, Joules’ CEO Nick Jones joined the Group during the design and construction of the new HQ. However, when the pandemic struck and people shifted to working from home, construction was halted which allowed the company to revise its plans to best suit new methods of working and office culture. In response the company has expanded the central atrium and created more space between desks to promote spontaneous interaction. Meeting rooms are equipped with tech enabling remote workers to easily participate, while floor-to-ceiling windows and outdoor features, including a bug hotel, help to connect the space to the company’s countryside heritage.Nick Jones commented, “With the opening of our new office, we have introduced a new fully flexible approach to how and where our colleagues work, and the space that we have is critical to that. Not only does our new office allow teams to better connect with one and other—whether in the office or working from home—but also brings the countryside in, to help inspire colleagues from across the business.”Rockfon Mono Acoustic – versatility and styleRockfon’s Matt Barratt, “The completed Joules HQ looks fabulous. Throughout its open plan offices Rockfon Mono Acoustic has been installed to great effect, bringing together the seamless, clean lines associated with traditional plastered surfaces and acoustic performance thought only possible with modular systems. Large windows, structural steel and other hard architectural elements can generate unwanted sound within a space. Mono provides Class A sound absorption (0.95αw) which significantly decreases echo and reverberation levels.”The current utility aesthetic is in evidence at ‘the Barn’. Air conditioning, heating, ventilation and other services are on show in several areas, with Mono installed directly above. It offers Class A2 fire protection and remains dimensionally stable at up to 100% relative humidity. It offers 87% light reflection and greater than 99% light diffusion. In common with other Rockfon acoustic systems, Mono is made with a core of naturally occurring inert volcanic rock stonewall, is non-combustible and will not harbour harmful microorganisms and bacteria. It can be installed using a suspended grid system or be directly mounted on to the ceiling soffit or and wall.   

Identified by Experian as one of the leading business hubs in Britain, Northampton has seen a flurry of investment in recent years. Perhaps its most bold – and significant – investment is the development of the University of Northampton’s £330m purpose-built Waterside campus, which has seen the relocation and integration of its two main sites into one state-of-the-art centre of learning.

Dr Gunther von Hagens’ renowned exhibition of real human bodies is the most successful travelling exhibition in the world. On display since 1995, it has attracted more than 47 million visitors in over 130 different cities across America, Africa, Asia and Europe. With its worldwide popularity and central London location, the venue expects significant annual footfall which means a robust entrance matting system is essential to maintain the safety and aesthetics of the reception. To combat dirt and moisture at the door, our flagship INTRAflex XT Entrance Matting system was combined with the popular INTRAlux Elite Anthracite 607 Fibre insert.

Designed by MVRDV and GRAS Reynés Arquitectos, Project Gomila is a collection of buildings, each with its own individual character derived from their colors, materials, and rooflines, that is transforming the area around Plaza Gomila, located in Mallorca (Spain). The architects have selected our products for their maximum chromatic customization and functionality. More than 60 avant-garde homes with their own identity and custom design. Fit Box and Premium Plus roller shades, BSO outdoor Venetian blinds, and Vertical blinds were totally personalized for each building according to its style, furniture, and deco. The project was nominated “Best Applied Products” category of the Building of the Year Awards by Archdaily.

Founded in 1451, the University of Glasgow is the fourth oldest university in the English-speaking world. They specified various flooring solutions for a host of environments within the university: Taralay Impression Comfort, Taralay Elements Compact, Creation 70 LVT and Tarasafe Standard.

Muiden is a small settlement town at the IJmeer, part of the municipality of Gooise Meren. In short, an environment with plenty of greenery and water.Here is a prairie style villa, designed by DenOlderVleugels Architects & Associates, equipped with unique louvers. By Sunshield.On the second floor, at the front as well at the side wall, a triangular slat system have been installed.Both sun shading systems have an area of almost 10 m2 and are controlled separately with a remote control.The residents have chosen the 150-E louver. A slat with a modern, sleek design and a width of 150 mm. When the slats are fully open, the visibility between the slats is 140 mm. The residents can then fully enjoy the beautiful panorama.The aluminum parts are powder coated in RAL 7021, black-grey. The plastic components are finished in black.

Long-standing UltraFloor customers, Specialist Flooring Group have used Level IT Two to install 800sqm of vinyl sheet flooring throughout Kingston Hospital.BackgroundIn August 2023, work began on a much-needed extension to Kingston Hospital in Surrey. The project included installing brand-new screeds, as well as working with the existing substrates in some areas.The ChallengeKingston Hospital is an extremely busy building, operating 24 hours a day. With that in mind, it was crucial that disruption was kept to a minimum and patients were kept as comfortable as possible during the renovations.Healthcare environments are in constant use and so choosing subfloor preparation materials that would provide a super smooth and hard-wearing finish was equally as important. With hospital staff moving beds, wheelchairs and equipment along the corridors, it was crucial that the floors were completely level and devoid of any lumps, bumps and trip hazards.The SolutionUltraFloor have a long and successful history of providing subfloor preparation products to the healthcare sector. They were delighted to once again partner with flooring experts, Specialist Flooring Group, to complete a 800sqm project at this very busy Surrey hospital.To begin, the screeding division of Specialist Flooring Group installed a 75mm K Screed to the new areas of the hospital. Once complete, they handed over to the flooring arm of the business who primed the entire area with UltraFloor Prime IT Multi-surface Primer.Formulated to promote the adhesion to all UltraFloor smoothing underlayments, Prime IT Multi-surface Primer reduces pinholing, minimising the risk of costly failures. With a coverage rate of 200sqm at 3:1 dilution, Prime IT Multi-surface Primer is a must-have product for all flooring installation projects.After Prime IT Multi-surface Primer had cured, Level IT Two was trowel applied to a depth of 3-5mm.There are many reasons why Level IT Two has become UltraFloor’s most popular floor leveller. Its exceptional flow characteristics make it a very easy material to apply to a variety of subfloors in both commercial and domestic flooring projects.Level IT Two is protein free, reducing the risk and spread of disease as the types of dangerous and contagious bacteria that thrive in protein are eliminated, and is low odour, providing a pleasant environment for both staff, contractors and recovering patients.With a set time of 2.5 hours, Level IT Two can receive bonded floor coverings after just 8 hours, making it an ideal choice for projects with a tight deadline. What’s more, because Level IT Two is available as a two component system, it takes the guesswork out of mixing, reducing site errors and guaranteeing a perfect application every time.Level IT Two created a beautifully smooth subfloor – the perfect preparation for the installation of the Polyflor Verona, Polyflor Palletone and Burmatex Osaka carpet tiles.ResultsOn working with UltraFloor, Riley Goatham, Project Coordinator at Specialist Flooring Group Ltd, commented: “We have a great continuing relationship with Instarmac. We use UltraFloor materials as they are of a great standard, and we receive amazing technical support from the UltraFloor team. This ranges from site visits to having specifications provided to us for certain projects.As always, the materials were great for this project. Level IT Two allowed us to use one levelling compound throughout, regardless of the substrate type, and provided us with a nice level floor to work with.”The project began in August 2023 and finished in October 2023.For further information about UltraFloor and how you can benefit from their expertise, please contact their team of flooring experts by emailing ultrafloor@instarmac.co.uk or calling 01827 254400.

Designed by IBI Group, construction of the 7000sqm. Barnsley Blood Centre, was commissioned under the DoH and Social Care’s ProCure 22 Framework. Rockfon retains P22 preferred supplier status and we are very pleased Rockfon® MediCare® Standard has been installed throughout the centre’s four laboratories, open plan offices, meeting rooms and catering facilities. Helping provide a great working environment Chris Sims, NHS Blood and Transplant, said, “It has been fantastic to see the building taking shape. We’re very proud of our new centre... Barnsley will be a great place from which to deliver our life saving and life enhancing services.”

The client desired a green roof at the back of this beautiful family home. Access was very restricted. The speed and ease of transporting and installing our modular trays meant minimum disruption for the homeowner. Trays were delivered to site on pallets and handballed to the roof. The modules were laid down onto a geotextile fabric. Pebbles were then laid around the perimeter between the trays and any outlets to provide the required firebreak. Vegetation blended quickly creating a seamless green roof and, looking out from the upper floors, a sense of continuity from the house across the garden.

The Project is located in the building built in 1920 by the architect José Yarnoz Larrosa to welcome the headquarters of two editorial companies. Nowadays, the hotel is on the upper levels and it counts 168 rooms, designed by Studio B76 with careful attention to decoration inspired by the 1920s and 1950s. For bedrooms, two systems combinations are used: FIT BOX and Premium Plus or Zi-Box and Premium Plus; one for daily activity and contact visual outside and one for resting and total opacity. The fabrics are selected according to these needs. One Bandalux awning is also used in the terrace, providing a comfortable outdoor space. 

The London Science Museum is one of London’s major tourist attractions, attracting 3.3 million visitors annually. Now using, interior glass balustrade. The museums’ collections comprise of both permanent and temporary exhibits. So, when they design each exhibit, they must consider how easy it is to change and adapt the space for any new collections. Displays can be created from many things, including an interior glass balustrade. The Science Museum aims to provide inspiring exhibitions to its visitors. The museum approached Pure Vista while looking for a barrier to protect an extremely valuable exhibit, an original prototype of the Brougham carriage. They required an interior glass balustrade in this London location, that was secure enough to prevent visitors from touching the exhibit but didn’t spoil the viewing opportunities. This also needed to be easy to move and adapt. Knowing that Pure Vista specialise in easy-to-adjust glass balustrade for both interior and exterior projects, they approached us for a solution.Pure Vista proposed a POSIglaze solution for this project.The force loading required for interior light-commercial balustrade is 1.50kN, according to UK building regulations. Which can be achieved with POSIglaze using the right type of glass (19mm or 21.5mm laminate SentryGlas). The real benefit of POSIglaze is that it’s the most adjustable balustrade system on the market, all thanks to our patented screw-clamp technology. This meant that the museum could easily remove a panel of glass in order to move exhibits in and out of this space. The adjustment of this system doesn’t require special skills or tools. 

Leviat designed and manufactured the stainless steel support and restraint system for the brick façade on this attractive Town Centre development, voted Best Public Building in the 2014 Brick Awards.This award-winning project, designed by MICA Architects (formerly Rick Mather Architects), is located in a conservation area, home to some of the finest examples of Edwardian Grade II* brick and terracotta buildings in Newham, making brick the natural cladding choice.Brick features, including soffits, reveals and ribs, help give the building its unique character with each element being tied back to the main structural frame by special fixings from Leviat, designed to suit the specific load and cavity conditions at each location.

As part of the BBC DIY SOS build to support the Grenfell community, Structura UK is proud to announce it has helped to realise two ambitious projects to support the survivors of the Grenfell disaster. This includes a brand new Community Centre as well as a replacement for the Dale Youth Amateur Boxing Club which was previously located on the first floor of Grenfell Tower and destroyed in the blaze.Over 200 square metres of Kalwall® translucent cladding has been used along the whole elevation of the new Boxing Club using the newly adapted THERM+ curtain walling system from RAICO.This was the first project realised using the new system and has worked remarkably well. The ability to conceal the fixings and screws coupled with the mill-finished aluminium framing has created a wonderfully smooth and dramatic façade.RAICO President, Dr Stefan Lackner commented, “RAICO has a long standing reputation for innovation and partnerships with customers and associated product suppliers. Working with Structura and Kalwall to develop a solution to integrate windows and glazing into a Kalwall screen has created many potential opportunities. We are particularly pleased that the first live project for our new partnership was for this deserving cause.”

We zone in on the complete wetroom solution provided for the Lalit Hotel one of Schlüter-Systems’ grandest projects of 2016/17 and finalist in the ‘Listed Building (Over £5 million)’ category of the AJ Retrofit Awards 2017. The conversion project took the historic Grade II listed building previously known as St Olave’s Grammar School, located at Bankside in London, and transformed it into a luxury 70-room boutique hotel that fuses the best of Indian and British culture. Lalit London is the 13th hotel of the Lalit Suri Hospitality Group, and the first based outside of India.

Laminated column casings from the Pendock Radius range are providing a splash of colour, while also concealing structural steelwork at the Virgin Active gym in Islington, London.The 450mm diameter column casings are manufactured from ply/MDF and are each finished with a highly durable high-pressure laminate (HPL) in bright yellow and scarlet to provide an eye-catching solution that integrates with the gym’s contemporary design.Manufactured in ‘quadrants’, each column casing section incorporates a contrasting black shadow gap feature joint, as well as black header and skirting collars. The casings are also used to surface mount large mirrors, while the HPL finish is resistant to scuffs and damage, making it ideal for high-traffic environments

As part of the refit, the building required a new roof as it was showing signs of wear and had started to leak. As well as a waterproofing solution, the client wanted to improve the thermal performance in line with current building regulations. For health and safety reasons, the client also requested a flame free roofing solution.

Based in the heart of London’s financial district, LibertySyndicates has taken up new office space at 20Fenchurch Street, more commonly known as the WalkieTalkie.Famed for it’s unique design, the building wascompleted in 2014 by world renowned architect, RafaelVinoly. Unlike most skyscrapers, the walkie talkie adoptsa top-heavy shape which allows it to maximise space onthe higher floors, the most expensive to rent.It also offers a free to use sky garden for the public,situated on the top three levels, which was one of thekey factors in the building receiving planning permission.Liberty Syndicates opted to make six floors of 20Fenchurch Street their new London home, with a view todeveloping a modern and vibrant working space.In a high usage, commercial environment, Allgood’skey brief was to provide a high performing ironmongerypackage. Grade 316 stainless steel Modric pull handleswere supplied on all of the meeting room doorsalongside matching accessories and overhead doorclosers.In the bathroom areas, Allgood supplied a co-ordinatedModric range of signage, WC turns, coat hooks andescutcheons.

BW Workplace Experts looks to Oscar Acoustics to create health-enhancing workplace of the future Making a sound choiceOffice fit-out professionals, BW Workplace Experts, who specialise in delivering welcoming office environments, enlisted the help of Oscar Acoustics as part of a major workplace fit-out to ensure optimal acoustic comfort for occupants and a calm ‘home from home’ experience for staff.Central to achieving their goal of creating a peaceful office ambience was the issue of noise reverberation. It was imperative that workers using the office space could communicate easily without needing to shout and that staff could work harmoniously without distractions.The challenge: unconventional working spaces Located at Herbal House in Farringdon, London, BW Workplace needed to allow for agile ways of working, providing flexible environments that offer focused work areas, co-working spaces and relaxed break out areas. A combination of both impromptu and formal meeting rooms was also required.  Working alongside architects TP Bennett, Oscar Acoustics were faced with the challenge of how to achieve the perfect acoustic balance within the two-floor Manhattan loft-style space. As office workers would be dealing with important sensitive circumstances, such as judicial matters, unwanted noise needed to be kept to a minimum, allowing staff to concentrate and focus on matters at hand.Leanne Baird, Head of Marketing at BW, said: “We needed an effective design solution to deal with reverberant noise so that staff remained free of distractions and their ability to concentrate was not impaired by excessive noise. “Having worked with Oscar Acoustics previously, we knew we were in safe hands as far as finding an effective noise-reduction solution was concerned. Their expertise in architectural acoustic finishes was crucial to the success of this project.”The solution: calm, inviting interiors that sound as good as they lookChosen for its ability to absorb sound energy instead of reflecting it, Oscar’s SonaSpray K-13 is a seamless acoustic spray with a deliberately industrial, coarsely textured finish that helps control stressful noise reverberation in buildings. Blending in seamlessly with the fluid, flexible workspace, the spray was completed in a single application, allowing BW to keep to important project deadlines, with minimal installation time.  Sustainable acoustic solutionsSonaSpray K-13 also contributes towards many sustainable design and health certification systems including BREEAM, SKA, Living Building Challenge and adds up to 17 points towards the LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) rating of a project. By choosing SonaSpray K-13, all parties could feel confident that the application met the highest health and welfare standards due its non-hazardous, GREENGUARD Gold Certified compliance for Indoor Air Quality. As a seamless M1 certified Low Emitting acoustic spray, it also contains renewable natural resources such as wood, and cotton which effectively lowers the carbon footprint of the building project by sequestering rich stores of carbon for the lifecycle of the structure. In a world where environmental impact is paramount, SonaSpray K-13 boasts further green credentials, having been covered by the Environmental Product Declaration in accordance with ISO 14025 and meeting the Living Building Challenge and LEED requirements. In addition to these, Oscar Acoustics are ISO 14001 certified; completing the environmental jigsaw and making them Great Britain’s most sustainable acoustic solutions provider.Fire rated acoustic sprayIt was also imperative that employee safety was considered, especially in terms of fire safety. Knowing that SonaSpray K-13 not only met but significantly bettered the updated Approved Document B fire requirement (Class 0 to BS476 & B-s1,d0 fire rating), gave both architects and designers complete peace of mind that should the eventuality occur, the acoustic spray would provide little to no smoke and absolutely no droplets, assisting in the safe escape of its occupants.Ben Hancock, Managing Director at Oscar Acoustics says: “When we were first approached by BW, we knew just the solution for this type of acoustic problem in an office space. With years of experience providing acoustic solutions to commercial workspaces, our tried and tested SonaSpray range is our go-to choice for achieving superb acoustic results without design compromise. “Working with BW has been a fantastic experience. With the increased focus on wellbeing and the work-life balance becoming more prevalent, office space must reflect this change. It’s long been recognised that poor acoustics and excessive levels of noise can be bad for occupants’ health so it was great to see this issue being taken seriously, to improve the daily lives of employees using the building day-to-day.”Image credit to Tom Green Photography.

Finish: Interpon D2525 Brilliance Parts coated: Cladding Architect: Hopkins Applicator: Vertik-Al